Lay summary
Indigenous Māori youth made up 19.8% of the national sample in the Youth 19 research and of those, 9.8% identified as same-sex or multiple-sex attracted and 2% identified as gender diverse (Roy et al., 2021). Kerekere (2017) reported that non-heterosexual Māori youth are significantly more likely to experience bullying, unwanted sexual attention and sexual and mental health problems than both their Pākehā and heterosexual counterparts. In addition, Kerekere argued that many takatāpui struggle with their cultural identity in relation to their diverse gender identities, sexualities or sex characteristics. Fenaughty (2016) also argued that cis-heteronormative culture and language are pervasive in schools in Aotearoa, and that LGBTQI+ and takatāpui identities are not visible in the classroom or broader education system. This research will draw on critical ethnographic case studies to explore the experiences of ākonga Māori who identify as takatāpui or sex, gender and sexuality diverse in relationships and sexuality education.