Columnist Shonda Campbell asks for responsibility to be taken in an editorial at Cherry Grrl. Shonda asks that when we hear children as young as kindergarten saying things like, "that's gay," when they don't even know what they're saying, what messages are we sending the future leaders of America? She then links to GLSEN's Think Before You Speak campaign for information on ending its overt use, and leaves readers with something to think about.
Be careful of what you say, because once it is out there, it can never be taken back. Respecting others as you would want to be respected should be like breathing. Involuntary.
The slanderous usage of the word gay isn't shouted soley in the hallways and classrooms here in the U.S. It's heard behind closed doors at home and on television all over the world. Well-known British actor Ian McKellen of X-Men and Lord of the Rings fame recently pointed out to a group of sixth grade students in England that the use of the word "gay" is discouragingly prevalent, but he believes in a formidable solution.
The word gay has become used as a derogatory term and this is something which education can help to resolve.
Brendan Burke is a student manager for the Miami of Ohio hockey team, one of the top programs in the country, and the son of Toronto Maple Leafs General Manager Brian Burke. He's also an out gay man. ESPN tells his coming out story and provides a hopeful look at what should happen some day: the players, coach and community accept and respect Brendan and are even attempting to think before they speak.
From Miami Coach Enrico Blasi:
I think having Brendan as part of our program has been a blessing. We are much more aware of what you say and how we say it. I am guilty as anyone. We need to be reminded that respect is not a label, but something you earn by the way you live your life.
There are historical changes occurring at the local level throughout the U.S., and GLSEN would like to acknowledge the positive influence those changes are having on their communities.
In Alabama, the Franklin County School System retracted their initial decision to bar Cynthia Stewart, a junior at Tharptown High School, from taking her girlfriend to the school prom next March. This decision came after the American Civil Liberties Union of Alabama sent the school a letter earlier this month demanding their decision be reversed.
Schools everywhere would do well to take note of this school’s decision to obey Federal law and not discriminate against students who want to bring same-sex dates to school dances. -Christine P. Sun, senior counsel with the ACLU national LGBT Project
In Florida, the Tampa City Council has voted 5 to 1 to expanded their anti-discrimination policy to include transgender people. This ordinance will now protect transgender people against housing, employment and public accommodation discrimination.
Despite mixed emotions and critical debate by opponents of the expanded policy, board chairman Philip Dinkins said:
The bottom line is discrimination is wrong, and history has proven that expanding the civil rights of our citizens is the right thing to do.
Violence among students is gaining increased exposure in the media. NPR reported today on how the local community is responding in the wake of a high-profile attack at Chicago's Christian Fenger Academy High School .
With the introduction of a lesbian relationship on "90210" scheduled early next year, many are questioning the longevity of its run. Entertainment Weekly reported that Rumer Willis' character Gia will become romantically involved with another prominent female lead in 2010. While many are claiming it as a shameless stunt, those affiliated with the show are promising depth.
This is a real aspect of teenager life that’s interesting… And there’s been a real void in the 90210 universe in terms of gay and bisexual characters.
Since the successful advent of videos like "Girls Gone Wild," there has been a surge of girl kisses on television, much to the sqealing delight of audiences everywhere- that is, if temporary. It's become the common practice of failing sitcoms to take their dwindling audiences on titillating rides with girl-on-girl action in a desperate attempt to regain viewership and increase ratings.
"Heroes" and "Flashforward" are two shows currently seducing their audiences with lesbian entanglements, but will it last or are they counting its proven ability to boost ratings before distinguishing the stories? To the frustration of many real lesbians, these story lines are often subject to oversimplification and one-dimensional portrayals of a broader community that constantly battles to legitimize themselves in society.
In fairness, more shows are regularly including gay and lesbian characters, like "Grey's Anatomy," "Modern Family" and "Brothers and Sisters," and many are making headway in putting them on equal footing with their heterosexual counterparts.
Only time will tell whether "90210" can maintain a serious story line, but you can be sure many are looking forward to how the show's creators will undress this highly anticipated romance.
Do you think the current television portrayals of gay and lesbian relationships are fair and accurate?
According to a recently released FBI report, the number of reported hate crimes in 2008 increased since the previous year, from 7,624 incidents to 7,783. Of these cases, 51.3% were motivated by a racial bias, 19.5% by religious prejudice, and 16.7% by bias against sexual orientation. Hate crimes motivated by the victim's actual or perceived sexual orientation increased 11% since 2007.
These data are not perfect indicators of the number of hate crimes committed in the U.S., since they only reflect the incidents reported to authorities. Hate crimes often go unreported--especially if the victims lack the resources or knowledge to respond to hate crimes, or fear retaliation if they draw attention to themselves--and thus the actual number of hate crimes is likely significantly higher than what the FBI claims. Nevertheless, the FBI's report demonstrates the disturbing number of crimes motivated by anti-LGBT bias or other forms of prejudice or bigotry.
It is fortunate that Congress and President Obama passed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act this fall, which expands previous federal hate crime laws to include crimes motivated by bias against sexual orientation and gender/gender identity. With law enforcement officials (hopefully!) exercising this new legislation against biased-motivated crimes--and organizations like GLSEN working to eliminate anti-LGBT violence in schools and beyond--we hope to see these rising numbers of hate crimes fall in the years to come.
You may have already heard about Will Phillips, the 10-year-old from Arkansas who refuses to stand and recite the Pledge of Allegiance because he feels LGBT people aren't treated equally in this country. Will has to be one of the most principled and courageous 10-year-olds I've ever seen (not to mention articulate! When I was his age, one of every five words that I spoke probably had something to do with Pokemon).
Unfortunately, his classmates have resorted to harassing Will for his conviction, calling him a "gaywad." Will argues that this is a "discriminatory term" against LGBT people. Bravo!
In support of Will and his actions, Jon Stewart brought professional wrestler Mick Foley on The Daily Show, "advising" students and faculty at Will's school not to pick on him for his defense of LGBT rights:
Of course, we at GLSEN would never condone any actual violence against anybody, because we've seen how anti-LGBT violence affects the lives of LGBT people and non-LGBT people alike. Recognizing that this is nothing more than humor, however, we're glad to see such an unexpected alliance--grade-school students, satirical-but-still-exceptionally-accurate news anchors, and 250-pound professional wrestlers--speaking in favor of equality, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity/expression.
Abi Peña is a GLSEN Student Amabassador from Connecticut who has been working with GLSEN for two years.
Transgender Day of Remembrance is a day to reflect about those who were the victim of a hate crime and died, which will hopefully result in actions taken to make people and communities more accepting of transgender individuals.
I would like others to learn about transgender discrimination, and the ridiculously unfair and inhuman things done to them that go unreported. I want young students to be motivated to make change in their school, their communities, and their hearts. For TDOR, my school's QueerSA (Bard College at Simon's Rock) had a vigil on the steps of our music center and read aloud the names of people who were murdered for not fitting the gender binary.
We also put up fliers around campus showing facts about transgender assaults, transgender deaths, and stories of people who died and how they were murdered. If I could give anybody advice who is struggling with their gender identity, I would tell them to find a support system, whether it be a youth group, friend, even a pet; the worst feeling is thinking no one understands and that no one will accept you.
Find ways to connect yourself to outlets accepting of fluid gender identities. I personally know many people who took into consideration the openness and acceptance of GLBT people when looking for colleges to go to. There are people out there who have resources to help those who have been kicked out or lost their way, and if you look hard enough, you'll find them.
A 16-year-old student at Langham Creek High in Houston was assaulted last Thursday because of his sexual orientation. What's even more shocking: He reported the threats earlier in the day to two aministrators who did nothing. The student also asked his bus driver for help. Same result; the driver did nothing. After the student left the bus, his attackers chased him and beat him.
According to the GLSEN report Inside Texas Schools: The Experiences of LGBT Students, 90% of Texas LGBT students experienced verbal harassment in school in the past year because of their sexual orientation, 50% experienced physical harassment and 26% experienced physical assault.
"When the child does what they’re supposed to do and the adult doesn’t, what are you supposed to say then? How do you make him feel comfortable? How do you give him back that sense of security."
Not only is Transgender Day of Remembrance a way to honor and celebrate the lives of transgender and gender-nonconforming people, it's also a great moment to look at how gender affects our lives and our schools.
Gender categorization is everywhere, including the books we're supposed to like, the school subjects we're supposed to be good in, even the jobs we're expected to have! These gender rules can be tough to follow for all students, not just for transgender and gender-nonconforming people.
So think, where do you see gender at your school? How does gender affect you?
GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, is outraged after hearing that a Clayton County, Ga., teacher allegedly put out a hit on one of his students a few days after questioning the student’s sexual orientation.
The Mundy’s Mill High School teacher has since been charged with making terrorist threats.
“Our thoughts and sympathies go out to the student and the student's family,” GLSEN Executive Director Eliza Byard said. “This incident is deeply troubling on many levels. The charges, if true, are horrifying. Anti-LGBT bias and behavior among students is troubling and damaging enough without the added danger of irresponsible actions on the part of the adults responsible for their education and care.”
While much of what happened and was said remain unclear, many LGBT youth report hearing teachers make inappropriate comments. According to GLSEN’s 2007 National School Climate Survey, 63% of LGBT students said they had heard teachers or other school staff make homophobic remarks such as "faggot" or "dyke."
Read more about the incident here in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The heinous attack on 19-year-old Jorge Steven López Mercado in Puerto Rico last Friday has incensed citizens around the world, bringing to the forefront the prevalence of hate and senseless rage in our society. Beyond being gay, Jorge was a teen with family, friends and life ambitions like anyone else, and the fear-stricken hate response by his attacker is unfathomable.
According to authorities, the investigation has shown that it is indeed a hate crime.- Current.com
Unfortunately, it is also being reported that because of the circumstances under which the crime took place, homophobia might be a driving force in the apathetic investigation of this sinister murder.
The police investigator suggested that he deserved what he got because of the 'type of lifestyle' he was leading. - Towleroad.com
“Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Jorge Lopez Mercado,” said GLSEN Executive Director Eliza Byard, “It is crucial that the murderers be found and brought to justice. Those of us who work on schools issues must also redouble our efforts to ensure that we raise and educate young people to bring about a world in which such a crime would be unthinkable, where LGBT people live with equal dignity, no longer threatened by such deadly savagery.”
Attention all New York City residents: A candle vigil will be held Sunday November 22 at 7 p.m. at the Christopher Street Piers (tentatively) and everyone is urged to bring candles for themselves and others.
Transgender Day of Remembrance occurs on Nov. 20 each year in commemoration of the murder of Rita Hester, a trans woman from outside Boston, Massachussets who was stabbed to death in 1998. She was well-liked in the community, who responded to the news with a large vigil. This began the effort to pay respects to all people who are killed as a result of transphobia via a website, www.RememberingOurDead.org and the International Transgender Day of Remembrance. This year over 100 deaths worldwide are listed on TransgenderDOR.org .
So tell us, how can you and/or your GSA honor the lives of those who were killed because of transphobia?
Sirdeaner Walker, whose 11-year-old son Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover took his life earlier this year after constant bullying at school, gave testimony Tuesday before Massachusetts Legislature’s Joint Committee on Education, urging the passage of a comprehensive anti-bullying bill.
GLSEN has partnered with Sirdeaner to raise awareness on the pervasive problem of bullying and harassment in our nation's schools. In July, Sirdeaner testified on Capitol Hill in support of the federal Safe Schools Improvement Act. GLSEN is pleased to continue to work with Sirdeaner to advocate for anti-bullying legislation in her home state of Massachusetts.
Did you know 90% of transgender students heard negative remarks about someone’s gender expression sometimes, often, or frequently in school? And a third of transgender students heard school staff make homophobic, sexist, and negative comments about someone’s gender expression at school in the past year!
Attacks on trans and gender-nonconforming people usually start with a slur. By addressing gender-based bias language in school you're encouraging people to think before they speak, and that can go a long way in the fight against transphobia.
So do you hear gender-based slurs in school? What do you hear most often? How do these words/phrases make you feel? Join the conversation at the Gay-Straight Alliances Facebook Page.
Also be sure to check out Harsh Realities, the first comprehensive study on the experiences of transgender students in schools.
The International Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) is this Friday, November 20. TDOR is a time to recognize those who have lost their lives due to anti-transgender hatred or prejudice. To lead up to this important day we will be posting discussion topics throughout the week here and at the Gay-Straight Alliances Facebook Page. Stay tuned!
Learn more about the Transgender Day of Remembrance here.
There was a nice guest column in the Post-Standard today by Alec Angerosa, a member of East Syracuse-Minoa High School's GSA. In it he writes about the importance of unifying the school community and changes he's seen among his peers since the GSA was introduced at his school.
Teachers and students both agree that a type of unity and understanding began to flourish in the hallways and classrooms. There would no longer be a reason for any student to possess any fear for being different because a club would stand strongly beside him or her.
School is an important place for collaboration and challenging thought, and duly imperative is the teacher and student enthusiasm behind it. Just ask Cameo Thorne, New Haven's Teacher of the Year. As an English teacher and advisor for her school's Gay Straight Alliance, Rotary Club, Stop the Violence Group and literary magazine, Thorne encourages students to reach beyond their self-imposed limits.
You don’t get self-esteem by (a teacher) saying ‘Good work, good work’; you get self-esteem by doing something you didn’t think you could do.
Rarely do we realize our potential to make a positive impact until we become active participants in the communities around us. These stories are just two examples of the admirable work being done every day, in our own backyards, by people who challenge societal complacency with the sincerest of intentions.
The marriage referendum in Maine sparked a lot of controversy, but more than the unrest over marriage equality is the outrage at the tactics taken by the anti-LGBT community to smear the efforts of organizations working to prevent hostile and hateful school environments.
Peter Rees, a retired psychologist, educator and GLSEN Downeast Maine chapter leader, wrote a guest column in The Bangor Daily News about the diligent efforts taken to improve school climate, despite critics who question it's importance.
We know that students who someone thinks may be gay are more likely than most other students to be targeted for frequent and often vicious harassment, sometimes including physical violence. ... Safety for all must not mean all except the gay ones, even though, as the very recent referendum has shown, anti-gay attitudes are still widespread in our society. ... Unless the anti-gay groups admit that they believe it is a good idea to harass and bully children they should agree to cut it out. It’s not open season on kids.
Providing safe, healthy learning environments for students isn't something that can or should be put to a vote and then quickly swept under the rug. Further, child safety isn't just an issue for select parents or the citizens of Maine, it is an issue that affects our society as a whole and we should all be taking part in the fight.
Tharptown High School in Alabama has denied the request of lesbian student Cynthia Stewart to bring her girlfriend to prom later this school year. It appears the school may have even gone so far as to cancel prom altogether to ensure that that nasty federal Constitution doesn't get in the way.
The ACLU has sent a letter to the school district on behalf of the student and her guardian to ask the school to do the right thing and reverse the school decision. Federal law and considerable case law (including a recent decision in Alabama) prohibit schools from discriminating against students based on the sex of their date to a school event.
Says Stewart very poignantly in the ACLU's release:
"I can't believe my school is doing all of this just to keep me from bringing my girlfriend to the prom," said Stewart, a 17-year-old student who, as a member of the prom planning committee, has personally raised over $200 for the prom and created the theme her classmates chose for the dance. "All I want is to be able to be myself and go to my prom with the person I love, just like any other student wants to do."
But why stop the discrimination at prom? The principal also allegedly told Stewart that she had to remove a sticker she was wearing that said, "I am a lesbian."
Stewart said that when she told the principal she had a First Amendment right to wear the sticker, he replied, "You don't have that much freedom of speech at school."
13-year-old Lane is an 8th grader from Columbia, S.C., who has decided to tell his heartbreaking story of experiencing anti-LGBT bullying in school. Kudos to local TV station WIS News 10 for helping to raise awareness about one of the most common forms of bullying in school.
How Lane identifies is unclear, though the mother says he is not gay. His identity, of course, is besides the point and completely irrelevant. Anti-LGBT bullying and harassment in school is a pervasive problem that affects LGBT and straight students.
Lane says he's always been different. In the last year, putdowns from other students have become more hostile and much more personal.
"I've been called gay, queer." When he's called the F-word that ends with the letter G, "It can really affect someone in how you look at yourself in the mirror every morning."
We noticed a very kind blog post from a former GSA sponsor giving praise to our efforts here at GLSEN, so we wanted to use this opportunity to send our thanks to the unceasing support from educators, students, mothers, fathers and the countless other GLSEN allies.
In the blog, the author cites the recent Georgetown University hate crimes and is reminded that her son's "future safety in school might depend on what action people are taking today."
The prevalence of anti-LGBT bullying in K-12 schools is one of the big reasons why GLSEN and the National Safe Schools Partnership support the Safe Schools Improvement Act, introduced in Congress earlier this year by Calif. Rep. Linda Sanchez. The bill would require schools to implement comprehensive anti-bullying policies and report occurrences of bullying and harassment, including on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, to the Department of Education.
It's the tireless efforts of concerned citizens that put change into motion, and it is your unwavering support that makes what we do possible.
Last week at Durango High School in Colorado, juniors and seniors overheard an Army recruiter using a "gay slur and an expletive" while taking a military-supervised aptitude test. The incident has irked students, faculty and parents alike, leading to an apology from the Army's Denver Recruiting Battalion for the lack of professional conduct.
"It's inappropriate to speak that way in a public forum, whether you're in a school or anywhere else," remarked school Principal Diane Lashinsky. "It's especially egregious to be speaking that way within hearing distance of young people."
As unfortunate as the situation was, it is heartening to hear that some of the students were willing to confront the military official in question and challenge his anti-LGBT speech. Says Madeleine Meigs, who approached the offending soldier and reported the incident to a school counselor, ""I just thought that it was wrong, and I feel people in that position can kind of get away with stuff sometimes, and that's not OK."
Lieutenant Colonel William Medina, who offered the apology on behalf of the unnamed soldier and the Army, assured that the comment was "absolutely inappropriate and not in keeping with Army values....It really did not reflect well on the organization."
Medina's comment, however, brings up a larger question: does the military as a whole treat LGBT people with equality, dignity and respect? Take the case of Lieutenant Dan Choi--a West Point graduate, Iraq War veteran and fluent speaker of Arabic--who is facing discharge from the Army for coming out and challenging the military's Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy (which requires LGBT people in the armed forces to remain closeted about their sexual orientation and gender identity).
Choi has repeatedly stressed that his fellow soldiers--who knew he was gay before he publicly came out--have treated him respectfully and that his sexual orientation has never affected his professionalism and leadership. Others, however, have not been so lucky--some LGBT recruits (or those who are perceived as gay) face harassment and verbal abuse from their commanding officers and fellow soldiers. Nor is the military free from gender violence and sexual abuse--according to the Department of Defense, 1 in 3 women in the military are raped while in service. That's atrocious.
What do you think--is the incident in Durango an exception to the rule, or indicative of a larger problem of homophobia and heterosexism in the military?
As both a committed ally to LGBT people and an avowed fan of hip-hop music, I often find myself at odds with the unfortunate waves of homophobic language that tend to pop up in rap. Of course, this is not to say that all rappers are homophobic--that would be an irresponsible exaggeration--but certainly enough to make me pause and reflect every once in a while. Since hip-hop remains such a huge cultural force amongst youth today, I'll be exploring various facets of hip-hop culture and homophobia in a series of blog posts--and hopefully raising important questions about how sexuality, race and gender all play important roles in shaping popular youth culture.
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"It's crazy how you can go from being Joe Blow / to everybody on your dick...no homo."
-Kanye West, "Run This Town"
A recent Slate article cites these words to outline a broader lyrical shift that Kanye has taken in his short 5 years in the limelight. In 2005, in two separate interviews, 'Ye bemoaned his fellow hip-hop artists who discriminate against LGBT people and expressed his love and support for his openly gay cousin while recognizing his need to confront his own homophobia. As the article notes, "West's call for tolerance remains the highest-profile rebuke of gay-bashing that hip-hop has seen."
In recent years, however, Kanye and several other rappers have embraced the use of the term "no homo," a poetic aside meant to distance the artist from any lyrics that may sound homoerotic. Similar to the often-heard quip "that's what she said," the phrase "no homo" attempts to make sexual double entendres out of everyday language.
However, artists will use "no homo" not only to poke fun at certain sexual acts, but also at forms of gender identity/expression that may not be seen as "manly" or "masculine." In one of his songs, Lil' Wayne raps "I wear bright red like a girl toe, no homo." Whether to stress that wearing bright red isn't "gay," or that he doesn't paint his toenails, Lil Wayne is defending a certain brand of his masculinity by denying any "gay" undertones.
As Jonah Weiner mentions in the article, "no homo" is nothing new: it arose nearly two decades ago in East Harlem, but came into widespread use in recent years when popularized by a handful of well-known artists. Weiner recognizes the homophobia inherent within the term--as well as its relationship to an artist's desire to boast himself as heterosexual and manly--but also asks the reader to consider the nuances with the term and its use.
For one, Weiner suggests that most rappers use "no homo" not to express some homophobic principle, but rather to tout a punchline, to flaunt their dexterity with the English language. "A funny side effect here," he notes, "is that the no homo vogue doubtless encourages rappers not only to scrutinize everything they say for trace gayness, but to actively think up gay double-entendres just so that they can cap them off with no homo kickers." In his concluding paragraph, Weiner notes Lil Wayne and Kanye West's own departures from a rigidly-defined masculinity--such as Lil Wayne's displays of affection for his (male) mentor, and Kanye's open affinity for design and fashion--to suggest that their use of "no homo" is more complex than outright homophobia:
When these rappers say "no homo," it can seem a bit like a gentleman's agreement, nodding to the status quo while smuggling in a fuller, less hamstrung notion of masculinity. This is still a concession to homophobia, but one that enables a less rigid definition of the hip-hop self than we've seen before. It's far from a coup, but, in a way, it's progress.
Certainly, hip-hop has seen worse. Eminem has continually defended his use of the term "faggot" not as gay-bashing, but as a way to shame and emasculate his targets: "'Faggot' to me doesn't necessarily mean gay people. 'Faggot' to me just means... taking away your manhood. You're a sissy. You're a coward." Be that as it may (and Grammy duets with Elton John aside), Eminem still conflates the word "faggot" as an insult to denote someone as effeminate or abnormal.
There is a striking similarity between Em's claims and the idea that "that's so gay" can refer to something as "stupid" or "bad" without ever introducing the idea of homophobia. In both cases, people may not intend to reproduce bigotry, but nevertheless leave the door wide open for the use of anti-LGBT language--and certainly do not denounce the disturbing levels of violence and intimidation that LGBT people, particularly students, face daily.
"No homo" may not be as used to intentionally express homophobia, nor is it as pervasive and shocking as other homophobic slurs, but does that make it okay to use? Journalist Jay Smooth breaks down his take on the term on his fantastic blog, Ill Doctrine (Facebook folks, click on the link, because Facebook can't support embedded video):
Jay brings up several good points: "no homo" (which he calls a "sad, old thing") can be used cleverly and is sometimes used to ridicule homophobia itself, but he chooses not to use the term, because it can get out of hand. His conclusion: "I'm not gonna say that nobody should ever say it, 'cause just like with any other word you've really gotta judge on a case-by-case basis...but as a general rule, if you're not the original target of an insult, you can't be the one to reclaim it."
GLSEN's perspective is that "no homo" isn't an acceptable term, regardless of the circumstance. Just like "that's so gay," "no homo" associates LGBT and gender non-conforming people with something bad or negative, because the speaker makes the effort to clarify that he/she doesn't want to be seen as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. There's also plenty of ways to be witty or clever with words without denigrating someone's sexual orientation or gender identity/expression!
And, I'd really like to stress that hip-hop isn't inherently homophobic--just like any other subset of the wider population, there are a spectrum of prevailing views about LGBT issues among hip-hop artists and it's important to embrace the personal and political changes that people make. Case in point: one of my favorite artists, the Minnesotan rapper Brother Ali, admitted his own past mistakes: "In my old [music], I was so ignorant to the hell that gay people are put through because they're deemed to be different...I said the word 'faggot' in my first album, and I'm so thoroughly embarrassed by that now. I have gay friends and gay people I look up to."
His recent album, Us, even addresses the emotional stress that closeted teens can go through when faced with the social pressures around them. Check out the song "Tight Rope" (skip to about 2:30):
He retreats inside himself Where he lives life itself in secret Daddy says people go to hell for being What he is, and he certainly believes him 'Cause there ain't no flame that can blaze enough To trump being hated for the way you love And cry yourself to sleep and hate waking up It's a cold world, y'all, shame on us!
What do you think? Is "no homo" ever an acceptable term to use? Does it matter that many of its users don't necessarily intend to be homophobic?
Stay tuned until next time, where we'll explore other facets of hip-hop, homophobia, and youth culture!
A note from GLSEN Public Policy Director Shawn Gaylord on the passage of an anti-bullying policy in Birmingham schools that includes protections for sexual orientation and gender identity/expression:
I was so excited to see this news from Alabama. Just a few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to attend the Mississippi Safe Schools Coalition gathering and was so aware of the difficulty safe schools organizers face working in some of the more conservative areas of the country. Seeing progress like this in Alabama, as well as last year’s statewide gay and transgender-inclusive anti-bullying law in North Carolina, proves that there are opportunities for safe schools victories everywhere, and I am grateful for the work of Howard, the Mississippi Safe Schools Coalition and everyone working to make this a reality.
As we know, enumerated anti-bullying policies are essential to creating a truly safe environment for LGBT youth and having a generic policy is about the same as having no policy at all. Congratulations to Howard for his work to make schools safer for all youth in Birmingham.
Great news from Alabama! Last week, Birmingham's Board of Education passed two critical pieces of legislation affecting city schools. The first policy--the most comprehensive anti-bullying policy in the state of Alabama--includes enumerated categories specifically protecting students against bullying based on sexual orientation and gender identity/expression. The second policy protects LGBT teachers from harassment as well.
The policies were passed largely due to the efforts of Board Member Howard Bayless, the first openly gay man in Alabama to hold an elected position and the first openly gay school board member. Bayless recalls the tireless efforts he put into ensuring that the bills would be passed:
I first gathered anti-bullying policies from multiple school districts that I felt encompassed what we needed in our policy, and then drafted a policy for Birmingham schools. I then began the long process of having conversation with each board member about why this was important not just as a board policy but also about why it was the right thing to do. I told them my own story of growing up in Birmingham City Schools and being harassed and bullied–and how I carried that pain with me still today. I also helped them to understand how that impacted me and my education. As part of a broader strategic planning process, my fellow board members all agreed that we wanted safer school environments for ALL our children.
This is especially good news, considering the alarmingly high rates of anti-LGBT bullying in schools throughout the South. According to data from GLSEN's 2007 National School Climate Survey, students in the South:
heard biased remarks more frequently and experienced higher levels of victimization in relation to sexual orientation than students in other regions
were less likely than all other students to report that staff frequently intervened when hearing homophobic remarks
reported higher levels of other forms of victimization--because of their race, sex, and religion--than students in other regions
We hope that Birmingham's new comprehensive anti-bullying policy serves as a model to school boards across the South, and the entire country, to protect the safety and well-being of ALL their students, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression.
Thanks to Howard Bayless and the Birmingham Board of Education, and keep up the good work!
GLSEN Executive Director Eliza Byard (L) and Sirdeaner Walker traveled to Washington DC to urge members of Congress to advocate for and advance comprehensive anti-bullying and LGBT-inclusive policies.
Last week, Congress passed historic legislation that provides the first federal protections for LGBT Americans. The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act sends a strong message that anti-LGBT violence will not be tolerated in our society and our schools.
In the next few weeks Congress will continue work on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) in both the House and Senate. ENDA will extend prohibitions against employment discrimination to cover sexual orientation and gender identity.
In addition to supporting efforts that protect students, educators and all Americans from anti-LGBT violence and discrimination, GLSEN continues to work with Congress to explicitly protect students from anti-LGBT bullying and harassment. The Safe Schools Improvement Act will require schools and districts receiving certain federal funding to implement a comprehensive anti-bullying policy that enumerates categories often targeted by bullies, including race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression and others.
