“‘Student Works to End GLBTQ Harassment' is a very touching story. You people are a lot stronger than I. It's good to know the small things you can do WILL make a difference.”
Have you or your friends said “that’s so gay” when you really meant to say something is bad or stupid? You might laugh or think it’s no big deal, but saying “that’s so gay” is insulting to gay people and anyone who has gay relatives or just cares about gay people.
Can you imagine trying to come out when people are tossing this obnoxious phrase around? Coming out is tough, so why make it harder for GLBTQ people to be themselves by saying “that’s so gay?” Just knock it off!
This Saturday is National Coming Out Day. If you’re gay, lesbian, bisexual or a straight ally, this is your day to be out and proud. And if you hear someone say “that’s so gay,” don’t just stand there. Say something about it!
The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) teamed up with celebrities like Hillary Duff to create ThinkB4YouSpeak.com, a site with info on how you can get involved to end GLBTQ harassment in your school. Check out one of their TV ads below:
Most people don’t even blink when they see kissing between a guy and a girl—opposite-sex lip-locking is taken for granted. But a kiss between two guys is a different story. Who would think that an innocent guy-on-guy kiss in a mayo commercial would cause a controversy? Check out the commercial below:
The ad was supposed to run in the UK for five weeks, but Heinz pulled the commercial after just one week. Why? Apparently over 200 people found the ad offensive and felt it was “inappropriate to see two men kissing.” Thankfully, Heinz changed their mind and decided to run the ad anyway.
Isn’t it kind of hypocritical that an innocent kiss between two guys in a mayo commercial is cause for controversy, but Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl”—a song about girl-on-girl kissing—is a worldwide hit?
On February 12, 15-year-old Lawrence “Larry” King was shot at E. O. Green Junior High School in Oxnard, California. The gunman was Larry’s classmate 14-year-old Brandon McInerney, according to police. Larry died later in the week after being taken off of life support. According to classmates, Larry identified as gay and sometimes wore feminine clothing, jewelry and makeup to school. Brandon was one of a group of students that harassed Larry because of his sexual orientation and gender expression.
What may have started as verbal harassment, like name-calling and making threats, turned into physical violence and ultimately Larry’s death. The reality is that every day, thousands of teens across the country like Larry are bullied and harassed because of their sexual orientation or gender expression.
Ellen DeGeneres made a rare statement about GLBTQdiscrimination and spoke out about Larry’s death on her talk show. See what she had to say:
Senseless and shocking school shootings have left many teens afraid and wondering “Could this happen at my school?” The truth is that yes, it could. But there are ways we can prevent shootings like the one that happened in Oxnard, California. You can help put an end to bullying and harassment of GLBTQ people in a few simple ways:
1) Listen up. If you pay attention to the words people use you might be surprised. A lot of people say things like “that’s so gay” and “no homo” all the time without ever realizing that they are creating an unfriendly environment for GLBTQ people. Harassing people with words like “faggot” and “dyke” is extremely hurtful and can easily turn into physical harassment. So, before you say “that’s so gay,” stop and think about the meaning behind those words. Read up on how these hateful words have affected the lives of teens in school.
2) Speak out. If you know someone is being bullied and harassed because of his or her sexual orientation or gender expression, tell someone, preferably a trusted adult. You might think this issue has nothing to do with you, or you might be afraid that if you get involved, people will harass you, too. But NOT taking action can lead to continued harassment and even violence. Let the end of discrimination and violence begin with YOU. Check out some ways that you can speak out.
3) Improve sex ed. Fear and intolerance of GLBTQ people is usually due to belief in stereotypes and misinformation. Not all sex ed classes cover sexual orientation and gender. But if they did, they would give teens accurate information and a chance to explore how they feel about these topics. Think changing sex ed in your school is impossible? Check out this story on how one teen changed sex ed all over Chicago!
Visit the “Remembering Lawrence King” MySpace profile and add them as your friend to show your support. Find more ways to make a difference in your school and get information on GLBTQ issues and other teen sexual health topics like sex, relationships and birth control at Sexetc.org.
Logo and the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) teamed up to produce a public service announcement aimed to end GLBTQ discrimination. Check it out:
On Tuesday, February 12, 15-year-old Lawrence King was shot at school by a classmate. He died later in the week after being taken off of life support. Lawrence, who attended E. O. Green Junior High in Oxnard, California, identified as gay and sometimes wore feminine clothing, according to classmates.
The 14-year-old, who allegedly shot Lawrence, has been charged with murder and a hate crime. The alleged attacker was one of a group of students that bullied and harassed Lawrence because he sometimes wore makeup and jewelry to school.
It’s so horrible to live in a world where GLBTQ teens face discrimination, threats and violence from peers because of their sexual orientation and gender expression. If you know someone in your school is being bullied because of his or her sexual orientation or gender expression, speak up! Take a stand against discrimination and let hate speech end with you.
MTV and the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) teamed up to produce a few short videos aimed to end GLBTQ discrimination. Check them out:
