Why are Gay's Bullied?? And what can be done to end their stop the Gay Bashing Epidemic

A journal article entitled, Preventing Bullying and Harassment of Sexual Minority Students in Schools, written by Holly N. Bishop and Heather Casida, states how 98% of kids have reported hearing degrading words such as faggot, gay, dyke, homo, and queer in a derogatory instance in their schools (Bishop and Casida, 2011). The simple fact that these words are being used by children in schools is simply appalling; however it also exhibits the lack of respect towards homosexuality. These words are automatically seen and used in a bad context thus making homosexual teens more afraid to come out and be associated with a minority social group. Being seen as a minority is specifically frightening to kids in school due to the fact that when a child is different in school they become vulnerable to torment and bullying from other kids. The degrading words also make kids who are not homosexual more afraid than ever to be associated with homosexuality. Thus kids are less likely to stand up for a homosexual classmate since they themselves may be seen as gay if they do. Some kids may even take part in the bullying to reaffirm their heterosexuality and not be associated with the homosexual minority. This is supported by a journal article entitled, Perceived Social Support among Bullies, Victims, and Bully-Victim, written by Melissa K. Holt and Dorothy L. Espelage, which exhibits a study in which fifth through twelfth graders reported less teacher and peer support when they were being bullied (Holt and Espelage, 2007). This simply exhibits how kids want to fit in and not be seen as a social minority in any way. The negativity that is associated with homosexuality coupled with the lack of support in schools cause many gay or lesbian kids to question themselves and feel depressed and alone. This in turn causes them to seek other avenues of quelling the emotional stress and pain they feel. The article written by Bishop and Casida has proven that homosexual teens are at a greater risk for psychosocial problems such as drug and alcohol abuse (Bishop and Casida, 2011). This makes sense because if homosexual teens are bullied due to their sexual orientation they would feel alone and seek to forget or mask their pain through self-destructive activities such as substance abuse.

I believe that education is an extremely powerful tool that should be greatly utilized when addressing the issue of gay bashing in schools. Schools should educate their staff and their students on both the myths and realities that are associated with ones sexual orientation. The journal article written by Bishop and Casida even suggests that school districts should approve a zero tolerance policy against harassment of sexual minority students (Bishop and Casida, 2011). This would act as an expectation of how kids should behave, which would in turn lead to an improvement in the school environment. This would also reduce the homophobic teasing that leads to bullying and bashing, thus creating a tolerant learning atmosphere. Schools may also provide a safe environment for homosexual teens by educating the faculty and staff about the challenges sexual minority students' face thus allowing teachers to empathize with them. Even though the Trevor Project already has tools to educate parents and teachers about helping homosexual children cope with being bullied, its brochures and pamphlets are not in every school. The Trevor Project also requires the teacher or parent to physically go online and get it themselves. When the school district itself enforces more tolerant policies towards sexual minority students it exhibits that they are taking notice and that they care about all their students. I believe another way to increase tolerance and reduce gay bashing is through the creation of clubs such as Gay-Straight Alliance which will allow students from different sexualities to listen to each other's hardships and work together to defeat intolerant ideas or attitudes.