The GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network) was started in 1995 and is the leader of the pack when it comes to ensuring safety in schools for every student. It hopes to eliminate bullying and harrassment in schools, and strives for all students to be accepted no matter their sexual orientation or the way he/she chooses to express his/her gender.
In an article from the GLSEN site comes a tragic story of a 15 year old boy (Lawrence King) who was shot to death because of his sexual orientation and expression of. This happened in a California school and research has shown that this state is highly unsafe for those who differ from the "norm." Those that fall into the LGBT population.
A report (Inside California Schools: The Experiences of LGBT Students) which sampled 673 California students, found that these students faced enormous amounts of harassment. Not only did the report find high levels of harassment, but also lower grades/performance in school and a higher rate of skipping class. Some of the statistics produced from this research include:
- Almost every LGBT student reported hearing sayings/words like, "that's so gay" and "faggot" on a day to day basis.
- 8 out of 10 LGBT students said they had been verbally harassed, 4 out of 10 had experienced physical harassment, and 2 out of 10 had been physically assaulted.
- Two thirds of those who had been harassed in some way did not report the abuse.
- Almost a third of students reported missing class, or a full day of school, due to feeling unsafe in the school setting.
- LGBT students showed lower grades; a half a grade lower than those who were harassed less often.
This harassment, any kind, definitely can affect LGBT students; no questions about it. The disparities that are seen in the LGBT populations can start at a very early age. Even though middle school/high school students are still developing and discovering who they are, there are those who have accepted, and know, that they are gay, a lesbian, bisexual, and so forth. If a person of one of these "categories" (I don't like using that word, but it will work) comes out early, they risk many different disparities from that age on. It could be something like not being chosen to be on a team in PE class, or something on a bigger scale like having a doctor not treat them because of their sexual orientation. As these students progress through life and become adults, they will face even more disparities. Everything from finding a job, where they are welcomed and where they are not, what kinds of treatment they will receive for medical conditions, and how people will view them if they have children.
GLSEN is a great organization, but more needs to be done to stop this harassment being seen in schools. There is a National School Climate Survey that follows the LGBT middle school/high school students in the United States, but all this survey does is prove that this harassment is happening. What does it do other than that? Yes, students are being bullied because of their sexual orientation/gender identity, but instead of just collecting this data DO something about it.
I know many middle school/high school aged students can have a hard time accepting all types of people. I have been there. When one is younger he/she may judge others more and put people into certain "groups" or "cliches", but that does not mean these perceptions cannot be altered. Maybe there should be a class students must take that focuses on the equality of all people. Maybe those who bully LGBT students should be punished more harshly. Maybe parents need to educate themselves more on what is happening in schools and get more involved. Maybe LGBT support groups need to be formed for the younger folks. There is no single answer to this problem, but it is clear that some different options need to be considered to keep this horrible harassment from happening. It crushes my heart to hear a student could shoot another student solely because he/she was not heterosexual.
I really liked these pictures so I added them.
No comments:
Post a Comment