It usually starts quietly; often before the young person has really developed a clear sense of sexual identity, he or she will be singled out. Unlike other minority students
who can usually find others "like" them with whom they can band together for support or protection, queer youth tend to be isolated in the school setting. One does not hear of gay youth gangs getting together
to settle the score with someone who has insulted or harassed a member of the group. Without such peer policing (which on its downside can lead to an escalation of violence, but on the other hand may act as a deterrent
to its breaking out), gay and lesbian youth are more dependent on the institutional structure for protection.
Unfortunately, most educational institutions are exceptionally weak in this area. Most schools continue to
be reluctant to deal with manifestations of homophobia. While all school boards are required in Ontario by the Ministry of Education and Training to have (on paper at least) policies on equity and harassment around
race, culture and faith, and many have policies on sexual harassment in order to protect young women, very few have taken similar steps to develop a safe and welcoming environment for young lesbians, gay men or
bisexuals. Gay and straight students alike report that teachers regularly ignore and do nothing to intervene in cases of verbal and physical harassment of lesbian or gay students. (Lenskyj, 1990)
Studies reveal that
lesbian, gay and bisexual youth continue to be victimized in schools and are five times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers. (Gibson, 1989) Children who nobody suspects are gay may also be
suffering the effects of homophobic violence in ways just as devastating as those may who are physically attacked or verbally harassed.
When young people come out to their families, many are thrown out of their homes,
often forced into prostitution to survive and correspondingly exposed to poverty, physical and sexual assault, and sexually transmitted diseases. All of this constitutes violence.
Although anecdotal information seems
to indicate that young people are developing a sexual identity at a younger and younger age, most youth still do not dare to come out in their school settings. They therefore hear the taunts, feel the contempt and see
the violence regularly directed at those of their peers who may exhibit "gender atypical" behavior, but find themselves too afraid to speak out, or even speak about it to anyone. The homophobia is therefore
internalized and often manifests itself in a poor self-image, depression, self-destructive behaviour, substance abuse and even suicide. (Bailey & Phariss, 1996)
Finally, it is important to remember that homophobic
violence is not an equal opportunity oppression. To the extent that young lesbians, gay men and bisexuals also belong to visible, cultural or faith minorities or may be new immigrants or have disabilities, their
vulnerability to marginalization and its attendant affects is heightened.
The violence faced by lesbian and gay youth, both individual and systemic, will not be solved by any simple anti-bullying programs. Schools
must be prepared to tackle homophobia publicly and visibly in the areas of leadership, curriculum, community partnerships, guidance, employment practices, staff development and harassment. Until such a system-wide
effort is taken, lesbian, gay and bisexual students will continue to experience a destructive range of violence and harassment at a time when they are most vulnerable.
[excerpted from Orbit, A Commentary on the
World of Education, OISE/UT Magazine for Schools, Vol. 29, #4. 1999]
References
Bailey, Norma J. & Phariss, T. "Breaking through the Wall of Silence: Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Issues
for Middle Level Educators". Middle School Journal, (January 1996), pages 38-46
Gibson, P.. "Gay male and lesbian youth suicide. Report of the secretary's task force on youth suicide".
Volume 3: Preventions and interventions in youth suicide. (DHHS Pub No ADM 89-1623). Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office, 1989
Hunter, J. and Schaecher, R..
"Stresses on lesbian and gay adolescents in schools". Social Work in Education. 2 (1987),217-230
Lenskyj, H. "Beyond Plumbing and Prevention: Feminist approaches to sex
education". Gender and Education. 2 (1990), 217-230
