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Is
homophobic bullying a problem in schools?
Homophobic bullying has been reported in primary, as well as secondary schools. It may be directed at young people of any sexual orientation and at children who have not yet reached puberty. Teachers, parents and other adults in schools may also be bullied in this way. Homophobic bullying in schools can be a problem in a number of ways:
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What
is homophobic bullying?
Homophobic bullying can involve physical or mental violence by a group or an individual. It is often aimed at someone who has poor defences and who, as a result, may be significantly upset. Victims may be male or female. What distinguishes it from other forms of bullying is the language that is used. Words like queer and poof and lezzie have been used abusively for many years. They have now been joined by words (such as gay and lesbian) which were formerly descriptive but which now may be used as general insults. In some youth cultures, gay is now used as a derogatory adjective to describe objects and people that may have no connection whatsoever with homosexuality. Both boys and girls may be subjected to homophobic abuse. |
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Why
does it happen?
The root cause may well be prejudice against gay and lesbian people. Even very young children, who do not understand what homosexuality is, may be encouraged to indulge in homophobic behaviour by this general prejudice. Individual motivations may be more complicated and, as in the case of other forms of bullying, may include a desire for power or a need for affiliation: some people gain satisfaction from imposing their power on others and a group will be strengthened if someone else is outside that group. Identifying people as being different because of their gender orientation may be a convenient excuse for isolating and persecuting them. The bonds that tie the members of a group together are strengthened because the members are not different. Fear may also be a motivation - as the word homophobic suggests. This can be a fear of the unknown, a fear of someone who is perceived to be different, or a fear which is based on uncertainty about the nature of their own developing sexuality:
Many adolescent boys say that the worst thing anyone can call you is gay. In accusing others of being gay they may seek to demonstrate their own masculinity. |
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Who
bullies?
Both sexes can be involved in homophobic name-calling. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that boys are most likely to be victimised by other boys. The bullying, especially if it is physical or verbally aggressive, is often deliberate but sometimes bullies may not realise the harm that they are doing. They may believe that their victim enjoys their jokes, or that the label they have attached to him is simply a nickname. Some very young children indulge in homophobic bullying. In one Scottish primary school the head teacher reported that boys as young as seven regularly used words like poof and gayboy. Teachers are rarely accused of such overt actions but, by the careless use of words such as sissy or by simply failing to challenge homophobic name-calling, they can be perceived as giving tacit approval. One mother described what happened to her 9 year old son:
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Who
is affected by homophobic bullying?
Young people who are sure of their identity as gay or lesbian, especially if they have chosen to reveal this to their peers, are likely to be subjected to some homophobic name calling. However, the majority of victims in schools are either too young to be certain about their sexual orientation - or are heterosexual. This statement is not intended to diminish the suffering of young people who are gay but rather to emphasise just how widespread the practice of homophobic bullying is. A sixteen year old boy described his experiences:
Taunts do not have to be true to be hurtful. But taunts like this hurt so much because we live in a society where homophobia is so common. |
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What
about Gay and Lesbian parents?
The Educational Institute of Scotland has produced a very useful document covering Lesbian and Gay equality in Education called, Breaking Down the Barriers. This document points out that in schools, there are a wide variety of family arrangements; both birth parents live at home in a married relationship; adoptive parents; single parenthood; extended family arrangements; new families through remarriage; gay or lesbian parent Without an inclusive and non-discriminatory approach young people may feel their family arrangement is perceived to be second best. Sometimes a teachers actions can have a powerful effect.
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Teachers
can be victims too
It is not just pupils who can be subjected to homophobic bullying in schools. The following teachers account is also taken from the EIS document mentioned above:
It is important that any school anti-bullying policy should embrace all members of the school community - adult and child. This particular account also points to the need for other agencies, such as the police, to be involved in discussions about how incidents can be tackled. Episodes of bullying often straddle the invisible boundary between school and the wider community. This teacher was picked on precisely because he was a teacher - even though the incidents described happened well away from the school. |
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How
should teachers react?
Homophobic name-calling should always be challenged in the same way that racist or sexist behaviour is. Normal anti-bullying strategies should be used when reacting to incidents and these strategies must have a clear place within the context of a whole school preventative policy. The most important thing teachers can do is to strive to create a positive, open, tolerant ethos in which matters of concern to young people are discussed calmly. If the response to homophobic bullying is purely reactive and short-term this may only serve to marginalise victims. |
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What should be taught? The curriculum should include appropriate coverage of sexuality, although teachers must be sensitive to the age and emotional development of pupils and to the cultural practices and religious beliefs of families. Discussions about homophobia and other kinds of bullying and abuse may be included in a number of curriculum areas, including Health Education, Sex Education, Personal and Social Education, English, History, Media Studies, Modern Studies and Religious and Moral Education. The aim of such discussions is to allow children to develop the skills, values and knowledge which they need in order to protect themselves from harassment and abuse of all kinds and to become non-abusing individuals themselves. However, these skills and values will only be useful if they are unambiguously linked to knowledge and understanding about the contexts in which they can be applied. If young people learn that a skill like assertiveness can be useful in tackling, say, child abuse they will not necessarily assume that it can be used in other situations in which they find themselves, such as homophobic bullying. This is more fully discussed in an SEED sponsored publication, Promoting Personal Safety and Child Protection in the Curriculum (see below). The reluctance of teachers to enter into discussions with pupils about homosexuality and homophobia will be overcome if there is clear agreement about what pupils need to learn and appropriate training for those teachers responsible for promoting this learning. A useful summary of advice and guidance relating to sex education is on the Parentzone website. |
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Discussing
policy
All members of the wider school community, should be involved in discussions aimed at agreeing a general policy on all types of bullying, including that which is motivated by homophobia. Account should be taken of any Education Authority policy documents and advice from national bodies. New national guidelines on sex education were issued in 2001. Specific guidelines about how homophobia should be tackled in the classroom should be discussed and agreed at a full staff meeting. In the absence of any detailed national guidelines we have drawn up a list of suggestions which we hope will help to initiate such a discussion. |
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Classroom
guidelines - discussion points
In order to promote tolerant, non-abusive behaviour in their pupils and to protect themselves from accusations of bias or improper conduct when discussing homophobia or homosexuality in the classroom, teachers should:
They should not
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What
does research tell us?
Research suggests that while homophobic bullying is common, there is no conclusive evidence to show that it is decreasing or increasing. An English study by Ian Rivers of 190 lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered men and women who were bullied at school, considered the long term effects of this childhood experience. The participants revealed a greater tendency to exhibit depressive tendencies, when compared to lesbian, gay and bisexual men and women who had not been bullied at school. However they did not suffer from low self-esteem. The study did not find that they had particular problems with anxiety or had insecurity problems with close relationships. |
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What
is the attitude of the Catholic Church in Scotland to homophobia?
The Anti-Bullying Network does not comment on religious beliefs but it may be helpful to remind ourselves of this pastoral message from the Scottish Catholic Bishops which makes it clear that teachers in Catholic schools should tackle homophobic bullying and abuse:
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All
schools have a duty to tackle homophobic bullying
Schools should aim to have an ethos which is inclusive and tolerant of difference. There is no place for anything that might be perceived as condoning homophobic attitudes or behaviour. Teachers must explicitly condemn homophobic bullying and equip themselves to be able to discuss pupils concerns about homosexuality in a balanced manner that is appropriate to the age of the young people concerned. In fact it could be argued that if teachers fail to do this they will not be able to carry out their duty of care to their pupils, which includes doing everything possible to provide a safe learning environment. |
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What
about Section 28?
Section 28 is mentioned here merely as a matter of record. It has now been abolished and, in any event, schools have always had a duty to protect children from all kinds of abuse, including homophobic abuse. |
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Read
this
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Surf
this
The following web sites provide relevant information. Please note that we are not responsible for their content or availability and that some may contain explicit information about homosexuality:
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©
Copyright This information sheet may be photocopied or reproduced for use within schools and other educational establishments providing the Anti-Bullying Network is credited. |