Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Responses from last meeting

At the last GSA meeting, I asked members to write a short response to the following question...
What is one thing that you wish every teacher knew about the LGBT experience or bullying at LGHS? (Answers are anoynmous and re-typed exactly as the original written response)

I wish that teachers would understand that “fag” or “gay” is as offensive as “retard.”

It doesn’t matter if I’m the victim or just a bystander – hearing someone get called a fag hurts. It’s wrong, and I feel powerless to stop it. The only thing I can do is tell them it’s not right. And at what cost? I get ridiculed, which I can handle but I know most people can’t.

Just because you put out this “super liberal, I-wear-birkenstocks-and-I-went-to-Santa Cruz” persona and you tell yourself “oh, I totally voted no on 8, I believe in equal rights” does NOT mean it’s okay to make snide, homophobic jokes to get a rise out of your biology class and make them like you!!! I guarantee that for every person that you make laugh, two more people lose respect for you. (On back of card in capital letters: teacher's name)

I’m sick of people using names like fag or gay. I have friend who have been called this, and they’re secretly gay. It makes it much harder for them to come out and be themselves. It leaves them depressed. It leaves them in so much pain.

It makes me fuming mad whenever I hear derogatory terms used against people. It makes me angry when I try to stop the people and all they do is repeat the words. And it makes me sick when I try to talk to people about it and theysay if they had gay kids, they’d disown them.

When a teacher hears a slur and doesn’t correct it or call it out, they are promoting the behavior and more so giving their seal of approval.

It would be nice if people would get to know somebody before they even consider judging them. Almost everyone I have met is different on the inside than they appear to be on the outside.

I’m sick of hearing people calling each other gay because, even though I’m not gay, some of my best friends are gay and because of all the hate they hear, they feel as if they can’t tell their friends in fear of being judged. It’s not just the students either, some teachers unknowingly offend the gay community.

People beat on others because others have beat on them.

I am so tired of hearing the terms “that’s (so) gay” and “faggot.” It is so pathetic that people can’t even think of a better insult so they default to these terms. The insults at all are worthless, and they prove nothing but weakness.

I wish that people would stop using those terms and if said that a teacher would do something.

I wish teachers would notice the derogatory names people call each other and try to put a stop to it L.

I wish people would watch what they say. Just in general. They never know who might be listening.

I wish people would actually THINK before they speak or call somebody something, even jokingly. I wish people would not assume things like “this guy’s gay” or “that one’s not.” I realize it’s still a long time before there wouldn’t be an awkward pause after I say something “gay” but for now could you please not classify things as much?

I wish people would understand that those words are hurtful to people because usually people think it’s no big deal.

Teachers need to stand up against bulling. ANY bullying. Everyday I see teachers let students get away with insulting others, or using the phrase “that’s so gay.” It needs to be stopped!

I would like teachers to know that being gay is ok. It’s your own life and you should be able to live your life the way you want. I am straight and I support everyone.

These terms are not okay.

Everyday I watch people say hurtful words, ad I wish it would just stop.

I think it’s disgusting that the word gay can be used as an insult. It used to mean happy! I just think its absolutely ridiculous this still goes on.

I’m sick of hearing a personality trait as a derogatory term.

I wish teachers would stand up for kids when they hear the word “fag” or “that’s so gay.” They always seem to ignore it.

That the term “fag” is used more than any other insult I hear, its used more and hurts more people than most insults.

I wish people wouldn’t say hurtful things. It’s mean.

If you really want someone to blame for all this, blame the Vatican. Enough said.

I wish people would understand how hurtful any name-calling is. Even if it is joking, many people take it seriously.

I wish people would stop judging others. School should be a place that is safe for people to be themselves without being scared of reactions.

“I want the world to be a place where ‘I’m gay’ invokes the same response as ‘I’m a virgo.’” ~ P!nk. I wish the world could be a place like this where everyone is accepted and valued for who they are.

I wish people at the school were more kind and had more sympathy and understanding. I wish there was less ignorance and more acceptance. I wish everyone would believe that derogatory terms are hurtful to anyone and everyone.

If you witnessed the looks I get when I walk down the hall, you would say something. If you heard every kid who says “faggot” when they see me, in the hall or in class, you would say something. At least, I hope that you would. Sometimes I have the courage to say “fuck off,” but not always.

Every time someone says, “that’s so gay,” it’s taken as a derogatory remark. I wish I had the confidence to tell them it’s wrong to say that. If the teachers told them it was inappropriate, I’d definitely have the nerve to tell them myself.

I wish teachers would realize that prejudice goes beyond racism. We spend weeks on African American stories and issues. Why have they never mentioned gays?

I feel like the people who say derogatory terms against not just gay people but other minority groups are not necessarily mean and cruel, just ignorant and don’t understand the severity of their words. If people become more informed there will be less verbal abuse.

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