Download Tackling Homophobic in Schools

Tackling Homophobia in
Haydon School
Is this true in your school?
The Terrence Higgins’ Trust and Stonewall
survey of more than 300 schools in England
and Wales found in 1996:
 82% were aware of verbal homophobic
bullying in their school;
99% had an anti bullying policy in school;
However only 6% recognised homophobic
bullying within their policy.

The excuses…..
Staff have perhaps heard of Section 28
and think their hands are tied.
Some schools claim that parents may
object to them doing this work.
Name calling is part of growing up.
Stonewall…
a lobby group that provides information to
government agencies, including the DfES
recommend:

Schools include homophobia in the bullying
policy
 Define homophobic bullying within the policy
 Have clear procedures in dealing with
bullying
 Take quick and effective action
Lesbian & Gay men’s experiences of being bullied at school
Type of bullying
Name-calling
Public ridicule
Hitting/kicking
Rumour mongering
Teasing
Frightened by a look/stare
Belongings taken
Social isolation
Sexual assault
Male (%)
Female (%)
85
75
68
57
58
54
47
24
13
69
54
31
67
56
44
31
41
5
Where does homophobic bullying
take place?
Called names
Corridors
Classroo
ms


School
grounds
Chang ing
rooms
On the
way
home
Other
places



Teased

Hit/kicked
Frightened by
look/stare
Rumour
mongering
Public ridicule


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Key: Frequently
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
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

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


Sexual assault
Belongings
taken

Regularly


Sometimes

Homophobic bullying
Includes, but not limited to

Calling another student “gay, poof, dyke,
lesbo”.

Isolating a student because there are more
masculine or feminine than others

Physical violence towards another student
for acting ‘different’
Address the use of language
The words gay, lesbian & bisexual are
stigmatised or used negatively. This
should be challenged
Discussion: You overhear a student say
to a friend - “that’s gay”. What action
should you take?
Staff attitudes & language
Be aware of your own use of language
 Staff are often unaware that a single
comment can spark bullying

Dealing with homophobia
Challenge students using negative
language - “that’s gay”
 Don’t accept any kind of name calling
in your classroom or around the school
 Any violence must be dealt with
immediately

The next steps
Provide positive images of lesbian & gay people alongside those of other individuals and community groups,
 acknowledging the sexuality of famous and successful
lesbians & gay people both past and present. The work
needs to be placed in a wider context where lesbians
and gay men are seen as citizens and participants in a
wide range of activities both past and present.
 This should happen in the same way as ensuring work
presented to pupils includes positive images of black,
minority ethnic people, women and people with
disabilities, etc.
 A school should celebrate diversity
Discussion: Give an example of how you could include a
positive image of a famous gay man or lesbian within a
lesson.

Why bother?
“Haydon School is ‘committed to individual
excellence in a caring community”
This must include students that may be gay
or lesbian.
Schools have a legal duty to provide a safe
place for all their students and staff.