Forums > Social Discussion > Breakthrough for my school and homophobia

Login/Join to Participate
Page:
OrangeBoboSILVER Member
veteran
1,389 posts
Location: Guelph, ON, Canada


Posted:
Yesterday was very possibly the best school day of my life.

You see, I'm in my school's GSA (gay straight alliance) and yesterday we ran a staffmeeting in my school. At this meeting, out of 70+ teachers in my school, about 50-60 showed up. So that was surprise one, the amount of staff that showed up.

Now, I'm also the co-chair of the GSA, so the principal (who is actually one of the biggest homophobes in the school) introduced me, and I took it from there. It was odd, because I don't have problems with presentations, but this has to be the biggest one, seeing how a student/student run group was running a staff meeting. I don't think it happens very often.

So, We introduced our GSA, and then our guest speaker, from the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Youth Project. His presentation was amazing, and the amount of feedback and attention *most* of the teachers gave was absolutely amazing. We were all surprised.

After his fourty min. presentation, (which made a few teachers cry, actually, when he told his coming out story) a few GSA students (including me) read monologues written by GSA members. I was reading one form a gay male point of view, and another from a lesbian teen, and one from the pov of a girl who's mother was a lesbian.

Now, the part of this meeting that was the most fun and exciting, when it turned out the way it did. We had planned a project, to try and put volunteers into the shoes of students who are g/l/b/t by wearing a shirt that says "I am gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgendered" for the next day for 24 hours. That means in front of their class, and through school, and in public, etc. We had eight t-shirts (two of each), and didn't expect much intrest.

However, when we asked for volunteers, we saw teachers jumping out of their seats and yelling "I want bisexual!" "I want lesbian!"

We were astonished!!! I still am! Even both gay t-shirts will be worn by male teachers today! I can't wait to get to school today, to see them.

And, after they've worn the t-shirts for a day, we're going to do a documentary type thing, and talk to them about their day, and how it went.

*jumps about* I'm just so excited about this whole thing, it's taken us MONTHS to even get this meeting!! And it went so well!!

So, after that, I cancelled a meeting I had that night, and hopped on the bus with my friends, and went to the LGBY project for the night, and hung out , and met new people, as I'd never been able to go. Yesterday was *SUCH* a good day!

biggrin biggrin biggrin ubbrollsmile biggrin biggrin biggrin weavesmiley

~ Bobo

wie weit, wie weit noch?
fragst mich, wo wir gewesen sind...
du fehlst hier


HaremPhoenixmember
13 posts
Location: Illinois, USA


Posted:
Quote:

this is what they passed out to everyone yesterday (4-21-04) on a little piece of paper: Please understand my reasons for not speaking today. i am participating in the day of silence, a national youth movement protesting the silence faced by lesbain,gay,bisexual and transgender people, and their ailles. my deliberate silence echoes that silence which is caused by harassment,predudice and discrimination. i believe that ending the silence is the first step toward fighting these injustices. think about the voices you are not hearing today. what are you going to do to end the silence?




That's what those participating carried at my school. And when someone asked them something we handed them the card to read.

~Elisabeth~
:: shimmy shimmy shimmy flick :: Repeat as desired.


DentrassiGOLD Member
ZORT!
3,045 posts
Location: Brisbane, Australia


Posted:
much of the problem is that often parents, who in my case are about 50, and others of the older generation, dont actually know particulary many people who are openly gay.



the only exposure they have is the stereotypical flamboyant gay community with the accented speech, HIV, rampant sex parties and alike. they see sterioded men in pink leotards dancing on the top of a flatbed truck in the sydney mardi gras. that probably was the stereotypical 'subculture' that was all my parents really knew of being gay.



this wierd concept that im suddenly going to change my entire personality because of my sexuality. thats probably what hurt me the most - that my parents thought i was that shallow - do they know nothing of me?

[in smilie form, parents thought i would change from smile ubbangel into ubbrollsmile devil]



its fantastic programs such as these that educate and attempt to destroy the negative myths, so hopefully future generations wont be as bigotted and close-minded.



hugs for all!

hug hug2 grouphug
EDITED_BY: Dentrassi (1082690664)

"Here kitty kitty...." - Schroedinger.


MikeGinnyGOLD Member
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA


Posted:
Quote:

(I'm going to be picky on that one, HIV is the virus, AIDS isn't)




My pet peeve is "The HIV Virus."

Is that like the Department of Redundancy Department?

-Mike

Certified Mad Doctor and HoP High Priest of Nutella



A buckuht n a hooze! -Valura


pounceSILVER Member
All the neurotic makings of America's lesser known sweetheart
9,831 posts
Location: body in Las Vegas, heart all around the world, USA


Posted:
awesome job bobo....i think i may bring some of those ideas to the GLBT alliance on my campus.

I was always scared with my mother's obsession with the good scissors. It made me wonder if there were evil scissors lurking in the house somewhere.

Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons for you are crunchy and good with ketchup.

**giggles**


OrangeBoboSILVER Member
veteran
1,389 posts
Location: Guelph, ON, Canada


Posted:
okay, meeting teachers next week....

However, breakfeast television, a morning new program in NS, has asked to do a story on our GSA! Exciting, but we don't know how they found out, or what they want to do... I'll find out on Monday.

Also, I dealt with a homophobe today at school, who was picking on a friend of mine who was gay... Told her to leave the room (it was the foodbank at lunch, for those students who don't have a lunch with them) and she got right in our faces.. She chased him around, and slapped him in the arm while chasing. She got right in my face, close enough to bit my nose off, etc. I never lifted a hand, but erm.. Well, I flipped her off.

In anycase, I nearly got suspended, along with my friend, and the girl doing it. The parent's won't take this too well...

mad2 mad2 mad2

~ Bobo

wie weit, wie weit noch?
fragst mich, wo wir gewesen sind...
du fehlst hier


margitaSILVER Member
.:*distracted by shiny things*:.
3,777 posts
Location: brizvegas, Australia


Posted:
just read over this whole conversation again...kinda makes me wish i was back at high school again. umm i wonder what my fellow students would have thought about this kind of action/protest/whatever you would like to call it. i went to pretty big state school where sporting ability was a major thing. i guess it was a fairly macho place to be. (i'm drunk - please excuse me if anything i say makes absolutely no sense)

in such a big school, silence would probably go unnoticed. there were lots of class clowns at my school - most kids talked back, or talked amongst themselves thru most of the classes. but i guess if any of the "popular kids" had got involved, more people would have listened (to silence!? eep, i am durnk). beerchug

anyways, good on you bobo. i think i already said that - meh!! oh and i guess thanx pounce - noone else seems to mention my sig, but i love that you've taken it and made it yours!! ketchup!! hehe biggrin

do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and good to eat!



if at first you do succeed, try not to look too astonished!



smile! :grin: it confuses people!


LyraSILVER Member
spiny norman
314 posts
Location: Cincinnati,damn it, USA


Posted:
the only thing we can blame the spread of AIDS and Ebola(that is sooooooooo scary) and other diseases is ignorance, i guess that also applies to the treatment of of gays, lesbians, transgendered, bisexual, its a problem because so many people dont understand the problem, heres hopeing we can all try to make things better>>>>>luv

if you think that our kiss was all in the lips, come on you got it all wrong man, and if you think that our dance was all in the hips then, oh well, do the twist -The White Stripes


Rouge DragonBRONZE Member
Insert Champagne Here
13,215 posts
Location: without class distinction, Australia


Posted:
i think thats a fantastic thing for a school to do. my school would never do it. they woludnt even do the day of silence. but it is a good thing none the less. (not that i could do it. in the words of my homeroom teacher last year "it takes a faulty microphone to shut you up!")

correct me if i'm wrong, but i thought i read somewhere (or watched a documantary) that HIV/AIDS/what is it exactly? was started my monkeys.

im not sure my parents were all comfortable with gays. one of my closest friends is gay and at first i dont think my parents felt all that comfortable (although i think that was partly because he came out when he was about 16). but i think they are better about it now.

i would have changed ***** to phallus, and claire to petey Petey

Rougie: but that's what I'm doing here
Arnwyn: what letting me adjust myself in your room?..don't you dare quote that on HoP...


TrillianBRONZE Member
Llamas are larger than frogs.
319 posts
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio, USA


Posted:
I participated in the day of silence, too. I did feel like it was a little hard to tell who was participating in it- the wristbands are a good idea. Our school has 2000+ people, so 100 people not speaking isn't that noticeable...but our principal announced it in the morning, so people did know about it.
Gay rights are a big issue in Ohio right now, since we are one of the few states who have actually made mariiage illegal for gays, and are looking to ammend our state constitution to ban it. It is good that some people at least are trying to do something about it. mad mad mad mad mad mad mad mad mad mad
Bobo, your plans are awesome- good luck! hug hug

"I know a good deal more than a boiled carrot."
"Fire!" "Where?" "Nowhere, I was just illustrating the misuse of free speech."


HaremPhoenixmember
13 posts
Location: Illinois, USA


Posted:
Quote:

correct me if i'm wrong, but i thought i read somewhere (or watched a documantary) that HIV/AIDS/what is it exactly? was started my monkeys.




HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. And the theory is that it started with monkeys, although no one will ever really know for sure. Some types of African monkeys carry a virus called SIV (simian immunodeficiency virus) which they believe mutated into HIV. The theory says that a person with a cut was preparing the monkey as a meal and the blood from the monkey must have mixed with the blood from the person. In the monkeys, SIV shows no harmful effects at all. But they believe that once in the human body it mutated into HIV which as we all know is very harmful. This is at least what I was told in my classes I took to get certified as a HIV/AIDS peer educator.

~Elisabeth~
:: shimmy shimmy shimmy flick :: Repeat as desired.


OrangeBoboSILVER Member
veteran
1,389 posts
Location: Guelph, ON, Canada


Posted:
Sorry if I sparked confusion about AIDS/HIV ^^; But that's started a whole other debate in this thread now ubblol

Yeah,so like I said, we;re meeting the teachers this week coming. I've got almost all confirmed.

Hmm, as for other stuff? Well, the parents are upset that I've now been "labelled" twice this week.

Label one? Lesbian (this doesn't bother me, really.. I kinda like keeping them guessing ubblol)

Label two? Trouble maker. rolleyes According to my dad, I'm now "known" for getting involved in situations. Ugh. You can defnately tell there's some tension and disagreement between me and my father.

So... Yeah, my aprents and I have been talking about these issues for the week, off and on, and I've been thinking about it a lot too. Got kinda awkward when my dad blurts out while driving in the car "you know, I've wondered if you're a lesbian or not. Why else would you choose this battle?"

***major sweatdrop***

I mean *really* Dad. Come on. SERIOUSLY. This is where I avoided the question, and I do know that he's wondered this before. And I'm sure he's desperate to know, and desprate to hear that I'm straight. But... I'm not going to tell him something that I don't know for sure myself. *shrug* For all I know, I'll come back from Germany completely straight, or completely homosexual ubblol

Time will tell, and despite how I feel 99.9% of the time, I do have time for this to sort it out. Thank God I haven't resorted to masking this, at least.

Okay, I'm done ranting.

~ Bobo

wie weit, wie weit noch?
fragst mich, wo wir gewesen sind...
du fehlst hier


Tao StarPooh-Bah
1,662 posts
Location: Bristol


Posted:
Quote:

this wierd concept that im suddenly going to change my entire personality because of my sexuality.




yeah, that gets me too.

some people think that being bi means you have threesomes all the time (i wish...) or they ask me if i have a b/f and when i say yes the go 'so you're straight then' and so i tell them i had a g/f and so then they think i'm, a lesbian

I CAN'T WIN!!!

i like the world like this; grouphug

I had a dream that my friend had a
strong-bad pop up book,
it was the book of my dreams.


DuncGOLD Member
playing the days away
7,263 posts
Location: The Middle lands, United Kingdom


Posted:
I heard something similar Harem but I heard it was to do with locals bonkin the monkeys and then their wives etc getting raped by invading white folks. Not that it makes much difference I suppose.

Let's relight this forum ubblove


NYCNYC
9,232 posts
Location: NYC, NY, USA


Posted:
Hrmmm... I wonder if this will get us too off topic... ah what the heck.

I think why people get confuse about the Gay.... Bi.... Straight spectrum is because it's one of the very few things that's based on desire rather than action.

As a man, if I WANT to kill someone but don't actually do it... it doesn't make me a murderer, yet if I WANT to have sex with men but don't actually do it, it does make me either gay or bisexual. Virgins can be gay, straight, or bisexual.

Sometimes it's hard for people who aren't open minded to comprehend someone being in a straight monogomous relationship who are bisexual.

I think that sexuality is one of the few things that isn't based on actions, but based on "theoretically what you would do if you were in a certain situation."

I do understand it. But also understand why those less openminded could be confused.

Well, shall we go?
Yes, let's go.
[They do not move.]


BurningByronmember
340 posts
Location: Australia


Posted:
For me, bisexuality is just another form of being unconditional with my energy.

HOW TO FLY 101:
step 1. Throw your self at the ground.
step 2. Miss.


SpitFireGOLD Member
Mand's Girl....and The Not So Shy One
2,723 posts
Location: Calgary, Alberta Canada


Posted:
The thing is...sexuality is not black or white, really.

I am a gay woman, but I have an appreciation for good looking men. I've slept with men since I've come out...not many, and I wasn't dating or going out with any women at the time. Hey, I'm human, what can I say.

If I were to label myself, I'd say gay with bi tendancies...in that I'd sleep with a guy, but I'd rather not be in a significant relationship with them....if I were single. I'm not single, and I've got a beautiful woman who gets all of my attention and affection. No more boy bits for me. biggrin

Anyway, regardless of what anyone says, sexuality is rarely black and white. There are very few people who are 100% straight or 100% gay. Those that are uncomfortable with that small percentage of themselves that isn't straight (or gay, as the case may be) have to deal with their insecurities. Some try to understand it...and can live and let live. There are others who are just small minded morons who decide teasing or beating the crap out of someone for being gay is the entertainment of the month. I've been lucky...the only small minded people I've had to deal with were incredibly drunk women when I lived in New Orleans.

It's funny watching a drunk person try and start a fight. They're seeing double, at least, so when they take a swing at you, you've got a 1 in 2 chance they'll miss you, and if you duck, well, they'll probably fall over. biggrin

Anyway...I'm rambling.

Solitude sometimes speaks to you, and you should listen.


Puck Dallasmember
23 posts
Location: usa, Dallas, Tx


Posted:
And if you wait and lean towards the arm they throw at you grab their wrist with the closer and use their momentum by pulling away from them and circling. They will be quite suprised to find themself on their but or flat backed. wink People just need to start teaching their children about sexuality instead of ignoring it or treating it like a bad thing. Would cause alot less general issues and mania dealing with sex in many of its forms. It is a hard subject for our parents to talk about. Look at some of the european ideals on pornand sex and many of the culture are more well rounded. Those that treat it like a sin or a bad thing tend to create more problems than just dealing with it maturely.

MikeGinnyGOLD Member
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA


Posted:
I always say that sexuality is not a multiple-choice question.

You do not need to pick the single best answer of the following 3 options:

However, I describe myself as "gay" because it eliminates the need for a lengthy dissertation on my precise sexual orientation.

I do, however, like girls more than a little.

-Mike

Certified Mad Doctor and HoP High Priest of Nutella



A buckuht n a hooze! -Valura


SpitFireGOLD Member
Mand's Girl....and The Not So Shy One
2,723 posts
Location: Calgary, Alberta Canada


Posted:
biggrin *applauds lightning*

And Puck? Yeah, educating kids about sexuality would help a great deal.

It's one of the reasons why I really applaud Bobo for what she's trying to accomplish at her school...and admire her for it.

I didn't come out until I was in college...to myself or others....it took me a while to figure myself out...partly because of the social stigma that tends to come hand in hand with being labled gay/lesbian. At the time, I was too young and too hung up on what other people thought of me. Now? If they've got a problem with me, then they have to deal with it. If they have a problem with my sexuality, then it's their problem..they have to deal with it.

I am who I am, and I won't change for anyone.

Solitude sometimes speaks to you, and you should listen.


Puck Dallasmember
23 posts
Location: usa, Dallas, Tx


Posted:
The romans would have disagreed with you. It can be a choice. It is also possible to naturaly gravitate to the same sex. Not my prefernce but some like corpses. Sexuality doesn't make a person good or bad thats there own nature wether disfunctional or not. I know people that have chosen to go gay because of some serious traumitizations from the oposite sex. Every one needs to learn more acceptance. Take it from a guy cover in tattos and piercings I deal with other peoples insecurities very often. My sexual nature is my buisness. I know some really kewl gay people and they aren't waiting for me to turn around to rear their ugly head. A non enlightend human fear that which they don't understand. The enlightend wait and watch how things develop before they act, paterns are easier to see that way..



*applaudes spitefire hugs her with a kiss on the forehead* and Bobo inner strength comes from elightenment which is found in ones self. No book or anything else can give you that. So keep on with your bad self and be better than they are. smile
EDITED_BY: Puck Dallas (1083090220)

Puck Dallasmember
23 posts
Location: usa, Dallas, Tx


Posted:
Quote:



With regard to how HIV (I'm going to be picky on that one, HIV is the virus, AIDS isn't) first crossed to the human population. There's little point arguing it as nobody can ever know who patient 0 was. But it's a pretty good bet that the blame lies squarely on the shoulders of human overpopulation and invasion of nature. The lessons of HIV, Ebola and such are that we should respect nature because we are only part of it and it will always be stronger than us. Regardless, a breath wasted on this argument is better spent dealing with what is now a worldwide and all inclusive problem: black, white, gay or straight.






All I have to say on this is isn't it possible that somebody tried to test a biological weapon on say a certain popultation to quell their numbers. Maybe it mutated unexpectedly as things do in the wild and is one of the reasons it is so hard to find a cure. The fact it is possible for it to spread from say that population to the rest world would have been a sheer oversight of small minded individual, country , or other. Now how it would have spread cats and dogs I can only guess but nothing is safe. Virus's and bacteria are very common chemical weapons. Then again this makes me sound like a conspiracy theorist. It is to easy just to say nature but nature doesn't act that way normaly . But I doubt that it was something that just developed on its own. Step away from the p.e.t.a. and think for your self. Ben and teller had alot of interesting perceptions on them. Per science like much of our animal freinds we are users. I am all about nature but I believe in being honest with ourself. They are dangerous small minded people who actualy fund eco terrorists. If you were in the wild it is possible that predator would attack you just as much as another food source. but I think I have left the topic...sorry guys and dolls. Well there are alot more problems than that in this world. BUt I choose to go no further into left feild.
EDITED_BY: Puck Dallas (1083092753)

LyraSILVER Member
spiny norman
314 posts
Location: Cincinnati,damn it, USA


Posted:
finding someone to blame for the spread of aids isent going to make to problem go away, same thing with 9:11, we should spend our energy working on the problem, not pointing fingers, as to sexuality, everyone is a little bit bi, personaly i think we shouln`t limit our love or sexuality to one gender, i disaprove of decieding what your sexuality is, especially when your young, in many ways it limits you>>>>>much luv

if you think that our kiss was all in the lips, come on you got it all wrong man, and if you think that our dance was all in the hips then, oh well, do the twist -The White Stripes


MikeGinnyGOLD Member
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA


Posted:
Quote:

All I have to say on this is isn't it possible that somebody tried to test a biological weapon on say a certain popultation to quell their numbers.






But how? Only last year, someone finally succeded in making an intact virus particle (polio) from "scratch," meaning that they used a "cell-free cell extract" to make the virus. But Polio is not a novel virus. It's a virus that exists in the wild and has evolved over millions of years to infect humans.



Back in the 1970's when the first cases of AIDS were being reported (and let's suppose, for the sake of argument that those were the first cases of AIDS, even though there is good evidence that the first case was in the 50's), we didn't have PCR, let alone rt-PCR, which would be necessary to artificially produce HIV. And that says nothing of the other techniques you'd need like site-selective mutagenesis (which was developed in the mid 90's) and protein structure prediction (which hasn't been invented yet).



Furthermore, we have yet to be able to design a novel virus from scratch, or even figure out how to specifically alter an existing virus so that it specifically attacks a new host and specifically causes a certain disease.



So how the heck was anyone supposed to be able to pull off a stunt like this in complete secrecy in the 1960's (when it would have had to be done for the first cases to appear in the mid to late 70's)? Or in the 40's when DNA hadn't even been demonstrated to be the hereditary molecule and we didn't know it's structure?

-Mike

Certified Mad Doctor and HoP High Priest of Nutella



A buckuht n a hooze! -Valura


OrangeBoboSILVER Member
veteran
1,389 posts
Location: Guelph, ON, Canada


Posted:
Thanks DP!

Hmm, about the education thing.. See, that's what we were trying to work on a bit too, just to open up the eyes of the teachers. And, for the most part I think it worked. The problem with educating the kids, is not that they don't want to learn, because I know most of them do want to learn about it, and each generation grows up more open, and more accepting. There are always acceptions however. For example, our school has a very strong arabic population. And they tend to be more... right winged, and anti-homosexuality. Not that I'm saying they are, because that is not what I'm saying by ANY means. I know an arabic male in my school who is openly gay. Just as a whole, their cultre, and what they're taught, homosexuality is a bad thing. And some of them think very strongly about it. So, essentially, like everything in this world, we can't get to everyone. But, I think it's possible to get to many of them.

The problem is really the teachers. We need their full support to do this, and I actually found out my numbers are wrong, and in the end, we only saw 75% of the teachers in our school. Slightly dissappointing to hear, but I know we got to most all of the ones that were there.

My point is, how are we going to educate the kids en masse, if we don't have full support from all the teachers, who are open and willing enough to talk and have discussions about the topic? I know teachers who support the cause, but are not comfortable to talk about it to their class. And I can understand that.

The worst part is, there is a program in my school in which getting a message out to almost the entire school population, but it's a rather sticky situation... They really screwed us tenners (tenth graders = me) over. >.< But I'm not going to go into that.

Also, for an update on the project:

- 5 teachers interviewed, 3 to go, should be done next week!

The things the teachers are saying are really really good stuff. In doing this, I've learned that teachers are really good storytellers, and I've never really appreciated it until this week! I applaud all good teachers ubbangel (as a student, I honestly can't say all teachers... Because there's always those ones, where you wonder how they ever passed either teacher's college, or wonder why they're not in a psych ward or something tongue)

- Television appearance requested

Think I said this already, but oh well! BT, Breakfast Television ( a morning news program) asked to do a clip on us. Happy at first, skeptical at second glance. What do they want us to do? Why? Who'd do it? I found out how they heard about our project, one of the male teachers ("I am gay" t-shirt) teaches night classes as well, and one of the actual hosts of BT was in it, and he explained the project, as there was an openly gay student in the class, and he didn't want to offend.

- the video!

Like I said before, just three more teachers, then we can edit it and such! I'm really hoping to see if we can put it on the school's website, and server, and I'm really hoping to see if I can share it with you all... After all this, I think you deserve to see it smile (or maybe I deserve to show off tongue Juuust kidding!)

And last of all, I want to thank you all for the support and such. As you can probably tell from previous posts, I'm not getting the most support from my family, but my friends' support has greatly overpowered them! Thankkies!

*MUCHO glompage!!* hughuggrouphuggrouphug

Also, today, I found out one of my friends (female) *met* a girl at the LGBY... and they're starting a *relationship* ^_^ I'm soooo happy for her!!! *jumps about*

hugweavesmileyhug

~ Bobo

wie weit, wie weit noch?
fragst mich, wo wir gewesen sind...
du fehlst hier


LyraSILVER Member
spiny norman
314 posts
Location: Cincinnati,damn it, USA


Posted:
it would be fantastic if you could link/post the video on HOP, im sure eveyrone would love to see it, especially after seeing how passionent you are about it, and do`t worry about the 75 percent thingy, thats still alot, and all support is important ......congrats and much luv

if you think that our kiss was all in the lips, come on you got it all wrong man, and if you think that our dance was all in the hips then, oh well, do the twist -The White Stripes


Page:

Similar Topics

Using the keywords [breakthrough school homophobia] we found the following existing topics.

  1. Forums > Breakthrough for my school and homophobia [55 replies]

      Show more..

HOP Newsletter

Sign up to get the latest on sales, new releases and more...