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... itching the family. The students feelings of discomfort and isolation are reinforced as their schools further perpetuate the myth of their nonexistence. (Lopes, Paula: interview 31 Jan. 2000) The lack of knowledge of gay and lesbian students is a major role that society holds on keeping them in the closet. Some myths are: All gay people have HIV/AIDS, If you stand next to a gay person you will become gay, and Gay people are always trying to recruit other people. (Katz, Jonathan 103) For the students that are out and in high school, we should applaud them. These teenagers had the strength to overcome all of the negative aspects, which kept them from coming out. But, we do have to look at both sides of coming out too; the positive side and then the negative side.
Insults take many forms; they all hurt. Racial, ethnic and sexual slurs are particularly abusive. Whereas most of us would not allow a racist slur to occur unchecked, we do not always accord the same standards to those remarks made at the expense of lesbian and gay people. Sometimes such slurs dont even get recognized as being hurtful and may be considered socially acceptable. Many young people use terms such as leslie, faggot or queer when referring to gay and lesbian people or to people who we dont like or respect. This behavior attacks the self-esteem of a lesbian and gay youth and teaches young people that hatred of homosexuals is tolerated by our society.
When a teenager comes out while still in high school, that person now has a peace of mind. They no longer have to fight within themselves. (Cloud, John: Times 8 Dec 1997 82 - 83) These teenagers now have a place to belong in this crazy world. These students have a lot of courage to face all their fears. A huge burden has been lifted off their chest. They can hold their head up high and say Im proud to be gay / lesbian /bisexual. These teens have accomplished a major task in their life. (Cloud, John: Times 8 Dec 1997 82 - 83) When the teenager does come out to his / her parents, and the parents understand, the teen has an overwhelming feeling of acceptance.
They know their family will be there to guide and support them through thick and thin. These gay teenagers have the power of understanding of themselves; they are now a whole person. Yet, with good consequences there are the bad ones as well. Many high school students walk the halls listening to verbal harassment: Hey you Fag! Look at the Dykes! Stupid queers!
All gay people should be shot. Those were just a very short list of some verbal harassment. Verbal harassment is just as damaging as physical, sometimes more so. Teachers that hear the verbal harassment fail to report about 97 % of it. (Hopkins, Gary: web admin / admin 087) While in school about 69 % of all GLBT (gay / lesbian /bisexual / transgender ) crimes take place. (Byrd, Richard: web) 97 % of all students in public high schools report regularly hearing homophobic remarks from their peers. (Making Schools Safe for Gay and Lesbian Youth: Report of Mass. Governors Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth, 1993) With verbal harassment, physical harassment isnt far behind. Gay people are three times more likely to be victimized. (Kuklin, Susan: 71) About 15 % of all lesbians or bisexual women have reported being victimized or raped at least once in their lives because of their sexual orientation. (Katz, Jonathan: A 16 -year-old girl is dating another female.
Five boys from school find out, so they force her into a vacant classroom and tell her if she doesnt perform oral sex on them they will kill her. They boys call her names and they rip off all her clothes. They start to rape her one at a time. After they are done raping her, they nearly beat her to death. Right before they leave, they tell her Next time we see you with your girlfriend, you wont live to see the next day. (Safe Schools Coalition of Washington State: Jan. 1999 web) In 1995, there were 2, 395 reports of physical harassment. In 1996, there were 2, 529 reports; that is a 6 % increase within one year. (Byrd, Richard: web) The hardest part of coming out is being accepted; most times youre not.
You hope that your friends understand you and will help you through the rough times. They just turn their backs on you. Then you think your family will help you then. They have too; theyre your flesh and blood. You tell them, they tell you that you are no longer their son / daughter . You have no one to accept you now.
When telling your family you are gay / lesbian , your mom and dad kick you out of the house. You have just been abandoned. 26 % of gay and lesbians youths are forced to leave their home because of conflicts with their families over their sexual identities. (Remafedi. G: Pediatrics, 79) Another negative aspect of coming out and not being able to live in peace is suicide. As stated before, 35 % of gay and lesbian youths are more likely to complete a suicide. Gay and lesbian teenagers sometimes cant handle the isolation and harassment so they feel it is best to end the harassment by ending their lives. Gay and lesbian suicides makes up about 28 % of the suicide rate in the US. (The Safe School Anti-Violence Project of Washington: web stud) In a study of depression in gay and lesbian youths, researchers found depression strikes homosexual youth four to five times more severely than their non-gay peers. (The Safe School Anti-Violence Project of Washington: web stud) While depressed teenagers are more likely drink, 68 % of gay males use alcohol and 44 % use other drugs; 83 % of lesbians use alcohol and 56 % use other drugs. (Hunter.
J. Unpublished research by the Columbia University HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies, 1992) 80 % of lesbians, gay and bisexual youth report severe isolation problems from being depressed. (Hetrick. E. S. : Martin. A. D. , Journal of Homosexuality 14 (1 / 2). 25 - 43. 1987) Gay youths are more than five times more likely to skip classes or school because they feel unsafe.
Marcus, Eric: 19) So many students have skipped classes to stay away from other classmates that verbally harass them, sometimes repeatedly missing certain classes. In a national study, 28 % of lesbian, gay, and bisexual high school students were seen to have dropped out of school because of harassment. Bibliography:
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Research essay sample on Gay Teens In High School
