Homophobia rant

[snakeyem12]

So my school claims to be accepting of LGBT+ people and we have "Some people are gay, get over it posters around school." The school generally appears to be fine with LGBT+ people, until we do anything at all that is related to this. All of the time we're quietly being queer in the corner, it's fine, but the second we want to speak out against anything such as homophobia the school is completely against it. We've had this issue before with not being allowed to do an assembly for Transgender Day Of Remembrance as there would be younger students, (youngest being 11) and that would be inappropriate. We are now having this issue again with a student not being allowed to do a five minute public speaking speech on homophobia.


At our school, year 7, 8, and 9 all do public speaking each year, and the best speech from each form is voted on and then repeated in front of all of year 7,8, and 9. This speech on homophobia won in my friends form and should therefore be shown in front of these year groups. This is not happening though, because apparently the speech may 'influence' the younger year groups. Influence them how?!?!? Influence them to be gay? Unlikely. Influence them to not be homophobic idiots? I don't see an issue with that. It's not like these year groups are sheltered. They get full assemblies on anorexia or racism or the holocaust, yet god forbid anyone so much as mentions that gay people are treated unfairly. I'm just really pissed at school right now honestly.


For anyone who cares and wants to try to help, here's a link to a petition Friends: Allow a girl in my year do her speech on homophobia


I've been writing this in a lesson being run by the teacher who isn't allowing this speech to happen. Fun.

 

[soular]

Reading this left me with a bad taste in my mouth, honestly. But I feel like it highlights a lot of our problems we have in the present day. People like to say we're better and less judgemental because it's the 21st century and then stuff like this happens.


I remember at my highschool we had an active LGBTQ+ club. In order for posters to go up on the wall, they'd have to first be approved by the principal and over 80% were not without an explanation. The ones that were approved were torn down or scribbled over by homophobic classmates. I mention this because our school advertised itself as a diverse place for students of all backgrounds (sketchy already as 90% were white and 80% were Jewish but whatever).


My point with this is that it shows that people are starting to believe that showing support on the surface is equality, but paying no attention to the oppressive truths that go on. In short, hell yes she should be allowed. If she doesn't then no one will be able to because they'll use her as an example in the future. "So and so wasn't allowed either and she wasn't offended by it so you can't either."

 

[P U R I T Y]

The holocaust was not only racism, but also absolute genocide. I can't say I understand how you feel, and I'd like to wish all of the best in ending discrimination, but please don't toss in something that no one on this site, or in this day and age, can even begin to relate to. Especially when Jews are still being terrorized and condemned for who and what they are. Everyone suffers and I'd love to see an end to injustice as much as anyone, but there's a respect that should dismiss casually tossing in a mass slaughtering with bullying, medical issues and a disagreement between skin colors.


I'm not belittling this thread. But I take offense to the people that never got a say and still suffer, and then have their past hurts thrown up by complete strangers, in comparison to anything.

 

[Mythee]

Purity, they mentioned that their school has had an assembly on the holocaust; they aren't relating it to LGBTAQ acceptance. Besides, it is not making light of an issue to acknowledge it. The holocaust is one among many gaping wounds of humanity's history that should not be obscured or buried, even when the very last grandchild of a survivor has passed away. Without learning lessons from the past, we would go blindly into the future.


And Snake, your school sounds terribly two-faced. They are basically enforcing some kind of "don't ask, don't tell" policy. I hope your petition convinces them to do right by their LGBTAQ students.

 

[determinator]

Wow, I hope that petition works. It's absolute nonsense that your school is disallowing it on grounds of "influencing the children". Some of those kids are probably LGBT+ already and are too afraid to come out.


aha oh man the salt rises within me

 

[DerUbermensch]

Even if I don't agree with a single word the speech will say, I'll defend to the death the very right to allow the girl to say it! I am indeed an advocate for civil rights and for her rights to be infringed upon would be an outrage. And on a touchy subject nonetheless! It seems that the reason why they're doing such a deplorable action is to sweep social issues under the rug.


I personally believe that the more we try to repress, the more it'll be encouraged. Homophobia, like any other form of discrimination or anti-group sentiment, can be like a hydra. If one cuts off one head, ten may replace it! But by speaking out about the matter will for sure help in resolving it outright.

 

[Tiny Turtle]

Where Love Is Illegal – A Witness Change Project[/URL]

 

[Karlore]

Isn't influencing people the entire point of public speaking?

 

[Paranoid Android]

Isn't influencing people the entire point of public speaking?

In this case it's to discourage prejudice, not make people gay or (hopefully) not let them think homosexuality is wrong even if they respect people's right to have homosexual relationships. I don't agree at all when people say homo/bisexuality is a choice or that it is immoral, but as long as they let people do what they want in their privacy I'm okay with them. Unfortunately some people don't understand that and see them as the same as those idiots who want gays to be burned or something.


Anyways I signed it. Gud luck.

 

[Karlore]

[QUOTE="Paranoid Android]In this case it's to discourage prejudice, not make people gay or (hopefully) not let them think homosexuality is wrong even if they respect people's right to have homosexual relationships. I don't agree at all when people say homo/bisexuality is a choice or that it is immoral, but as long as they let people do what they want in their privacy I'm okay with them. Unfortunately some people don't understand that and see them as the same as those idiots who want gays to be burned or something.
Anyways I signed it. Gud luck.

[/QUOTE]
The point I'm trying to make is that the school administration banned the speech because they thought it would influence the students, but I would argue that the point of public speaking is to influence people so that isn't a valid reason in and of itself. I'm for the speech.

 

[Reweldone]

Well, is the speech taking rhetoric from LGBT+? Because I don't blame the school for being cautious considering how radical the rhetoric can be ever since it got hijacked by Feminists and Social Justice people. The speech should still be heard if it won democratically though. It should be given without being censored either.


I am curious though about what kind of homophobia is going on at your school. Do they force you to declare your sexuality (or determine it via contacts) and then restrict your actions based on that? 'Homophobia' is a very strong word and shouldn't be said lightly unless there is overwhelming evidence. After all, bullying someone by targeting their insecurity about their sexuality is not the same thing as singling a homosexual person out because you believe that homosexuals are inferior to heterosexuals. The first is just mean, and the second is actual homophobia.


But with conservative religious groups and a lot of private schools being run with these conservative religious groups in mind, I actually wouldn't be entirely surprised if there was pockets of homophobia.

 

[Zylia]

I'm probably older than most of the people on this forum, so my experience in HS might be a bit different. I grew up in a small country town, rather wealthy, nearly completely white. We were all the same, your father was either in oil or a rancher/farmer, and being gay was very uncommon. I remember one instance where a girl I graduated with "came out" abruptly in class. Didn't really surprise those of us who knew here, but the adults definitely had no idea, so we thought. As we all went silent, expecting something awful to be said by our teacher, he simply smiled and said, "Cool. If anyone says anything negative, let me know" and went right on teaching.


That moment always stuck with me, and made me proud. We might have been rural, but we weren't jerks. The youth of today (my son is a young teenager) seems to be very HARD YES or HARD NO about LGBT issues. Some are completely un-phased, open to anything and everything... and others are being taught ugliness by adults that should know better. It's odd to consider that things might have been better a couple decades ago than they are now. As with anything, I guess acceptance is a long process and will be painful.


I wish you luck and will definitely sign your petition.