Is there a homophobia problem in PE classes?

16/11/2015 By ACOMSDave Leave a Comment

Homophobic remarks are flung around on a regular basis”

“Homophobic remarks are flung around on a regular basis”

A new article, part of a PE and school sports series by the Guardian, looks at ways to stop school pupils ‘climbing the school gates’ to avoid PE lessons. Among other reasons, such as unflattering uniforms and limited variety of activities, the article suggests that homophobia in changing rooms prevents some pupils from taking part in PE.
The anonymous writer begins: “The bell rings and once again I have to make the decision whether to climb the school gates or walk to my physical education (PE) lesson. I am not averse to sport – in fact I like keeping fit on the weekends and I’m pretty healthy. But the culture around PE in school means it has become my worst nightmare”
He goes on to explain why: “I am an openly gay teenager and getting changed in front of the other boys, with no privacy, makes me feel desperately uncomfortable.
“Homophobic remarks are flung around on a regular basis, with boys calling each other ‘faggot’ and saying ‘I bet certain boys love it in the changing rooms.’”
The writer suggests a simple remedy for this problem: “A zero-tolerance policy against homophobic slurs and body shaming – even if it’s so-called banter – would make the changing room a more comfortable environment for everyone.”
This insight into the changing rooms comes at a time when more sports stars than ever are publicly discussing their sexualities. Just in the last few months, Olympic skier Gus Kenworthy, and rugby players Keegan Hirst and Sam Stanley have all publicly come out as gay. There have also been rumours swirling that two high-profile football players are preparing to come out.
The Guardian’s PE and school sports series is funded by the Youth Sports Trust.

Why not write and let us know your experiences!

Italy: Gay student banned from Catholic high school over Instagram post

02/10/2015 By ACOMSDave Leave a Comment

By Umberto Bacchi

September 3

A gay student at a religious high school in Italy was banned from class over his sexual orientation, his parents have claimed, triggering a furore across the Mediterranean country, which is already debating same-sex marriage.
The 16-year-old was ordered out of his classroom and placed to study alone in a hallway by the headmaster due to a photo posted on social media depicting him with another boy. As his parents became aware of the disciplinary measure, they reported it to police, claiming it was discriminatory.
“My son is being discriminated against because he is gay,” the mother told Il Fatto Quotidiano newspaper. “His grades are good and teachers are happy with him.”
The catholic institute’s headmaster claimed the ban was issued for the well-being of the student, who is followed by social services, and his classmates, following the clamour that erupted at school after the incriminated photo emerged.
“This has nothing to do with discrimination, Christians do not discriminate, we accept everyone,” Adriano Corrioni, the head of the Ecfop institute in Monza, north of Milan told L’Espresso magazine. “I thought it was right to remove the student to avoid that issues which need to be addressed by his family and social services be talked about in class”.
Corrioni claimed the photo posted on Instagram was “akin to child phonography” but the mother of the boy disputed that, saying it was taken during summer holidays and simply depicted her son and a friend bare-chested.
The incident sparked furious reactions across the peninsula. LGBT rights group Arcigay said the school’s decision was unacceptable and urged the government to take action.
Vincenzo Spadafora, the head of a public authority for children and teenagers’ rights, said he was left “speechless” by the events and vowed severe measures against the school if the discriminatory nature of the ban was confirmed.
The controversy comes as the country is engaged in a heated debate over same-sex marriages, after the government pledged to introduce a law on civil unions. Italy is currently the only country in Western Europe where no form of gay marriage is recognised.

School Is In: The Q in LGBTQ

25/09/2015 By ACOMSDave Leave a Comment

In: Columns, Featured, GLBT News
On: September 20, 2015

By Elizabeth Gartley
Often, when I’m speaking with educators about LGBTQ topics, one of the first questions I’m asked is “What does the Q stand for?” The primary definition that I provide is that “Q” stands for “questioning.” By acknowledging those who are questioning, we acknowledge those people, particularly young people, who for one reason or another, have not adopted an identity label, such as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender, and yet may still experience same-sex attraction or may not identify wholly with the gender identity they have been assigned.* This “Q” is easy to overlook, and yet particularly important to remember, especially for those who work with young people and in light of recent research.
A recent study by YouGov found that a third of young Americans (18 to 29 year-olds) don’t consider themselves “exclusively heterosexual.” Participants were asked to place themselves on the Kinsey Scale, a scale from 0 (exclusively heterosexual) to 6 (exclusively homosexual). A third of adults 18 to 29 placed themselves somewhere other than exclusively heterosexual, indicating some level of same-sex attraction. Interestingly, the survey data shows that while 10 percent of young adults identified themselves as bisexual, 29 percent placed themselves somewhere on the Kinsey scale other than “exclusively hetersexual” or “exclusively homosexual.” Overall, the study also concluded that younger adults were much more likely to acknowledge some level of fluid sexual attractions compared to older age brackets.
The biennial Youth Risk Behavior Survey in Massachusetts has consistently found that more students in grades nine to 12 identify as gay, lesbian, or bisexual and/or report same-sex sexual contact than those who only identify themselves as gay, lesbian, or bisexual. For example, in 2013, 5 percent of all students identified as gay, lesbian or bisexual, but 8 percent identified as gay, lesbian, or bisexual and/orreported same-sex sexual contact. And a 2013 study published by the National Bureau of Economic Research concluded that conventional survey methods lead to “substantial under-reporting of LGBT identity and behaviors” due to “social desirability bias,” that is, the tendency for people to not give responses they feel may be outside the mainstream.
As an educator, I find these kinds of studies interesting because I often find that many of my straight colleagues, teachers and school librarians, are somewhat naive in their assumptions about the LGBTQ students they serve. One of the messages I try to impart to my colleagues is that LGBTQ students are in their classrooms, whether they, as educators, are aware of them or not. Many times, teachers seem surprised by the suggestion that there are usually at least one or two LGBTQ students in every class they teach. There seems to be an implicit assumption among many educators that they will know when they have LGBTQ students in their classroom, as though to be LGBTQ, students must be publicly out to all in the school community.
“But no one in this class is gay,” is the kind of assumption that gets made without even the awareness that an assumption has been made, and this is what I try to challenge. Fortunately, in my experience, this isn’t a difficult bias to tackle; even a little bit of reflection will have people rethinking their assumptions.
In a recent Knowledge Quest article, Wendy Rickman surveyed Arkansas school library professionals and found that most responded that there were no self-identified LGBTQ students in their school, but a majority of respondents felt that there were LGBTQ students who had not yet self-identified. However, the survey also found that a majority of respondents were reluctant to purchase LGBTQ items for the library collection.
Educators, especially school librarians, have a responsibility to help students explore the world beyond their experience and to help students find themselves. School librarian’s strive to create a safe environment where students can learn more about who they are, to explore their interests and identities. We can’t wait for our LGBTQ students to be out, leading the GSA and advocating for themselves before we provide the resources they need. For those students who are LGBTQ but not out, or who are questioning, or who maybe aren’t ready to take LGBTQ-themed books out of the library yet, just seeing the resources are available will help them feel like they belong.
School librarians have a great opportunity to help normalize LGBTQ lives and experiences and portray sexual and gender diversity has part of the human experience. By creating a more inclusive collection and integrating LGBTQ titles into book talks, library displays, and reader’s advisory, all students will benefit: out LGBTQ students will see themselves reflected in their school library, straight students will see a more accurate representation of the diversity in the world, and “Q” students will see that they are not alone in their experiences.
*The Q in LGBTQ is often intended to simultaneously stand for “questioning” as well as “queer,” a loaded word which was once considered a slur, but has in recent decades been reclaimed by LGBT activists as an umbrella term or in some cases, a label an individual may adopt when more recognizable identity labels don’t seem to fit.

Britain's first gay school

16/01/2015 By David McFarlane Leave a Comment

Youth group unveils controversial plan to help bullied LGBT pupils in Manchester

Centre for 60 teenagers is by taxpayer-funded LGBT Youth North West
Group says it could prevent suicides like that of Elizabeth Lowe, 14
But MPs said idea would not reduce prejudice in mainstream schools
Tory Tim Loughton: ‘It seems a step backwards from achieving tolerance’

By JACK DOYLE and JAMES TOZER FOR THE DAILY MAIL

PUBLISHED: 20:46, 15 January 2015 | UPDATED: 00:58, 16 January 2015

A taxpayer-funded youth group has drawn up controversial plans for Britain’s first school for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender pupils.

LGBT Youth North West wants the school to cater for children aged 13 and older who have been bullied and hopes the idea will be copied across the country.

Organisers yesterday denied that the school would become a ‘ghetto’ for gay children and said mainstream schools can be ‘one of the last bastions of homophobia’.

Scroll down for video

Controversial: A youth group has unveiled plans for Britain’s first all-LGBT school (posed by model)

But critics said the move would amount to segregation and would harm efforts to improve tolerance of gay people.

Amelia Lee, the group’s strategic director, said the idea was based on the Harvey Milk School in New York, named after the American politician later played by Sean Penn in a Hollywood movie.

She visited the Harvey Milk school last year, and said she had secured a meeting with officials at the Department for Education.

But Tory MP and former education minister Tim Loughton said: ‘We need to do a lot more to combat homophobic bullying and to create a more tolerant society.

Elizabeth Lowe, 14, killed herself in misplaced fear that her Christian parents would reject her

‘But I cannot see how segregating a group of young people identified by their sexuality can aid better engagement and understanding.

‘The way to achieve more integration, understanding and empathy is not by segregating members of one group, and this would seem to me to be a step backwards from achieving tolerance.’

Miss Lee said her organisation has carried out a survey of gay, lesbian and transgender young people which found many felt teachers had been unsupportive and in some cases simply urged them to ‘ignore’ bullying.

‘Teachers in mainstream schools have problems in tackling issues like homophobic bullying and coming out,’ she said. ‘Unfortunately, schools can be one of the last bastions of homophobia.

‘We have also seen tragic cases such as that of Elizabeth Lowe, a 14-year-old who committed suicide in a park in Manchester because she was struggling with coming out and was worried about telling her parents.

‘It’s to combat problems like those that we want to work with schools and pupil referral units to help young people who are struggling in mainstream education.’

The group received a grant for £63,000 from the Department for Communities and Local Government to enable it to purchase the building where it is based, the Joyce Layland LGBT Centre in central Manchester.

And it used part of the funding to conduct a feasibility study into setting up a school. Miss Lee paid for the visit to the U.S. out of her own pocket.

Miss Lee said that by coincidence Education Secretary Nicky Morgan was also visiting the Harvey Milk School last year at the same time she was there.

She also praised the ‘climate of change’ within the department towards homophobic bullying in schools.

City: City council officials in Manchester (pictured) say they are open to the idea, which is in early stages

A source close to Education Secretary Nicky Morgan told the Mail: ‘There is simply no way that we will approve a free school specifically for LGBT young people.

‘Pupils regardless of their sexuality should be educated in mainstream schools which should be equipped to tackle any bullying that should occur.’

Miss Lee said the proposed school would also be open to pupils who were not gay or transgender but felt more comfortable in such an environment and those who are questioning their sexuality.

Critic: MP Tim Loughton said the idea would segregate students from one another even more

The group said it had already had backing from Manchester City Council as well as the Schools Out anti-homophobic bullying campaign.

LGBT Youth North West is a regional organisation that seeks to support lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans young people in the North West of England.

It receives funding from a raft of state funded bodies, including the region’s councils and parts of the NHS. It also says its work is ‘supported by’ the National Lottery, Comic Relief and Children in Need.

Miss Lee said she intends to wait until after the General Election to decide whether to go ahead with an application to set up a free school, with the first pupils starting in around three years’ time.

She said around two-thirds of the anticipated 60 pupils would be full-time, with the rest attending for around a day a week from their usual schools.

‘The last thing we want is for young people to fall out of mainstream education permanently, or for this to become a ghetto for lesbian, gay and bisexual students,’ she said.

‘This would be somewhere that students who are struggling with the negative effects of issues like bullying could attend classes for a period of time while ensuring they get the grades they are capable of.’

She said children would not be enrolled in the school as their first-choice secondary, but referred there if they were having problems in mainstream education, potentially staying for a year or more.

A spokesman from the Department for Communities and Local Government said the grant was to help the group purchase the community centre from Manchester City Council and was not to set up a school.

A spokesman said: ‘The Department for Communities and Local Government has not funded this school.’

‘Rather, through the organisation Social Investment Business, grants have been given to local areas wishing to run buildings for community uses.’

A spokesman for Manchester City Council said: ‘We supported LGBT Youth NW in their bid for funding to look at the feasibility of expanding their premises and developing the work they do.

‘One of their development ambitions is around how they might make additional educational support available to LGBT young people. We’ve had an initial discussion with them about that, but there are no current plans that we’re aware of to open a LGBT school in the city.’

School apologises over Bible and homosexuality worksheet

28/11/2014 By David McFarlane Leave a Comment

By Peter CoulterBBC News NI 27 November 2014 Last updated at 13:23

Gay rights groups have criticised Hunterhouse College in Belfast over the phrasing of questions about homosexuality in a GCSE practice paper.

A Belfast school has apologised after complaints were made about a worksheet on religious views on homosexuality.

Hunterhouse College in Belfast has withdrawn the worksheet after the father of one student complained.
The three questions appeared in a Religious Studies worksheet.
The school said they have an ethos of inclusivity and the worksheet was part of a wider discussion on sexuality on both sides of the debate including extreme opinions.
The questions were in relation to 1 Corinthians 6: 9-11 and were set by teaching staff.
They included:

What do these verses tell us about homosexuals?
Who else is included with homosexuals?
What hope is there for all these people?

The BBC has seen a copy of the test which includes the bible passage and questions about homosexuality.

Andrew Gibson, the headmaster of Hunterhouse College, said that the worksheet had been withdrawn and that the school has approached the gay rights charity Rainbow Project NI for advice.
“This is in the introduction to Christian ethics centred around personal and family issues. As part of this, pupils are encouraged to consider a variety of attitudes to homosexuality,” he said.
“The questions were set in house but they were in the context of the CCEA specifications. We have a very strong pastoral care system at the school and deal with issues around sexuality with great sensitivity.”
Mr Gibson added that the school “got it wrong” by allowing the worksheet to be sent home individually and out of context from the rest of the class.
Gavin Boyd of the Rainbow Project said that the school was not to blame as this happens in most schools and comes from a lack of clarity in the syllabus.
“If any LGB child was sitting in that class and asked to list a bunch of people to associate with themselves including drunks and all these licentious people, it’s horrible,” he said.

1 Corinthians 6: 9-11 (as taken from the worksheet)
Surely you know that the wicked will not possess God’s Kingdom.
Do not fool yourselves; people who are immoral or who worship idols or are adulterers or homosexual perverts or who steal or are greedy or are drunkards or who slander others or are thieves – none of these will possess God’s Kingdom.
Some of you were like that. But you have been purified from sin; you have been dedicated to God; you have been put right with God by the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

“It was ill prepared and ill thought out as it actually could have amounted to an actionable claim of discrimination against the pupil,
“However, I’m confident no malice was intended and I’m impressed that the school have taken steps to quickly rectify the situation.”
The parent who made the complaint has also praised the school’s response to the issue and the steps it has taken since the incident.
Peter Lynas from the Evangelical Alliance said that while the “wording of the question could have been better” it is important to remember that most of the world’s main religions are against homosexuality.
“It is important Christian values are taught in school and schools can sometimes feel pushed into a corner over these issues,” he said.
In a statement, the exam board CCEA said: “We do not produce guidelines for schools on question setting.”

“Homophobic remarks are flung around on a regular basis”

Why not write and let us know your experiences!

Youth group unveils controversial plan to help bullied LGBT pupils in Manchester

Related Stories