6 reasons why “don’t say gay” bills are wrong.
Contents:
- AS FLORIDA'S 'DON'T SAY GAY' LAW TAK EFFECT, SCHOOLS ROLL OUT LGBTQ RTRICTNS
- TEACHERS QU PROTT OVER WHAT THEY NSIR ANTI-GAY POLICY AT CHRISTIAN SCHOOL SHORELE
AS FLORIDA'S 'DON'T SAY GAY' LAW TAK EFFECT, SCHOOLS ROLL OUT LGBTQ RTRICTNS
At Seattle Pacific Universy, stunts have spent weeks fightg anti-gay polici mon among Christian schools * school gay policy *
“As numero urts have regnized, a school’s policy or actns that treat gay, lbian, or transgenr stunts differently om other stunts may e harm, ” the Edutn Department notice said. Published fal eded form as:PMCID: PMC8454913NIHMSID: NIHMS1740286AbstractSchools are often unsafe for lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr, queer, and qutng (LGBTQ) stunts; they equently experience negative or hostile school climat, cludg bullyg and discrimatn based on sexual orientatn and genr inty at school. Lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr, queer, and qutng (LGBTQ) stunts often experience negative school environments, where they are subject to victimizatn based on sexual orientatn, genr inty, and genr exprsn.
Further, stunts protected by enumerated polici are ls likely to report homophobic or transphobic attus, remarks, and behavrs toward LGBT peers (Horn & Szalacha, 2009; Kosciw et al., 2020). Specifilly, the prence of enumerated polici, LGBT stunts feel safer at school, hear ls homophobic language, experience ls inty-based victimizatn (Kull et al., 2016), report ls absenteeism at school (Greytak, 2013), and are ls at risk for suici and substance e (Frost et al., 2019; Hatzenbuehler & Key, 2013; Konishi et al., 2013) some s, stunts, parents, and school personnel are unaware of safe schools polici and lack knowledge of explic protectns for stunts who are (or who are perceived to be) LGBTQ (Schneir & Dimo, 2008). In a recent study, LGBTQ stunts reported that teachers tervene ls often for homophobic remarks pared to racist or sexist remarks (Kosciw et al., 2018; see also Kosciw et al., 2016).
G., lack of time and limed knowledge about LGBT issu) LGBTQ stunts report even school personnel g homophobic and transphobic language. 4%) reported hearg homophobic remarks om school personnel, while a strong majory (66. When tors and school admistrators fail to tervene homophobic remarks or make the kds of remarks themselv, stunts bee normalized to harmful, anti-LGBTQ language and learn that prejudice is acceptable at school.
TEACHERS QU PROTT OVER WHAT THEY NSIR ANTI-GAY POLICY AT CHRISTIAN SCHOOL SHORELE
For example, profsnal velopment that rporat exposure to LGBT people rais awarens of homophobic bullyg and builds teachers’ skills to tervene homophobic behavrs (Greytak & Kosciw, 2014). In a natnal sample of sendary school teachers (Greytak et al., 2016), trag on LGBT issu relat to more terventn rponse to homophobic remarks, but profsnal velopment on bullyg and harassment general was not. Strategy #3: Stunt-Led Clubs (GSAs)Stunt-led, LGBTQ-foced, school-based clubs (often lled gay-straight allianc, or genr-sexualy allianc, i.
In a natnal survey of LGBT high school stunts, those schools wh GSAs reported ls bullyg based on sexual orientatn or genr inty, ls homophobic language, and a greater sense of belongg their school environment (Kosciw et al., 2020). In the first longudal study of LGB youth, havg a GSA was associated wh creasg homophobic bullyg and creasg feelgs of safety one year later (Ioverno et al., 2016). Fally, a meta-analysis showed that, across studi, LGBT stunts wh GSAs their schools are 36% more likely to feel safe and 30% ls likely to report homophobic victimizatn pared to LGBT stunts schools whout GSAs (Marx & Kettrey, 2016) addn to improved school experienc, a growg body of rearch has nnected havg a GSA at school wh better mental health and health behavr for LGBT stunts, cludg lower levels of smokg, drkg and dg e, sex wh sual partners (Heck et al., 2014; Poteat et al., 2013), psychologil distrs and prsive symptoms (Poteat et al., 2019, Toomey et al., 2011), suicidal iatn and behavr (Poteat & Rsell, 2013; Saewyc et al., 2014; Walls et al., 2013), and greater self-teem (McCormick et al., 2015).
Further, stunts who say that they have learned about LGBT issu at school report ls bullyg (Greytak et al., 2013; Snapp et al., 2016), more safety (Toomey et al., 2012), ls absenteeism (Greytak et al., 2013; Kosciw et al., 2020), and ls homophobic language and negative remarks based on genr exprsn their schools (Kosciw et al., 2020).