Homophobia in Schools

Homophobia Common in Canadian Schools (From First Call's Newsletter)

A new report from Egale has found that “school hallways are saturated with homophobic language and 21% of LGBTQ students report being physically harassed or assaulted while almost two thirds - 64% - feel unsafe at school.” From the forward to Every Class in Every School:

Every class in every school has LGBTQ students, and the majority of heterosexual students are silently upset by homophobic comments. If teachers were to lead the way by speaking respectfully of LGBTQ people, the silent majority of students—the 58% of heterosexual students and the approximately 14% of students who are LGBTQ—would have more reason for courage. They might figure out that most of their peers aren’t homophobic either. They might stop using homophobic language to fit in, and they might start intervening when LGBTQ students are being harassed. LGBTQ students might start to think, gay life isn’t just possible on TV; it’s possible in my world as well, with my teachers and my friends, and my employers, and maybe with my family.