Comments on: Besen: Words that kill

By: Zachary Alan McKinney

Zachary Alan McKinney — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 21:01:42 +0000

We should totally get in touch! No joke! I live in Texas and I’ll tell you my email another time. I don’t wanna put it on here.

By: Zachary Alan McKinney

Zachary Alan McKinney — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 20:56:02 +0000

LA Hulberg: I am so speechless right now. But short and simple, My mom said, and says, the same things you just said! No joke, no kidding. All my life I’ve been bullied like your son. The ONLY difference between your son and me is the height, sortof age difference and the phyiscal abuse…except ya I had my share, but I had fights, not physical abuse done TO me. 3 fights to be exact all in high school. And I’ll tell you one reason why. It’s because even though I’m small, I got back in their faces and just went with the flow until they said something I didn’t know what they meant and then I ignored them because they went on and on and on. People called me gay too and I got bullied everyday as well. I wouldn’t even let the staff at school get in my way!! If I had to use the phone, I USED THE PHONE! Nobody told me “NO” if I thought it was an Emergency!! NOBODY! I guess that’s why my family members called me a Badger when I was little. Cuz a Badger is very small compared to other animals but boy is it a firecracker when messed with! 2 more things, I also to this day get depressed AND I never heard of a principal, or any staff for that matter, THREATEN to tell a lie! We woulda been like, “OH NO U DIDN’T, BRING IT ON!”

By: Zachary Alan McKinney

Zachary Alan McKinney — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 02:04:10 +0000

I’m 19 and have been bullied all my life and I cant bully someone even if I wanted to. I just dont know how. I guess its the gift given from a bad homelife or elsewhere for that matter..

By: LA Hulberg

LA Hulberg — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 20:20:50 +0000

This happened to my son as well. I thank the gods every single day, that he did not harm himself. But the kids called him gay and “gay bashed” him on a daily basis. He started off being an A student. But after the constant bullying and not receiving help from the faculty or staff, he is now a straight F student. This started in elementary school. To date, due to the other children’s “gay bashing” he has suffered a broken thumb, a broken nose, numerous bruises, and bumps, black eyes, scratches, and what is worse…he has suffered emotionally even more than physically. It’s horrible to see how the faculty can turn their backs on these types of issues. It got to the point that he begged me to move away from our southern California home just so that he could go to school without taking a beating either to/from or on the playground. He suffered and still does from depression over this. However, now that he isn’t taking a daily beating (as he is 6’1″ and about to go in to his Senior Year of High School) he has a better day in general. But…he’s lost so much from all of this (he would make up excuses of illness to not have to go to school) The depression caused him to give up on everything, so he did not do his school work, or he would do it and never turn it in saying he lost it. Whatever it took, he would do. Now though…a brilliant mind has gone to waste. He can’t even see the big picture. He was in 1st grade a could read and comprehend on the level of a college Sophomore. Yet, he brings home failing grades (4 classes, 4 F’s) due to what they have done to him. We went to the school board. They did nothing. We went to the principals, they did nothing. One principal told me if I went to the police, he would lie and tell them my son was the perpetrator. The School’s Executives do not want this type of thing out in the open. They cover it up so their schools get “good grade” or do not show incidents of voilence or drugs. They want those high marks because it brings in those people of higher social status, and wealthier couples. Which in turn is better for all the businesses from Schools to Real Estate to the Cabana Boy. Money talks and so many are so willing to turn their backs on the welfare of our chilren for a little cold hard cash. Believe me, when enough money is thrown around, more of those on the receiving end will be quick to pass the laws in favor of those that have the most money and the most power.

By: Caitlyn

Caitlyn — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 23:59:53 +0000

I find that this problem stems mostly from ignorance. For a class project last year I did an education effort at the school, and I would say about 3/4 of the kids didn’t know a gay person and thought that being gay was a choice, and most of them thought that being gay meant acting more feminine if you’re a boy or more manly if you’re a girl. “I don’t understand why they make that choice” was the most common comment.

The harassment is worse for boys, I think. Girls have had feminism going for a while with people telling them they don’t have to act “girly” or be a housewife and that a girl can play sports and be feminine at the same time. But nobody telling boys that taking dance or playing the flute means you’re not masculine. And then of course kids equate being feminine with being gay because nobody’s taught them otherwise, and boys who don’t fit the strictest description of “manliness” get picked on.

You know what would solve this problem? If in fifth grade they just told everybody “some boys like boys and some girls like girls and that’s perfectly normal and it doesn’t change who you are”. Then we wouldn’t have these bullying problems latter on.

By: Liz

Liz — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 22:07:57 +0000

Thank you for writing about this important issue. I just wrote a book that was released this week that is designed to help schools better address this problem. Please share the news about this new resource called: _Gender, bullying, & harassment: Strategies to end sexism and homophobia in schools_. I was a high school teacher for 5 years and returned to school to be able to help others understand this problem and develop tangible solutions for teachers, students, and school leaders. GLSEN is an important leader in this area, but so are the everyday heroes in schools around the country. We need to help teachers and force school districts to do the right thing to protect students from such harassment.

By: wayne kahler

wayne kahler — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 17:43:28 +0000

Do we need separate schools in some states to prevent this bullying?

By: Will I am

Will I am — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 17:19:49 +0000

Just because you get a gay school doesn’t mean the harassement stops.I was bullyied by bisexual, gays.(Not one lesbian) as well for being gay.

By: SHANE KENDALL

SHANE KENDALL — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 11:34:55 +0000

TODAY IS DAY OF SILENCE.

By: shawn

shawn — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 07:45:30 +0000

Breeder schools are EXTREMELY violent!! No TRUE Gay parent in their right mind would EVER willingly send their child to a learning institute which also allows heteros to attend. Again, this is why we NEED an all Gay schooling system! Please contact your representatives, especially if you reside in a major city center, and bug the SH*T out of them into sponsoring bills which create Gay ONLY schools!!! Peace out.