School Counselors Worry over the 'Don't Say Gay' bill

School counselors have major concerns over the 'Don't Say Gay' bill. They fear that questioning students will lose one of their only places to go for support.
USA Today reports:

"We have a lot of students who are kind of coming to terms with who they are, whether it's sexual orientation-related or not," said Leigh Bagwell, coordinator of school counseling services for Metro Nashville Public Schools. "I think you'd be hard pressed to find a counselor that hasn't dealt with that at one time or another."


Counselors wonder if the bill, for example, would ban:


• Suicide prevention posters that reference sexual orientation.


• Gay teachers from displaying or discussing photos of their partners.


• Discussions of sexuality with parents who ask about their children.


• Thoughtful exploration of episodes in which students are targeted with homosexual epithets.

Brad Palmertree, a spokesman for the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, also wonders how his organization would support students who might be bullied about their perceived sexual orientation.

"I think we would be limited in our resources," said Bagwell, whose group offers training to counselors.

This bill was never a well thought out plan. It was set from the start to be problematic. I wish these foolish people would realize how harmful this bill really is.

West Virginia's Anti-Bullying Policy proposes LGBT Protections

West Virginia schools will present an anti-bullying policy that includes sexual orientation and gender identity. This is the 1st time WV has proposed LGBT protections in the school's policies.

Here's the story:

The state Department of Education is taking public comments until 4 p.m. Tuesday about the 75-page student conduct and disciplinary policy that the Board of Education will consider Dec. 14. If approved, the changes that acknowledge the targeting of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students would go into effect July 1, 2012.

The civil rights group Fairness West Virginia lauds the enumeration of reasons why children are bullied as "a landmark achievement" that effectively provides political and legal cover to teachers, counselors and others who might hesitate to intervene for an LGBT student.

"Teachers may feel they're putting their reputation or job at stake by protecting a student," said executive director Bradley Milam. "But now, they can simply point to the policy."

I wish them luck in making this policy real for the LGBT students and community in West Virginia.

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Department of Education addresses Bullying

The U.S. Department of Education launched an initiative to address harassment and bullying of children, including LGBT children.

Please read the letter released to many educators
Dear Colleague... A Letter addressing Bullying

I hope this helps.

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Purple Power

If you can, wear something Purple in support of Spirit Day.

What is Spirit Day?

The idea behind Spirit Day, first created by teenager Brittany McMillan earlier this month, is a simple one, not dissimilar to the idea of "Spirit Week" held in many high schools, and can be summed up in three words: Everyone Rally Together.
Spirit Day honors the teenagers who had taken their own lives in recent weeks. But just as importantly, it's also a way to show the hundreds of thousands of LGBT youth who face the same pressures and bullying, that there is a vast community of people who support them.
Purple symbolizes 'spirit' on the rainbow flag, a symbol for LGBT Pride that was created by Gilbert Baker in 1978.
As one of the event's Facebook pages says: "This event is not a seminar nor is it a rally. There is NO meeting place. All you have to do is wear purple." 
Wearing purple on October 20 is a simple way to show the world that you stand by these courageous young people and a simple way to stand UP to the bullies. Remember those lives we've tragically lost, and show your solidarity with those who are still fighting. 'Go Purple' today!  

Report: LGBT Students are Harassed or Feel Uncomfortable on College Campuses

Today, the Student Affairs' bible, The Chronicle of Higher Education released some 'not so cute' news about LGBT students in colleges.

The report, "The 2010 State of Higher Education for LGBT People," was based on a survey conducted by the Q Research Institute for Higher Education, which is run by the advocacy group Campus Pride in partnership with Iowa State and Pennsylvania State Universities. The survey drew on responses from 5,150 people—primarily those who described themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender but also heterosexual "allies"—in the spring of 2009 at about 100 institutions nationwide.

About a quarter of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer students and employees said they had experienced harassment, as did more than a third of transgender and "gender nonconforming" respondents, compared with 12 percent of heterosexuals.

Seventy percent of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer students and employees felt comfortable with the overall campus climate, the report says, a rate that was higher than that among transgender and gender-nonconforming respondents but lower than that of heterosexuals. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer students who were also members of racial minority groups felt less comfortable in their classes than did their white counterparts, and faculty members were more likely than were students and staff members to have considered leaving their institutions, the report says.

Not as bad as the high school reports, but it could be better.

GLSEN report: 9 out of 10 LGBT Students Experience Harassment in School

Sorry for more sad news, but GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network) released results from their The 2009 National School Climate Survey. The findings were not good:

The 2009 survey of 7,261 middle and high school students found that at school nearly 9 out of 10 LGBT students experienced harassment at school in the past year and nearly two-thirds felt unsafe because of their sexual orientation. Nearly a third of LGBT students skipped at least one day of school in the past month because of safety concerns.

Here are some key findings:

Student Experiences, a Hostile School Climate and the Effects on Educational Outcomes and Psychological Well-Being:

84.6% of LGBT students reported being verbally harassed, 40.1% reported being physically harassed and 18.8% reported being physically assaulted at school in the past year because of their sexual orientation.

63.7% of LGBT students reported being verbally harassed, 27.2% reported being physically harassed and 12.5% reported being physically assaulted at school in the past year because of their gender expression.

72.4% heard homophobic remarks, such as "faggot" or "dyke," frequently or often at school.

Nearly two-thirds (61.1%) of students reported that they felt unsafe in school because of their sexual orientation, and more than a third (39.9%) felt unsafe because of their gender expression.

29.1% of LGBT students missed a class at least once and 30.0% missed at least one day of school in the past month because of safety concerns, compared to only 8.0% and 6.7%, respectively, of a national sample of secondary school students.

The reported grade point average of students who were more frequently harassed because of their sexual orientation or gender expression was almost half a grade lower than for students who were less often harassed (2.7 vs. 3.1).

Increased levels of victimization were related to increased levels of depression and anxiety and decreased levels of self-esteem.

Being out in school had positive and negative repercussions for LGBT students – outness was related to higher levels of victimization, but also higher levels of psychological well-being.

GLSEN has been doing their research for 10 years. Although there has been some good things, many of our LGBT youth are still suffering abuse and harassment.

I REALLY want schools to take this seriously. As leaders, guides and mentors they can really take a stand and protect our students. They should not have go through so much Hell. Our youth, needs support and they need it now!

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Focus and the Family believes Anti-Bullying Efforts in Schools, promote Homosexuality

These Focus on Foolishness freaks are horrid people.

Study says Gay Youth are highly likely to be tormented

A Harvard study reveals news we are way too familiar with:

Researchers at Harvard School of Public Health and Children’s Hospital found that gays, bisexuals and heterosexuals who have had a same-sex partner are 1 to two times as likely to experience violence, especially in childhood, and have double the risk of experiencing PTSD as a result.

“It’s really appalling,” said lead author Andrea Roberts, a postdoctoral fellow in epidemiology at Harvard.

The researchers cite several factors behind the increased rates of victimization and PTSD, including:

Hate crimes (almost one-third of sexual minority adults in the U.S. report being victims of such a crime), Gender non-conforming behavior in childhood, which increases risk of being bullied, and Social isolation and discrimination.

"Appropriate Attire Policy" at Morehouse is a MESS

Morehouse has a new dress code.

No do-rags, baggy jeans, flip-flops, big ass T-shirts that look like nightshirts. Great!

But this ban was not just about the "prison look", this ban was created to address the gay men at the college.

Dr. William Bynum, vice president for Student Services said this:

"We are talking about five students who are living a gay lifestyle that is leading them to dress a way we do not expect in Morehouse men."

Dr. Bynum said he talked the gay organization about the issue. The sad part about this is when they voted on the code, only 3 out of 27 gay men voted against it.

Interesting, so gay men have to look like Morehouse men, or whatever that means. So much for freedom of expression in college.

However, I'm curious about what was the tipping point that singled out the gay look? And how do they know about a gay look? Do they know us? Most gay men are unique and original.

Look at Derek J, stylist from The Real Housewives of Atlanta. He is truly doing it, but by Morehouse new standards, he is violating the dress code.

And what gets me, they believe that changing the dress code, they will breed success.

Really? Child cheese.

To my gay fam, get out of Morehouse, and go to an university that will let you be you. This is a bag of refried mess.

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Question of the Day

The GLBTQ Online High School is real and has already started.

Their mission is to:

provide a safe and welcoming educational community that provides a high quality, comprehensive college-preparatory online high school experience for students who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or questioning their sexual orientation or gender using the best technology and techniques of distance education.

My questions is... Will this work? Will this help or hinder the LGBT youth?

Hell has Frozen: Texas Christian University will offer Housing for LGBT students and their allies!

Funny, I just make the joke about Texas yesterday and now this.

Texas Christian University will offer on-campus apartments for gay students and allies. Who knew, right?

Here's more about this initiative :

The DiversCity Q community will open in the fall in a section of the Tom Brown-Pete Wright apartments. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender students and allies — heterosexual classmates who support them — will have the chance to live together. Eight students have committed to the community so far, said TCU sophomore Shelly Newkirk, who applied to create the program.

TCU will also open two Christian-based living groups, another for fine arts and three other themed housing arrangements.

It’s all part of the university’s living-learning communities, designed for students who want to live with others who are like-minded.

"It’s a chance for students to be part of a unique experience," said David Cooper, TCU associate director for residential life. It’s also important to universities because students who feel a connection to their school are more likely to stay.

This is a big step for Texas and the LGBT community. I'm shocked, I mean I never imagine a Christian school making this move. It's almost like they're actually doing their Christian duties to humanity.

Is this a change is religious system?