Bullying is defined by stopbullying.gov as “...unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance.” For many LGBT youth bullying is an everyday reality. GLSEN’s National School Climate Survey from 2015 found that 85.2 percent reported being verbally harassed compared to 74.1 percent in 2013 and 48.6 percent reported that they have experienced cyberbullying. This is down but only slightly from 49.0 percent in 2013. These numbers are high and alarming.
LGBT folks being being bullied and harassed is not a new thing, it has gone on for as long as we have existed. In 2010 a high school student named Brittany McMillan was fed up with all the bullying. Brittany posted on Facebook, the post was seen by GLAAD, together they teamed up and started what is now called Spirit Day.
Spirit Day in 2017 is a global event that millions take part in. Everyone is encouraged to take part not only members of the community. On Oct. 19th, everyone is encouraged to wear purple, take the pledge on GLAAD’s website and purple out their social media to show LGBT youth that they matter and are not alone. The fight to stop the bullying doesn’t start and end on Spirit Day. The day should be used to fuel the fire for the fight to end the bullying of LGBT youth of LGBT people regardless of their age.
When it comes to standing up for people. Studies have shown that people are more likely to listen to someone who is like them rather than someone who is not. For example if someone who is straight calls out someone for making a homophobic comment the person who made the comment is more likely to listen than if a member of the LGBT community were to stay something.
We as the LGBT community know how harmful homophobic comments can be. You never know someone's story or their experiences, while you might see one negative comment there may be 20 others that you don’t. This is a call to our straight allies and accomplices, bullying is a 365 day a year issue, so 365 days a year people need to stand up and call out bullying.
Standing up against bullying is easy you can start sharing news stories about LGBT issues and events, if someone makes a homophobic comment- delete it if you can, if you can't call them out tell them how hurtful what they are saying is. Do whatever you can think of but don’t remain silent. Too many lives have been lost, it is time to take a stand against bullying.
delfin is the Director of the LGBT Center, faculty advisor to the Latino Student Union, and adjunct lecturer for the Social Work Program and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies.
