Bully Free Alberta

HOMOPHOBIC BULLYING

What is homophobic bullying?
Who experiences homophobic bullying?
What are the most common types of homophobic bullying?
How does homophobic bullying impact youth?
How common is homophobic bullying?
Who are the bullies and why do they do it?
Homophobic bullying and the law
What can you do to stop homophobic bullying?
Tips for Parents
Tips for Teens
References

What is Homophobic Bullying?

Homophobic bullying is defined as bullying behaviours that are motivated by prejudice against a person’s actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity .

No one deserves to be bullied. When students do not feel safe they may find it harder to learn. In Alberta, all schools have the responsibility to protect students from bullying and abuse. Responsibility also rests with families and communities. Bullying should never be accepted as normal behaviour.

Over the past decade, we have witnessed a concerted international effort to address issues related to bullying and school violence. However, until recently these efforts have failed to address homophobic bullying. Research demonstrates that bullying prevention initiatives, which address homophobic bullying can improve a young person’s sense of safety, help foster positive peer and school relationships, increase academic achievement, and enhance self-esteem .

Current research indicates that between 3-10% of individuals are non-heterosexual .
For example, a 2004 Canadian-based survey found that while 3.5% youth self-identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or trans-identified, 7.5% of the heterosexual youth surveyed acknowledged same-sex sexual behaviour .
A 2006 survey of students in grades 7-12, conducted by the Toronto District School Board, found that 8% of students identified themselves as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans-identified, Two-spirited, Queer or Questioning (LGBTQ) .

Current scientific knowledge suggests that sexual orientation is usually established in early childhood and that heterosexuality and homosexuality are normal expressions of human sexuality . Efforts to attempt to change a person’s sexual orientation have been denounced as unethical and extremely harmful practices by every major professional health organization in North America . In addition to these statements, there is no recognized scientific evidence indicating that parenting, sexual abuse, or adverse life events influence an individual’s sexual orientation.

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Who experiences homophobic bullying?

Homophobic bullying can affect anyone, may occur at any age and may be targeted at individuals:

• who self-identify as non-heterosexual.
• who are perceived to be non-heterosexual.
• who don’t conform to conventional gender norms or stereotypes.
• who have same-gender parented families or caregivers.
• who are parents, coaches, teachers and community members who are non-heterosexual.

Homophobic bullying may be an isolated incident or a repeated pattern of behaviour. It can range from seemingly simple comments to physical violence. Homophobic bullying often happens in secret. Many youth are embarrassed to be singled out from the “norm”, or are afraid to report it and risk being “outed” or re-victimized by an adult.

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What are the most common types of homophobic bullying?

The four most common types of homophobic bullying are:

Verbal bullying – may involve malicious name-calling; spreading rumors or gossiping that someone is gay; making threats; unwanted sexual comments or jokes; suggesting that someone or some thing is stupid and therefore “gay”.

Social bullying – may include many forms of exclusion, isolation, public humiliation or intimidation.

Physical bullying – may include obscene gestures, hitting, punching, poking, kicking, choking, chasing, stalking, or threatening someone with physical harm; destroying or stealing belongings; unwanted sexual touching, teasing, or harassment.

Cyberbullying – using the Internet, instant messaging and cell phones to intimidate, put down, spread rumors, make fun of, threaten, or exclude someone because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.

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How does homophobic bullying impact youth?

Contemporary research indicates that sexual minority youth report more emotional and behavioural difficulties; higher symptoms of depression and externalizing behaviours; more hostile peer environments and experiences of victimization; greater rates of bullying and sexual harassment; and less social support in both their family and peer group contexts when compared with their heterosexual peers. Sadly, suicide is the number one cause of death for sexual minority youth in North America. Importantly, it is not sexual minority youth who are inherently at-risk, rather it is the pervasive societal culture of homophobia and heterosexism that threatens their health, safety, and well-being.

In 2007, the McCreary Centre Society of British Columbia revealed some startling facts in regards to the well-being of LGBTQ teens. When compared to their heterosexual peers, LGBTQ teens experienced greater levels of violence and more negative health outcomes and were more likely:

• To have experienced physical and sexual abuse, harassment in school, and discrimination in the community.
• To have run away from home once or more in the past year.
• To be sexually experienced, and more likely to have either been pregnant or have gotten someone pregnant.
• To be current smokers, to have tried alcohol, or to have used drugs.
• To have reported emotional stress, suicidal thoughts, and suicidal attempts.

The study also showed:

• LGBTQ youth were less likely to participate in sports and physical activity, and reported higher levels of computer time.
• LGBTQ youth felt less cared about by parents and less connected to their families than heterosexual teens, and for lesbian and bisexual females, less connected to school.
• When bisexual youth reported high family and school connectedness, their probability of suicide attempts was much lower than for bisexual teens with lower connectedness, even when they had strong risk factors for suicide such as a history of sexual abuse and current symptoms of emotional duress.

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How common is homophobic bullying?

In 2008, Statistics Canada issued survey results that agreed with the findings from the McCreary LGBTQ youth study. In general, LGBTQ youth and adults experience higher rates of violent victimization including sexual assault, robbery, and physical assault and rates of discrimination three times higher than that of heterosexuals.

One research study from the United Kingdom suggests that LGBTQ youth “make up between three and five percent of the school population–two-thirds of whom are bullied regularly” (p. 15).

A number of other surveys of LGBTQ youth in the UK, USA and Australia indicate, between 30-50% of lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth have directly experienced homophobic bullying at school. Furthermore, one of the largest safe schools studies conducted to date, involving 237,544 students in grades 7-9, revealed that 7.5% of students reported being harassed because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation.

Of those students who were harassed, they reported lower grades (24%), higher absentee rates (27%), greater depression (55%), and were more likely to make plans to commit suicide (35%) when compared to their heterosexual peers.

A 2007 review of suicidal behaviour in children and adolescents published in the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry indicates that bullying has been shown to increase the risk for suicidal ideation and difficulties at school may act as a precipitant.

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Who are the bullies and why do they do it?

Homophobic bullies can be anyone and are often people who:

• think that being LGBTQ is wrong or immoral and don’t see their behaviour as bullying.
• hold traditional gender stereotypes and think that “girls should act like girls” and “boys should act like boys”.
• perceive LGBTQ people and their children as not worthy of the same rights and privileges as other members of society.

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Homophobic bullying and the law

In 1998 the Supreme Court of Canada stated that someone cannot be discriminated against on the basis of their sexual orientation.

In 2004 the Government of Canada included sexual orientation in hate propaganda provisions within the Criminal Code.

A recent human rights decision indicates that all schools have a positive duty to address a school-wide culture of homophobia.

Many Alberta law enforcement agencies consider homophobic bullying to be a hate incident subject to criminal investigation. Notably, a 2007 report issued by the Alberta Hate and Bias Incidents Committee found that LGBTQ persons are amongst the most targeted groups for hate crimes in Alberta.

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What can you do to stop homophobic bullying?

Start early –     Intervene in homophobic harassment and name-calling when you hear it. Prejudice and hate are learned behaviours. Teach respect and an appreciation for differences at an early age before the seeds of intolerance take root.

Speak out –     Confront homophobic bullying, when it is safe to do so, every time you see or hear it. Recognize that your silence indicates your support for the bully’s behaviour. Communicate that homophobic bullying is wrong and not acceptable.
Educate –        Educate yourself and others regarding the negative consequences that homophobic bullying has on all children and youth.

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References

• Department for Children, Schools and Families. (2007). Homophobic bullying. Safe to learn: Embedding anti-bullying work in schools. Nottingham, UK: Government of the United Kingdom.
• Rivers, I., & Cowie, H. (2006). Bullying and homophobia in UK schools: A perspective on factors affecting resilience and recovery. Journal of Gay & Lesbian Issues in Education, 3(4), 11-43.
• Frankowski, B. L. (2004). Sexual orientation and adolescents. Pediatrics, 113(6), 1827-1832.
• Wells, K. (2008, Winter). Generation queer: Sexual minority youth and Canadian schools. Education Canada, 48(1), 18-23.
• Yau, M., & O’Reilly, J. (2007). 2006 Student census: System overview. Toronto, ON: Toronto District School Board.
• Just the Facts Coalition. (2008). Just the facts about sexual orientation and youth: A primer for principals, educators, and school personnel. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
• Beauchamp, D. L. (2008). Statistics Canada, Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics: Sexual orientation and victimization. Ottawa, ON: Ministry of Industry, Government of Canada.
• Rivers & Cowie, 2006.
• Warwick, I., Chase, E., & Aggleton, P. (2004). Homophobia, sexual orientation and schools: A review and implications for action. Nottingham, UK: Department for Education and Skills.
• California Safe Schools Coalition and 4-H Center for Youth Development, University of California, Davis. (2004). Consequences of harassment based on actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender non-conformity and steps for making schools safer. San Francisco, CA: California Safe Schools Coalition.
• Steele, M. M., & Doey, T. (2007). Suicidal behaviour in children and adolescents. Part 1: Etiology and risk factors. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 52(6 Suppl 1), 21s-33s.
  School District No. 44 (North Vancouver) v. Jubran, 2005 BCCA 201 (BSCS 6 2005)
• Stewart, C. (2007). Combating hate and bias crime and incidents in Alberta: Current responses and recommendation for the future. Calgary, AB: Alberta Hate Bias Crime and Incidents Committee.

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