1. We’re All In This Together!
“That’s So Gay”
Introduction
Explain we’re all in this together to stop homophobic language, behaviour and bullying touching on Different families
We’re All In This Together!
Version 2.0

2. Introduction
Explain we’re all in this together to stop homophobic language, behaviour and bullying touching on Different families
Version 2.0

3. Aims & Objectives Identify what homophobic language is.
To understand how to challenge homophobic language.
To understand the impact of homophobic bullying and who is affected.
How can you respond?

4. What is Homophobic Language?
Ask the audience what they think Homophobic Language is? Do they acknowledge that students using the term “that’s so gay” can be offensive to some people?

5. ‘poof’, ‘lezzer’, ‘gay boy’, ‘batty boy’, ‘you’re so gay’
Homophobic language tends to be used without thinking & is often ignored by staff because either they feel it is difficult to know how to respond or they believe the language is used without any homophobic intent.
Would staff ignore racist comments? These should be treated in the same way, a policy should give clear instruction on how to deal with homophobic language.

6. Justin Bieber was on the receiving end of the kind of hate-filled bullying that has made headlines recently --- during a laser tag match Friday night, he defended himself from an aggressive kid who referred to Bieber as a "faggot" ... sources close to the investigation tell TMZ

7. Why is it a problem?

8. 98% of gay pupils hear ‘that’s so gay’ or you’re so gay’ at schooln
97% of gay pupils hear derogatory phrases such as ‘dyke’ or ‘poof’ used in school
95% of secondary school teachers report hearing the phrase ‘you’re so gay’ or ‘that’s so gay’ in their schools
8 in 10 secondary school teachers report hearing other insulting remarks like ‘poof’, ‘dyke’, ‘queer’ and ‘faggot’
98% of gay pupils hear ‘that’s so gay’ or you’re so gay’ at school
Statistics are from Stonewall. If 98% of students are hearing Homophobic Language used in school and no action is taken by staff we are risking 98% of students growing up to believe that this language is acceptable. We must also remember that this could lead to students committing Hate Crime offenses which can lead to arrest.

9. Any culture that permits casual use of homophobic language makes it all the easier for young people to suffer homophobic name- calling and bullying.

10. Who is subjected to Homophobic language?
Ask the audience who they think is subjected to homophobic language.

11. Teachers and those working with young people say that the pupils most affected by homophobic language are, in descending order:
Young people who are thought to be lesbian, gay or bisexual
Boys for behaving/acting ‘like girls’
Young people who are openly lesbian, gay or bisexual
Boys who don’t play sports, Boys who are academic
Girls for behaving/acting ‘like boys’/Play sports
Girls whose parents/carers are gay
Young people who have gay friends or family
Transgender students
Read the whole slide, can the staff associate any students to the above traits? KEEP STUDENTS NAMES TO THEMSELVES

12. Gay or Straight?? David Walliams, gay experiences as a young adult
Jody Foster, gay but not totally ‘out’
Robbie Williams, straight but is quite ‘fem’
Ellen DeGeneras, lesbian publicly out
Elton John, Gay, married, adopted a baby
John Travolter, straight but stories coming out saying he is gay
David Beckham, straight but wears skirts
Tom Cruise, rumours, scientology ‘cures’ people of being gay

13. It is not exclusively gay young people who experience homophobic name- calling or harassment. Homophobic bullying can affect any young person at any time during their education, including primary and secondary schools, as well as further Education and sixth form colleges.
Homophobic language is used amongst students in middle school not just upper schools.

14. When homophobic behaviour and language go unchallenged, a culture of homophobia is created and can impact on young people’s sense of belonging, self-esteem and attainment.

15. Intervening when young people use homophobic language, including the use of the word gay to mean inferior, creates a school culture where homophobia and homophobic bullying are not tolerated.
Pupils will openly acknowledge that the use the term gay, they will say that they mean happy, we must encourage them to use the word happy instead

16. Responding to homophobic language
Gay young people are three times more likely to feel like their school is accepting and supportive if it responds to homophobic incidents, including homophobic language
50% of teachers fail to respond to homophobic language when they hear it.
Only 7% of teachers are reported to respond every time they hear homophobic language

17. In the same way that they challenge racist language, school staff should feel confident to respond to homophobic language whenever it happens.

18. How can I respond?
Where a young persons actions constitute bullying, professionals should follow their departments anti-bullying policies and sanctions.

19. The following are examples of other professionals experiences.
“I talked openly and honestly with the children about what “being gay” actually meant, and discussed why it was not nice or relevant to use the word gay as an insult”.

20. “A pupil called another pupil “gay” as a general insult
“A pupil called another pupil “gay” as a general insult. This was immediately pointed out as being inappropriate behaviour, and when asked if they knew what “gay” meant, the pupil just said “stupid”. Another pupil pointed out that it meant two people of the same sex being in love, and that a family member of hers was gay and that she was happy about this, and that was the end of the discussion.”

21. Prevention
Professionals should be given the confidence and support to challenge homophobic language when it occurs. However, there are a number of things you can do to cultivate a culture that discourages the use of homophobic language.
Teachers play a big part in the “cure” of homophobic language in school and society by educating students that this language is unacceptable.

22. Include lesbian, gay and bisexual people in sessions.
Outside speakers, Gay characters in books or plays
Involve young people.
Student council or Student groups for anonymous reporting
Specific teaching on issues regarding homophobia.
Discuss Homophobic language and bullying as you would Racism & other forms of discrimination
Some things teachers can do. February is gay history month

23. Assemblies.
Use these to address Homophobic language and behaviour. Also key opportunities in school calendar such as LGBT History month in February to include gay people in a positive way.
Posters and displays.
Display positive Lesbian and Gay and Bisexual messages, such as Stonewall’s ‘Some people are gay. Get over it!’ poster campaign.
Stonewall will give some resources away for free.

24. Help and Advice Dorset Police Stonewall 999 in Emergencies
Safe Schools & Communities Team
Equalities Team, call 101 or use the online reporting form at
Stonewall
Continued...
Dorset police for advise support etc
Stonewall offer resources for key stage 2 and up

25. Space Youth Project Spaceyouthproject.co.uk
Bournemouth, Christchurch, Ferndown, Poole, Weymouth, Dorchester, Sherborne & Shaftesbury
Over The Rainbow
Continued...
Space have youth groups in the above areas
OTR are a support/ sexual health organisation with the NHS

26. Metropolitan Community Church www.mccbournemouth.co.uk 01202 430888
Body Positive
Metropolitan Community Church
Body positive is an HIV/AIDS support charity
MCC is a church which accepts any sex, race, orientation etc

27. Any Questions?