Teens: Anti-gay bias rampant

The Mercury News ^ | Dec. 12, 2002 | Katherine Corcoran

[scripter]

At a time when bullying and teasing in schools is a growing concern for educators and parents, a new study finds that students who are gay or thought to be gay are most likely to be targets -- even more than children who are overweight or have disabilities.

[js1138]

Changing words never fixes things that can't be fixed. Consider the word "special" as a substitute for retarded, or "statesman" for politician. "Gay" is about used up. Perhaps it could be replaced by "good", which is currently unused, having been replaced by "bad".

[Sangamon Kid]

When you read my posts (#11, #20 and #27), you will realize that I never seriously address any of the issues that the article touches. The Havel quote taken from your page appropriately described my behavior on the thread.

[scripter]

The Gay Gene?

Is there a Gay Gene?

The Fading Gay Gene

[First Amendment]

Regarding my dancing around not willing to condemn "violence" gainst "gay kids" being evidnce that I am (like) a liberal.... Most of this so-called "violence against gay kids" is no more and no less than the kind of mean c**p that always goes on. Yes, there is a lot of bullying and even beatings-up. I hated it when I was in school, and I think it totally s**ks. But I don't think it is worse for any one group of hated kids than another.

Plus it is true that a lot of "hate crime" kind of nonsense is actually made up by the so-called victims for pulbicity and sympathy, and in the case of homosexualists, to further their agenda.

And conerning as hate crimes and violence, how come the media ignored the poor 13 yr old - Jesse something - who was sexually torured to death by a couple of sick pervert "gay lovers"? If people think kids taunting other kids is practically a capital offense, what about the poor dead kid?

[eyes_only]

"It's nature's way of telling you somethings wrong..."

 

From the lyrics of a sixties rock band named Spirit'

[John O]

how come the media ignored the poor 13 yr old - Jesse something - who was sexually torured to death by a couple of sick pervert "gay lovers"?

Jesse Dirkhising

GSA(P)

[First Amendment]

Thanks for the poor boy's name.

Another thought - you know how the media is always telling us how "gay teens" are much more likely to be depressed, try to commit suicide, have drug and alcohol problems, etc? They say it is because the kids are not "accepted".

I have another reason (aside from the fact that their conscience is telling them from within the heart that such behavior/feelings are wrong) - the media and pro-homo activitsts are telling them that if they have ONE "GAY" thought, feeling or experience it means that THEY ARE GAY and can NEVER change! That is a terribly depressing and scarey thought for a teenager or young person. If they are instead told that they can change, and many have, they would see a way out of their dilemma.
Also, with the vast amount of homo characters and situations on TV and movies etc, naturally kids who see it will be more likely to have a homosexual thought, fantasy or feeling. - Another reason for parents to monitor carefully what their kids watch.... also the hetero explicit sex isn't good for them either!

[RansomOttawa]

San Carlos middle-schooler Mitchell Erickson still endures gay epithets that started in elementary school, when he said he liked the Spice Girls.

I've got a blue-and-red Adidas bag and a humongous binder,
I'm trying my best not to look like a minor niner.
I went out for the football team to prove that I'm a man;
I guess I shouldn't tell them that I like Duran Duran.
- Barenaked Ladies, "Grade 9"

[HumanaeVitae]

The one "out" homosexual at my high school walked around (or, pranced around) campus in a black jumpsuit and carried a purse.

Can't say he didn't ask for it, but surprisingly he never got attacked to my knowledge. Teased, yeah.

[yendu bwam]

Totally agree. These kids won't be happy -- won't be gay -- until they learn to be heterosexual. Homosexuality is a mental illness. They don't have to live that way, but until society re-learns that lesson, these kids are going to suffer. What we, as a society, are currently doing is making more victims and making those victims more unhappy. How wonderful.

I agree. Kids suffering from homosexual desires need psychological help. And today, much such help can be successful in reorienting a kid toward normal sexual desires. But of course, we accepted the perverse as normal and the normal as perverse.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

``The teachers are afraid to talk about it,'' she said. ``After working so hard for so many years, every time my son was teased or harassed, asking the school that something be done, I just got tired of it. I decided that I just needed to give my son the skills to protect himself.''

That should be the Prime Directive for parents. Maybe Johnny will stop bullying other kids when he comes home one day with two black eyes and a broken nose...

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

That's what I had in mind. I don't know that a GSA club would be quite as persuasive to Johnny as a good, solid underarm punch (he'll hardly be able to use that arm for some time).

[Psycho_Bunny]

Children pick up from the general culture that homosexuality is something weird, different or bad, many say.

Uh....from the standpoint of "general culture" homosexuality is weird.  And unless the word "different" no longer means "different", homosexuality is different.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

He said that he hated bullies and if he bullied back then he became what he hates most. He's a better Christian than I am on this subject. Myself -- I'd like to knock their blocks off!

I agree with you. My bet is that your son's more likely to have a good time if he "lowered" himself with some of those idiots.

[Kevin Curry]

. . . children learn at an early age that this is wrong.

Children know at an early age that homosexual behavior is wrong. It takes considerable effort and time to unlearn this innate knowledge. Tolerance of homosexual behavior is an abnormal response.

[Centurion2000]

Children pick up from the general culture that homosexuality is something weird, different or bad, many say.

That's because it is ...

There's hope for the next generation thank God.

[Lancey Howard]

The word ``gay'' is used widely among schoolchildren as a term for anything bad, students and adults say.

I have noticed my own kids using the word "gay" as a perjorative. They see something they don't like and it's, "That's so gay..."

Children pick up from the general culture that homosexuality is something weird, different or bad, many say.

Uh, natural instinct probably has a lot to do with it as well.

[Mr. Bird]

This response and most of the others in this thread sicken me

Get over yourself. "Epithets" are not weapons. The Spice Girl kid was no more subject to violence than I was by your post. I suppose you are buying into the idea that words are "violence", and our "children" should be immune to them.

These are teenagers going through a very wacky time of life. Some of them will hate being picked on and unpopular, and yet grow to succeed. Others will enjoy being the most popular, and end up struggling as adults. But all of the successful ones will have one thing in common: they won't let someone calling them a name turn them into a simpering fool.