Reply With QuoteThank you for the responses thus far.
* What sort of school are/were you in?
1.Public school until the second year of homeschooling, then homeschooling for the last too. In community collage now. Her schools were pretty much normal public schools until highschool which was a terrible ghetto school
* Were you in or out of the closet in primary school? (or are, if still in)
2.Sort of. Her mum had known for a while, didn't want anyone at school to know but people still did.
* What do you consider to be the primary survival mechanism of LGBT people in high school/primary school?
3.Try not to do anything to let anyone catch on seems to be the most common thing. She tried to do just that but word ended up getting out anyway.
* What is the general climate you have to endure in school? Do you consider your school 'friendly' or not to LGBT?
4.It was hostile though more subtle about it in most cases. Probably not as bad as some others but certainly not pleasant.
* Are some teachers helpful or not helpful? Do the administration help at all or are they part of the problem? How so?
6.Not at all. They didn't do anything but didn't help anything either. Turning a blind eye to these things is plenty a problem in it self though
Thank you for the responses thus far.
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"The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time."
- Bertrand Russell
What sort of school are/were you in?
I was in an international baccalaureate school, which is basically a magnet school for the smartest kids from the magnet middle schools. It's like college prep, but it's on par with European college classes, so it is quite advanced compared to the usual US high school. However, they place IB programs in schools with terrible GPA's (read as: ghetto schools) in order to improve the school's overall grade. They do this so that bad schools can get remedial funding. In my high school, there were 3 or 4 openly gay guys and 2 lesbians in our class of 100 IB kids, and none of them were ever shamed or made fun of. Now I attend the honors program of a state university.
Were you in or out of the closet in primary school? (or are, if still in)
Primary school? I wasn't interested in sex with anyone until I was a sophomore in high school, at least. I'm not in the closet as a bisexual, per se, but nobody ever asks, and it never comes up. So I suppose I just pass as a very straight guy.
What do you consider to be the primary survival mechanism of LGBT people in high school/primary school?
For bisexuals, it's pretending to be straight. For gay males, it's usually hanging out with the girls. For lesbians, I think there is less of a stigma, but I can't really say.
What is the general climate you have to endure in school? Do you consider your school 'friendly' or not to LGBT?
Yep. I don't think they would have been as friendly to transvestites/transgender, but there was no shaming or anything like that. Among the big group of 15 or so guys that I would hang out with, one of them was gay. Not flaming (the flamboyant ones tended to hang out with the socialite girls, imagine that), but nobody treated him any different. He was just one of the guys.
Are some teachers helpful or not helpful? Do the administration help at all or are they part of the problem? How so?
All of my teachers were very supportive of people finding out who they were, regardless of what that meant. I think I was very fortunate to have as good of a school as I did. Most of the teachers were libertarians with PhD's.
Any other comments.
For living in the Bible belt for a really long time, I can say that I have absolutely lucked out in terms of my exposure to bigotry and discrimination. Most everybody I know is absolutely fine with the way other people are.
When I was in middle school, I was called "gay" a lot. Not because I ever talked about orientation or anything, but mostly because I was socially a few years behind everybody else. I was just an awkward little kid. People saw that as different, and as they couldn't find anything overtly wrong with me besides the fact that they didn't like me, they sort of just assigned an affliction that they perceived as bad. Ergo they called me gay. I didn't have a whole lot of friends. Eventually I just decided that it would be ok even if I was gay, which at that point I was pretty certain that I was not.
Eventually, throughout high school, I sort of just looked at it like this: you can love whoever you want. That's what the Greeks and Romans did, and look how awesome they were. They were the most advanced societies in the ancient world, politically speaking, and their citizens were allowed to do basically anything they wanted. Justinian was considered an abnormal emperor because he slept with women only. Then he instituted Christianity. What a dick. The point is that I realized that I needn't be afraid of what others would think even if I did love someone.
Heyseuss you rock.
I've really appreciated reading other people's responses and I am heartened by the amount of positive attention given this issue.
Sorry lengthy…
This is a tough question for me. That's not because I find it hard to talk about, its just that my situation is complicated by a few things: gay + asian + male = gaysian. It was not always clear if I was experiencing homophobia or bigotry as 'asian' and 'gay' are synonymous qualifiers to some people.
To clarify, I went to high school during the Clinton years when cellphones were still bricks. Also there wasn't near the kind of social polarity we have now a days. In fact, homosexuality was mostly a non-issue at that time. For example, Prop 22, the ballot issue to ban gay marriage in California was only put forward during my Senior year of HS.
For me, the shit hit the fan when I went to University. I'll direct the questions to that time in my life instead.
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What sort of school are/were you in?
High School was: small, public, well-to-do, primarily white, middle classed, and very well educated suburbia.
I went to Uni Cali Berkeley, which for the most parts is as you'd expect it to be. Unlike my hometown, I was finally surrounded by tons and tons of Asian students and active, liberal minded (white) people. Unfortunately, Asians tend to be xenophobic homophobes and for 'liberally minded (white) people' I can best describe it so, Liberal Racism (at risk of over simplifying & more below on this).
When we get older we learn how to modulate our prejudices, but many college students are individuals whom, for the first time, have found a place to voice their opinions on things - and they do so in a manner that's unmoderated by experience. This should be encouraged, but it also means that people's prejudices are very obvert in college. I don't think I am above this either, I'm just stating an observation.
Were you in or out of the closet in primary school? (or are, if still in)
In college, with friends I was out as bisexual. I let other people, associates, think I was straight because I didn't want to discuss it with them. My way of coming out was just to show up with a guy in my arm and pretend like nothing was the matter. I informed my conservative extended relatives the same way by introducing them to my fiancé.
What do you consider to be the primary survival mechanism of LGBT people in high school/primary school?
During those years, my method was to ignore that I was gay or to avoid people and their judgements entirely. But this has more to do with the asian-american issue than orientation. The two are intertwined though.
In college it was about coming out very loud and proud and emphasizing your distinguishing characteristics. The problem is that I am not a flamboyant person. I mean I can gay up your shopping experience, but being loud and proud was counterproductive to helping me understand who I was as a person. I tried joining the gay posies but it was like matching apples and oranges! Course the problem was that there were no Bears in college. To illustrate: I am currently working on a masters for range management and my last two jobs were me working on a dairy and helping to running a vegetable farm...
What is the general climate you have to endure in school? Do you consider your school 'friendly' or not to LGBT?
When I hear 'friendly' I immediately see Liberal Racism. But yes, I certainly consider UC Berkeley to be 'friendly' and I also consider my highschool to be tolerant to 'friendly'. I'm going to avoid going into how Im totally misusing Lib. Racism, but for intents lets just say its synonymous with exoticsizing (to make exotic). This immediately distinguishes one group from another no matter how positive one might feel about it. It also supposes that issues are understood from the vantage of white or straight people. As an example I always felt like this: "Hey Garritmun its okay to be effeminate, we accept you." And I am like… but I'm not effeminate - and please don't set me up with that boy drinking a Redbull cocktail.
Are some teachers helpful or not helpful? Do the administration help at all or are they part of the problem? How so?
In high school it was a non issue, but we did have Gay Straight Alliance, which I was apart of. Though we didn't have much to discuss it was nice to have the forum.
In Uni, there were multiple organizations… I think its important to find a group of peers who have like interests and are going through the same things as you. Fortunately we now have the internet. So for someone as oddballed as me… I can finally find other people who are similar me. Gay farmers? they exist.
Any other comments
Last edited by Garrit; 01-26-2012 at 03:41 PM.
Firstly, I would like to specify that I am bisexual, and came out last May - at least, I think it was May. I also live in the UK, not the US. I am also an Englishman living in Scotland, so racism may have an adverse effect on the way I am treated for being bisexual by certain people. Another piece of information that I at least think has a factor in the reactions of the people around me is that I am 15.
What sort of school are/were you in?
I am in high school - very middle class, and primarily white although there are people of other ethnic backgrounds at the school. People think of me as posh, due to my English accent, and because I attended a private school for three years.
Were you in or out of the closet in primary school? (or are, if still in)
Came out last May, when I was slightly younger than my current age of 15 years.
What do you consider to be the primary survival mechanism of LGBT people in high school/primary school?
I'm generally very open about my sexuality - I do not bring it up intentionally in conversation, or declare it publicly, or anything of the sort, but if it does come up I am honest about it, or if I am asked.
I think it genuinely depends on the person. Some people cope better by keeping it to themselves and maybe a few close friends. Some, like me and a couple of people I know, simply exist as who they are without hiding anything, and don't worry themselves about it overly. There are a few who are beyond that - whose way of dealing with it is shoving it down people's throats (speaking metaphorically of course). They take every opportunity to mention it or make it obvious, or encourage people to abuse them for it on anonymous sites like "spillit" and "Formspring" so they can blow it off and make themselves feel strong for defying the social stigma against them.
Generally, however, I think people in my school are similar to myself. There are quite a few LGBT people in my school and particularly in my year, so I think people generally feel it is safe to come out, and that they aren't weird or a freak for it.
What is the general climate you have to endure in school? Do you consider your school 'friendly' or not to LGBT?
I think that my school, compared to most, is very supportive. I receive very little abuse for it - I can think of only one person who is weird about it, or who makes a big deal about it. I know some of my friends are a bit uncomfortable with it but they don't treat me much differently than before. We banter over it, but it's a joke and they know I don't mind!
Are some teachers helpful or not helpful? Do the administration help at all or are they part of the problem? How so?
The teachers don't know; it's never really been necessary to tell them and it hasn't exactly come up in conversation. There are a couple of teachers I like that I feel I could genuinely talk to if it was bothering me though, and they would do what they could to help, and I don't think many teachers would be anything less than supportive at my school.
Any other comments.
Just going out to anyone who is or think they might be LGBT but is afraid they are weird or a freak, who may be reading this: don't worry about it, you're perfectly normal. That's the kind of thing you're told all the time about this kind of stuff to make others feel better, and sometimes it seems like complete rubbish, but it can genuinely be said that there's nothing wrong with it.
If you want me to edit out the above "Any other comments." section, if you consider it to be stating opinion etc., I will take it out, just PM me.
You love me?
* I'm a Junior at a public High school in a hillbilly hellhole.
* I came out at the beginning of last year. I don't particularly care who knows.
* Well, you deal with it the same way as you'd deal with any type of bullying. You either ignore it or go to somebody for help.
* My school is indifferent to gay kids. They have the basic anti-bullying policies, but we don't have any LGBT friendly organizations or clubs at or around our area. The students are indifferent, though guys do enjoy calling everyone and everything gay as an insult. Just average teenaged asshole behavior in my opinion.
* My Sociology/Psychology/Government (Yeah, I have him 3 times a day) is really open and friendly towards gay kids. I suppose you'd have to be fairly open minded to teach Sociology, but meh. The counselors have information about gay-friendly organizations in the nearest cities. I don't know much about how the principals treat the LGBT community since I've never had the opportunity to ask them about it.
How cheap a bulletin board! For PET, except for strength, has source of vigorous force to show trick The gist of force, it is the gist of force for trick. When hasn't it, order them have a rest in centre PET!
These are very interesting to read, does anyone mind if I add a question though?
What age where you sure of your sexuality?
Because I have heard some people say they knew since they where a young and some people who did not know in till they where older.
Guide l Contests l Suggestions/Problems l Ask a ComradeOriginally Posted by Sophistikit
[color=#4f4a4a]
Answers in this color here :3
---------- Post added at 03:03 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:59 PM ----------
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I was sure I was a lesbian by the time I was 15-ish.
How cheap a bulletin board! For PET, except for strength, has source of vigorous force to show trick The gist of force, it is the gist of force for trick. When hasn't it, order them have a rest in centre PET!
- What sort of school are/were you in?
I was in a basic Community College in the north East of England
Were you in or out of the closet in primary school? (or are, if still in)
I was in during Primary, Came out midway through Secondary school
What do you consider to be the primary survival mechanism of LGBT people in high school/primary school?
Personally, I merely just ignored the students that Make jokes and digs at my Sexual prefference.
I saw others like me Either just avoiding contact with those mentioned above, some used the Teachers and other staff members as shields.
What is the general climate you have to endure in school? Do you consider your school 'friendly' or not to LGBT?
The majority of other students were supportive of LGBT members in the school... Just the reprobates that had opposite views and tended to give us a very hard time
Are some teachers helpful or not helpful? Do the administration help at all or are they part of the problem? How so?
The majority of the teachers were helpful, as some of the teachers themselves were of certain sexual disposition's, my Drama teacher, for example was a Lesbian.
Any other comments.
Not particularly.... I've said enough.
I was 13/14 when I realised I was Bisexual.
"This is my escape. I'm running through this world and I'm not looking back.
'Cause I know I can go. Where no-one's ever gone and I'm not looking back.
But how will I know when I get there? And how will I know when to leave?
We've all gotta start from somewhere. It's like that for me!
The possibilities are, never-ending!
I see it! I see it! And now it's all within my reach! (Endless Possibilities!)
I see it! I see it now! It's always been inside of me! (And now I feel so free!)
Endless Possibilities."
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