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SEVEN IN 10 young LGBT+ people believe schools in Ireland are not safe places, according to a new survey.
The survey, carried out as part of the annual GCN Youth Issue, consulted 565 people between the ages of 13 and 24.
70% of respondents to the Budding Burning Issues survey disagreed with the statement: ‘Schools in Ireland today are safe places and are fully inclusive of LGBT+ students.’
Some 39% of people surveyed highlighted a serious lack of inclusive sex education, and 25% said bullying and homophobia continue to be a problem in schools.
Speaking about the results of the survey, Moninne Griffith, Executive Director of BeLonG To Youth Services said: “As thousands of young people return to school this week, it is both upsetting and disturbing to know that our LGBT+ youth feel unsafe in their school environment.
Growing up LGBT+ can have harrowing effects on the mental health of our young people when they are not accepted. LGTB+ youth are three times more likely to attempt suicide, and two times more likely to self-harm than their counterparts.
Griffith noted that about 36% of schools engage with BeLonG To’s Stand Up week against homophobic and transphobic bullying, but said more work needs to be done. She added that the upcoming LGBTI+ National Youth Strategy will give an opportunity to address these issues.
‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’
Speaking about their personal experience, one of the survey’s respondents said: “It’s more of a ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ situation in my school.”
Another person noted: “There’s definitely a constant fear for a lot of young people that others perceive to be LGBT+ … [that they] will be attacked, intimidated or called various slurs like ‘fag’ or ‘lesbo’.”
A third person stated: “In all my school years there was no same-sex sex talk, no information on coping with realising you’re LGBT+, no representation in school literature whatsoever.”
Brian Finnegan, editor of GCN, said the passing of the marriage equality referendum in 2015 “gave the impression of an Ireland that had become in the majority accepting of its lesbian and gay citizens”.
However, he said this hasn’t been the case for many people.
“While we knew that LGBT+ people continue to face stigma and prejudice, we weren’t quite prepared for the overwhelming response that acceptance is the number one burning issue for under 24s,” Finnegan said.
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I think young people should be given time to develop their sense of who they are; this compartmentalising of them as LGBTQ etc from the age of 13 onwards is disturbing
@stephen kavanagh: nobody is compartmentalising teenagers,
Teenagers discover who they are by themselves, but while this is occuring they should not be bullied or feel unsafe for being who they are,
@stephen kavanagh: that is the time they develop, during their early teens through to early adulthood, as I did and no doubt you did. All teenagers should feel safe during these years allowing them to develop in an atmosphere where they don’t have to hide.
Kids will be kids. Slagging and name calling and identifying is all part of growing up.
@Jamie McCormack: Kids will be kids? Are you for real? Who needs a parent like you with an attitude like yours. Bullying, harassment and intimidation is not nor has it ever been an acceptable part of growing up.
@Jamie McCormack: true. But I hate the way the word gay is used as a slur amongst school kids. Whose bright idea was that? Was it their parents?
@stephen kavanagh: I get your point Steven (with a ph), perhaps it’s been slightly misinterpreted. Some responses seem to sound as if it’s only LGBT persons who get bullied. As kids you get bullied for everything and I think perhaps nowadays more people are more understanding and will stick up for their fellow students, probably more so than the fat kid (I was that fat kid). It’s all not gonna change over night, but it’s a darn sight better than years ago.
@Ian Walsh: it’s not acceptable but it’s the reality. I would say few if any people haven’t gone through a slight stage of name calling or being made fun of, whether it’s the for a few days or more prolonged, hell you get the pesh ripped out of you for a week at least for calling the teacher mammy!
@Jamie McCormack: that’s whitewashing homophobic bigotry and bullying and a trivialization of the reality for many teenagers at a time of increasing rates of suicide among teenagers which is also higher among LGBTQ teenagers precisely because of the very bullying they experience.
@Brown Boots: I left Secondary in 2012.
During the time there, I had razor blades put into my locker so they would fall onto my hands when I opened. I was forced out of the changing room for PE when the girls found out I was bisexual, they said I would molest them and even told the teacher that. I was locked in the bathroom and had a bunch of girls scream at me , calling me a fag. They bashed my head against the wall so hard I blacked out.
But I mean…. that was just being made fun of!
@Brown Boots: I don’t know where you went to school but I could count on one hand the amount of times I had a bullying incident in all my primary and secondary years at school. Getting a slaggin off your mates is not the same as being bullied.
@Shannon Mcg: I did mention there are scales to it and that none of it is appropriate. I’m not condoning it, more saying it’s a reality, but one that will hopefully improve. I have no clue of how the education system controls or combats bullying, but I don’t hear many suggestions as how to do so either. Was your school the one on the Waltons? Sounds way better than mine, I mean toilets, walls, PE and things, sounds pretty swish to me! (making light of it cause if you can’t laugh about things you can’t change in the past, then you’re not going to change much today, that’s not saying it wasn’t serious at the time, but you’re alive now and seem mildly lucid).
@Ian Walsh: it is a form of bullying.
@Brown Boots: it doesn’t control bullying at all, tbh. It usually suspends both the victim and the bully for the rest of the day and leaves it at that.
Also, yeah I am mildly lucid after finishing 2 years of cognitive behavioral therapy, being diagnosed with Clinical Depression and General Anxiety Disorder and being put on antidepressents for 2 years due to severe bullying for over 6 years. Yeah. I’m alive because when I tried to kill myself twice in one weel, the doctors realised something was wrong so I had to leave school and finish my leaving cert independently.
But sure, I’ll laugh about it.
@Ian Walsh: I’m not a parent, although I agree adults should know better. We’re talking about kids in school and I know it’s not acceptable and I actually can’t refute your argument.
@Suzie Sunshine: yes Suzie that is true, bullying doesn’t have to be physical. Kids always call each other names and laugh and stare when they shouldn’t. Because they’re kids and my point was that we should maybe leave them grow and be themselves and learn the ways of the world.
@Shannon Mcg: well, not being funny here, I’m glad you can talk about it and are and have sought ways to overcome what it all brought on. This isn’t at all anyway intended to offend but from your ordeal, which I think is well beyond bullying to assault etc, what would you suggest to solve the problem, as I mentioned it is way outside my knowledge area.
@Suzie Sunshine:
No Suzie just a form of ignorance
@Barry Somers: just to say lgbt aren’t the only ones you get it though at school. You can be white male and straight and still have a shit time by bullies. Focus should be more on a full no nonsense approach to kids who cause $h!t. I remember teachers always coming up with excuse of why some kids bullied others but they never acted on it.
@Ian Walsh: did you go private? If you went public I’m calling complete bs on that
@Shannon Mcg: I am so sorry that you had such a bad experience in Secondary School. It makes me so angry that school environment is not a safe and supportive environment for all students. I work with young people who identify as LGBT+ and hear many stories likely yours , some simalar, other less harrowing, but not acceptable all the same. I truly hope you find some peace with your experience.
@Shannon Mcg: I don’t believe a word of it
@stephen kavanagh: you’re ignoring the fact most LGBT people first realised they were LGBT from ages 10 onwards. Completely ignoring the existence of LGBT people in school education is part of the problem.
@David McDermott: proof/source?
@Shane o rourke: myself and every gay person I know.
@stephen kavanagh: I knew I was gay well before I was 13, and I’m sure I’m not the only one who knew that part of myself that young. I certainly wouldn’t call it disturbing.
@David McDermott: oh anecdotal evidence…… good luck with that
@Shane o rourke: so personal experience means nothing to you. Please detail your expertise on the matter.
@Shane o rourke: Take your head out of your a$$, you troll
@Shane o rourke: “because you like ass” & “sexualising of children”!!! Yeah your agenda is pretty clear to see. Don’t try debate subjects you know nothing of. You’re a disgrace to humankind.
@David McDermott: your talking about the sexual preference of 10 year olds and I’m a disgrace!!!good job on getting my comment deleted it was meant to be lighthearted Dave stop getting your knickers in a twist.but as the old saying goes sticks and stones may break my bones but there’ll always be something to offend a feminist and there supporters
@Shane o rourke: No we’re talking about the sexual orientation of people (young and old), orientation which you want to deny kids to be educated about because you think it doesn’t exist for 10 -12 year olds when you’ve been told the opposite by a myself and another commenter with personal knowledge that it does. Since kids in 5th & 6th class and early secondary get educated on straight relationships i dont see why they shouldn’t be educated on LGBT relationships since over 10% of them will be LGBT and the rest could benefit from the knowledge so they don’t turn out dragging their knuckles on the ground like yourself. I’m glad the journal deleted your last comment since it was an utterly disgusting comment. It will take a lot more than the verbal diarrhea of a cowardly troll twitter account set up 2 months ago to offend me. Call me all the labels you want, feminist, liberal etc, i’m proud to all of them!
I’d say every student regardless of preference is probably likely to be called names regardless!
@Brown Boots: name calling is a form of bullying. It is unacceptable. Full stop.
@Brown Boots: The prevalence of verbal and sometimes physical bullying against those who are gay, or perceived to be gay, is higher than straight students. It’s not ok to verbally abuse of bully anyone.
@Vic’s Burd: that was my point! Everyone goes through it, perhaps other cases are worse and not appropriate, but it’s a reality. But I’m sure it’s changing, I tend to steer clear of school yards, don’t want my lunch money stolen!
@Ian Walsh: very true, it’s on scales of minor to serious, but you could say that about anything. I dislike these simplistic surveys, they seem to be developed by kids doing school projects and don’t actually providing proper objectives which the research can address rather than skewed results to suit their needs.
@Frank Cooney: you get bullied now for human nature, Aw man!!! Glad I’m not in school then. Also, did you mean hair, lack there of?
@Ian Walsh: I didn’t see that in the article, which I thought they would have shown. Anyway, you’ve slightly contradicted yourself to your point above about all name calling is bullying. Which I agree with names and then violence all bullying, all bad, all should be stopped regardless of who it is and if there are a minority being picked up due to whatever this should be stopped also, just the thing is how? It’s a good point no?
@Frank Cooney: phew, colour, I was getting worried my sprogs would get bullied when their, no doubt early onset (probably by 8), receding hairline kicks in! Poor girls. (I knew what you meant, no harm intended, I thought you’d get what I did).
@Frank Cooney: Calling Mugabe a dictator is seen as racist? By who? You’re one of these people who say “pc gone mad” to everything, and list of a bunch of things you’re outraged about that don’t happen but you swear they do.
I’d rather the ethos of the catholic church influencing schools than that of the regressive left. As bad and all as the church has been in many areas giving up on tradition for whatever is flavour of the month for the regressive left will not end well. Too much of what we hear about now is politicized and increasingly they are targeting younger and younger children. Thus article is little more than lobbying for more “progressive” policies in schools. The promotion of of scores of genders and sexual orientations subsequently leading to a multitude of divisive identities for the proponents of identity politics to feed off is harmful IMO.
There are only 2 genders, the LGBT++++ lobbyists would have us believe they have won this debate.It is far from over, and they do not have science on their side.
@Mike: Religion should have no place in state funded schools.
@Mike: “I’d rather the ethos of the catholic church influencing schools than that of the regressive left.”
Why the false dichotomy? How about we don’t have any religious/political ideology spoon fed to children in their places of learning, bar maybe the basic principles of secularism, free speech, the things that make society function.
I don’t see it as an either/or situation between Catholic dogma and leftist/etc. dogma in schools – dogma is for idiots and it is antithetical to the education system.
@Ian Walsh: Fairystories belong in the fiction section, not in schools
@Mike: you obviously didn’t read the article or if you did, you’d prefer to ignore the reality it describes for many teenagers and you have the gall to characterize people campaigning against bigotry and bullying as regressive!
@Malachi: I was simply saying what I would rather. If we throw out all that the Catholic church provides in the schools we have to replace it immediately with something else. With the domination of our universities with leftists I would be afraid that the the goals of these LGBT+++ lobbyists could become core principals.
I would be very happy with a secular school system. A good start would be to take religious classes/first communion/confession/confirmation out of school hours.
@DaisyChainsaw: I agree. I don’t want to see make belief stories about 46 genders and consent classes for 4 year olds either.
@Conor Kennelly: I read the article. The tendency is to use words like transphobic to attack people who disagree with far left views on gender, add in the word bigot and we’ve seen it all before.
@Mike: with all due respect, you are an a$$hole
How can schools truly be accepting places when the ethos of over 90% of them is controlled by the Catholic church?
The catholic church is hardly an accepting organisation when it comes to gay people, they lobbied against the decriminalization of homosexuality, they lobbied against the marriage equality ref.
The positions they have held and continue to hold towards gay people is not compatible with a modern, accepting, progressive Ireland and our school system should have nothing to do with their “ethos” anymore.
The control and exclusion of our children and teenagers has to stop, its not just gay and lesbian but its also children and teenagers of other faiths and none that are made to feel second class in our state funded “catholic ethos” education system.
@Barry Somers: ah here we go. Change the record mate it’s becoming boring. Not everyone has had a bad experience with the Catholic Church. Your post previously on this thread talks about not compartmentalising teenagers yet you then go on to compartmentalise schools with the Catholic Church ???
How do you differentiate between kids in non secular schools versus secular when it comes to bullying. Ridiculous comment.
@Barry Somers: no child is made feel second class in school regardless of their faith. . Stop blaming the Catholic ethos on everything . This is what kids do . Bitw nice but it’s kids being kids .
@Suzie Sunshine: not *
@Suzie Sunshine: on this particular issue the “Catholic ethos” is particularly insulting and degrading though
@Dave O Keeffe I get what you’re saying but : kids being bullied in school is down to other kids and not because of ethos .Bullying is bullying regardless of whether the child is gay or if the child is overweight . It has the same effect .
@Barry Somers: When you return from the 1970′s we’ll talk.
@Suzie Sunshine: I agree. But I wasn’t strictly talking about in school. Look at what was said around the time of the referendum.
@Liam Doyle: if I wanted to hear from an a$$hole I’d fart
@Liam Doyle: you’re welcome sweetheart. Nighty night now x
@Liam Doyle: yes kids who bully are the problem. However, in Supporting LGBT Lives Report 2009 it stated that 34% of the homophobic and transphobic bullying experienced in school came from teachers. So if a teacher is demonstrating such behaviour, then it normalises this behaviour as been acceptable to the students. A good school ethos ( which is enforced and adhered too) should create an environment where teachers leave their own believes at the school gates, and be the role models for what is acceptable behaviour in school ( thus in society). It’s a whole school approach that works best at addressing bullying, but not just on paper, it needs to be implemented.
@Liam Doyle: “the Catholic ethos” of my school was used as an excuse to not run antibullying campaigns from organisations such as belongTo on several occasions when I was in secondary school. It’s definitely a very real and legitimate issue
What does the + symbol mean? And why was the Q dropped? I’m so confused and I’m not even am LGBTQ+….
@KingBen: + stands for IAPK, obvs.
@KingBen: there are 76+ gender identifications, get with the program.
@KingBen: you’re confused now? The full list is LGBTQQIAP2S just to make it extra confusing
@KingBen: What does any of it mean really? Why the need to have labels? Why segregate? Is that not saying that some people are to be treated differently to others? Why label sexuality? Who really gives a toss who is attracted to who and who is sleeping with who, just be with the one you love, if you’re lucky enough.
@Nick Drake: we don’t go around referring to ourselves as straight people . No need for labels. We are all people / person first and should not be defined by what our sexual preferences are .
When did life get so complicated? I always thought stereotypes were wrong but here we have a group/group’s wanting be stereotyped. Isn’t that sexist or racist or some other ist?
@Suzie Sunshine:
As Suzie would say I totally agree with you
@KingBen: I suggest you look up the definition of stereotype.
We want to be treated just like everybody else; but demand special protections?
This country is still evolving with same sex relationships compared with the rest of Europe.
Teenagers are a complex bundle of emotions, there sexuality can change week to week, it’s tough now but no where near as tough as 10 year’s back.
But sexuality is in you’re face so much they can be confused which way.
I’m a dad of 5, been through it with 3.. 2 more to go.
School is not the place to teach it, but sitting down and talking to them is the best way.
@Barry morcom: spot on
Straight kids get bullied in school, fat, small, thin, useless at sport, ginger, etc, etc. bullying goes on, it has to be monitored, challenged and stopped where possible.
Are the gay kids really any more likely to be bullied than any others that are seen as different in some way? Children naturally single out and go after things that are different than what they see as the norm. I mean, when I was in school, I don’t think I bullied the gay kids any more than, say, the gingers
@beni gabor:
We were very progressive in our school. Everyone was a target. There was no discrimination wen it came to bullying.
Imagine it when the country is full of sharialaw loving Lefty’s, that should be interesting to say the least, it’s not that far off.
All of this ranting is actually promoting homophobia and increasing divisions. Get real and stop the continuous moan, we are all bored with this media barrage of bullshit.
@michael k: thats a pretty flawed argument,
It’s like claiming that all of the push for equal equality for black people in the USA in the 1950′s actually caused people to be more racist. Of course we know it had the oppositte affect.
Even if we look at what has changed since the 1990′s here in Ireland there has been a monumental shift in our nations outlook towards gay and lesbian people in our country, its gone from utter hatred and disgust to 62% of our nation voting to grand rights to gay and lesbian couples so they could marry in our country. A proud moment for our country.
It wasn’t “ranting” as you put it that caused this shift, it was a fight for equality.
Some parts of of the country are still a little lacking and that includes our education system, while some schools are very accepting and push for acceptance and equal treatment. Others are very backward in their views and how they deal with students.
@michael k: Are you bored of it? Yet the irony of your whingeing comment must be lost on you. It’s very easy to be dismissive of something that doesn’t affect you or those that you love. Jog on
Schools are not a safe environment for a lot of children. I have three who were all bullied badly throughout school. One by a yeacher and one who had a nervous breakdown at 11 due to daily assaults.
In one if my childrens classes there is a student transitioning from girl to boy and the school started out great talking to the class explaining and even made a powerpoint for the lesson. But as soon as they asked any questions they were shut off and threatened with suspension should this pupil be made upset by anything they did.
Another daughters teacher told the whole class it was wrong to vote yes in the gay marriage rederendum because “they” would be allowed adopt children.
One of my daughters schools has an lgbtq group who get free canteen lunches everyday which the other kids see as unfair. My sons school now lock all the toilets because i complained a teacher wouldnt let him go. This is in a secondary school. The whole thing is a joke if you ask me. And while some of it is religion. Most of it is just bullying youth through “the establishment”
Cameras with sound and parental log in for all class rooms i say.
Theyd be breaking their necks out to the picket lines.
What’s involved in ‘same sex’ sex talk and how would it differ from your basic school sex talk?
@Dj: more scissoring
There are obviously the need for increased mental health guidance & counselling for this cohort of people. Heightened risk of self harm & means something’s not right & while society won’t adapt fast we can aid individuals.
The reason homophobic is tolerated & indulged in our secondary schools because of Catholic Church control. The last Pope called gays “disordred & evil”. This is the reason why we have also inadequate, poor or non existent sex education in our public schools also.
The department of education has a very modest anti homophobic policy but this is only optional due to the church control of schools .
In many schools the leading lights of the catholic group the Iona Institute tour schools spreading lies, fear & shame about sex. Like condoms don’t work & women are more likely to get cancer or more likely to commit suicide if they have am abortion. The only way to make schools a safe environment for young LGBT is to end the monopoly control of our education system by the Church .
The reason homophobic is tolerated & indulged in our secondary schools because of Catholic Church control. The last Pope called gays “disordred & evil”. This is the reason why we have also inadequate, poor or non existent sex education in our public schools also.
The department of education has a very modest anti homophobic policy but this is only optional due to the church control of schools .
In many schools the leading lights of the catholic group the Iona Institute tour schools spreading lies, fear & shame about sex. Like condoms don’t work & women are more likely to get cancer or more likely to commit suicide if they have am abortion. The only way to make schools a safe environment for young LGBT is to end the monopoly control of our education system by the Roman Church .
@Michael Ryan: good Lord. Kids will be kids, Catholic, Muslim, Protestant, Atheist. I don’t remember any demonising of gay people from teachers, priests or parents in the Catholic schools I attended and this was at a time when the church was probably at it’s most influential. Sounds like you’re using it as an excuse to advance your own anti-catholic views.
The reason homophobic is tolerated & indulged in our secondary schools because of Catholic Church control. The last Pope called gays “disordred & evil”. This is the reason why we have also inadequate, poor or non existent sex education in our public schools also.
The department of education has a very modest anti homophobic policy but this is only optional due to the church control of schools .
In many schools the leading lights of the catholic group the Iona Institute tour schools spreading lies, fear & shame about sex. Like condoms don’t work & women are more likely to get cancer or more likely to commit suicide if they have am abortion. The only way to make schools a safe environment for young LGBT is to end the monopoly control of our education system by the Catholic Church .
Classic pic there with a heterosexual couple snogging in background
“25% said bullying and homophobia continue to be a problem in schools.”
It is bizarre that those complaining of bullying use this type of bullying language, accusing those that don’t share their world view of suffering from a mental illness.
@Conor Kennelly: who’s name calling now? 2ndy school in Ireland is not a nice experience for most. You can’t address only these students and ignore everyone else that gets slagged off(everyone at some point)
Same old story put people in boxes that’s why we have problems
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