tag:theconversation.com,2011:/us/topics/homophobic-bullying-30475/articlesHomophobic bullying – The Conversation2018-07-05T20:22:00Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/990522018-07-05T20:22:00Z2018-07-05T20:22:00ZEveryday homophobia and imposed heterosexuality in football<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/226433/original/file-20180706-122280-5h68nb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C2%2C1500%2C839&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">In 2016, Norwich City Football Club was one of dozens of English football teams that took part in the Stonewall Charity's "Rainbow Laces" campaign to combat discrimination against LGBT fans and players. </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.canaries.co.uk/News/2016/november/city-and-aviva-join-rainbow-laces-campaign/">Canaries.co.uk</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>How many top athletes worldwide are openly gay? And how were their coming outs received? In 2018, the issue of homosexuality in sport is still taboo and creates discomfort among both players and fans.</p>
<p>Recent surveys indicate that in a number of countries, the public is more accepting of gay athletes. A <a href="https://www.lequipe.fr/Football/Actualites/Sondage-sur-l-homosexualite-dans-le-football-85-des-francais-estiment-qu-il-faut-lutter-contre-l-homophobie/902142">2018 poll in France</a> found that 85% of those surveyed felt that homosexuality in football was “acceptable” and that it was important to fight homophobia. A US poll, <a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/13/gay-athletes-poll_n_4781448.html">conducted in 2014</a> after NFL draft prospect Michael Sam announced that he was homosexual, found that 65% of Americans would be supportive of a gay athlete on their team, with 46% strongly supportive.</p>
<p>But that’s not the case worldwide. The 2018 World Cup is being held in Russia, a country that is seen as particularly homophobic. Among other legislative actions, in 2013 Russia banned <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/12/world/europe/russia-passes-bill-targeting-some-discussions-of-homosexuality.html">“gay propoganda”</a>, and during the ongoing competition <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/may/30/russia-sees-spike-in-discriminatory-chants-before-world-cup">homophobic chants have been widespread</a>.</p>
<p>While football is a discipline that presents itself as neutral, universal and in a way, desexualised, it is important to examine the sport’s deep heterosexist foundations.</p>
<h2>Coming outs are rare</h2>
<p>In a 2009 autobiographical work, <a href="http://www.parlonsfoot.com/archives/2009/12/16/idee-cadeau-je-suis-le-seul-joueur-de-foot-homo/"><em>I’m the Only Gay Football Player, or I Was…</em></a>, amateur-league French footballer Yohan Lemaire wrote about the unexpected cost that his coming out to his teammates had. This year he completed a documentary, <a href="https://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/grand-est/homosexualite-ancien-footballeur-yoann-lemaire-presente-son-documentaire-1476419.html"><em>Footballer and Gay: One Doesn’t Rule Out the Other</em></a>, which was broadcast on the France 2 television channel.</p>
<p>The process Lemaire describes is similar to that found in <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/3081938?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents">North American contexts</a>, with three stages. Initially there’s the fear of speaking out, followed by efforts to control all signs that might betray one’s sexuality – even to the extent of producing the appearance of heterosexuality to avoid questions – in an environment perceived as extremely hostile. Finally, after the announcement the strongest impression is generally surprise at not being excluded. The much-feared storm fails to erupt. But heterosexist culture persists, meaning that many players eventually withdraw of their own volition, no longer able to tolerate it.</p>
<h2>Paying the price of intolerance</h2>
<p>Is this why so few players come out? And why those who do sometimes pay a high price?</p>
<p>In May 1998, during that year’s World Cup competition, Justin Fashanu, once seen as one of English football’s great hopes, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2013/sep/20/justin-fashanu-problems-gay-sport">committed suicide</a>. He came out eight years earlier, but his doing so had the opposite of the intended effect. He quickly became a scapegoat for fans and fellow professionals, and at Nottingham Forest, his own trainer echoed supporters’ insults, calling Fashanu “a fairy”. He was obliged to switch clubs several times.</p>
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<figcaption><span class="caption">In 1980, Justin Fashanu scored the ‘goal of the season’ in the match between his club at the time, Norwich City, and Liverpool.</span></figcaption>
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<p>After France won the World Cup that year, the French LGBT magazine <em>Têtu</em> highlighted the invisibility of homosexuality in professional football. As there were questions about the sexuality of France’s goalkeeper, <a href="http://backpagefootball.com/french-team-of-1998-where-are-they-now/1351/">Fabian Barthez</a>, <em>Têtu</em> wondered if there might not be “one or two real gems” among France’s team.</p>
<h2>History of modern sport</h2>
<p>During the second half of the 19th century, sport became an <a href="https://journals.openedition.org/lectures/20422">independent practice</a>, separated from other social activities. The normalisation of heterosexuality is an inherent part of that history. Engaging in sports implies the desexualisation of the human body, the neutralisation of its erotic power. Contact with other bodies is functional, and sexuality is set aside.</p>
<p>Collective manifestations of joy in football – after a goal is scored or a match won – are no exception to this. They are ritualised expressions that, from the perspective of those performing them, <a href="https://journals.openedition.org/corpsetculture/275">are in no way sensual</a>.</p>
<p>Indeed, if football provides insight into sexuality, it is only in a roundabout way, through the performance of a cold, pragmatic virility. This virility is based on two implicit assumptions: there is no sexuality in the game, and there is no place for homosexuals.</p>
<p>This is also why, early on, the magazine <em>Têtu</em> took the opposing view of traditional football culture, hypersexualising elite footballers and trying to identify gay players in their ranks. In June 1996, French football player Eric Cantona was presented as part of a “new gay generation”, and in 2011 the magazine gave a cover treatment to former player <a href="http://www.ozap.com/actu/david-ginola-pose-tetu-photos-mensuel-gay/413558">David Ginola</a>, outspoken for his support of gay players and efforts against homophobia.</p>
<h2>A footballer’s body is always heterosexual</h2>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/226243/original/file-20180705-122268-11q1mh5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/226243/original/file-20180705-122268-11q1mh5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=773&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/226243/original/file-20180705-122268-11q1mh5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=773&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/226243/original/file-20180705-122268-11q1mh5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=773&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/226243/original/file-20180705-122268-11q1mh5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=971&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/226243/original/file-20180705-122268-11q1mh5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=971&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/226243/original/file-20180705-122268-11q1mh5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=971&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Former French football player David Ginola posed for the cover of the LGBT magazine <em>Têtu</em> in 2011 to express his support for gay players.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.ozap.com/actu/david-ginola-pose-tetu-photos-mensuel-gay/413558">Têtu/Pure Medias</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Such coverage aside, the body of a footballer remains under strict heterosexual embargo. In June 2018, US soccer player <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/us-sport/mls-collin-martin-gay-soccer-minnesota-united-lgbt-us-football-twitter-a8423856.html">Collin Martin came out as gay</a>, the first to do so since England’s <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/nov/07/robbie-rogers-first-openly-gay-us-male-soccer-player-retires">Robbie Rogers in 2013</a>. In France, Olivier Royer is the only professional footballer to have <a href="http://www.sofoot.com/rouyer-on-n-est-pas-la-pour-savoir-qui-est-gay-et-qui-ne-l-est-pas-166587.html">publicly revealed his homosexuality</a>. But he did so in 2008 at the age of 52, long after the end of his career.</p>
<p>There is substantial official support for more tolerance in football, including the 2004 commitment by the top French club, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), to fight homophobia. In September 2007, PSG drew up a charter against homophobia in the sport, and nine Premier League and League 2 clubs joined the effort. In England, dozens of football teams have taken part in the Stonewall Charity’s <a href="https://www.stonewall.org.uk/our-work/campaigns/rainbow-laces">“Rainbow Laces”</a> campaign, which combats discrimination against LGBT fans and players. </p>
<p>In France there was even a gay football club, <a href="http://www.sofoot.com/le-paris-foot-gay-c-est-fini-209163.html">Paris Foot Gay</a> (PFG), created to raise public awareness of homophobia. However, in 2015 the organisation published a terse press release that announced the <a href="https://www.20minutes.fr/sport/football/1698575-20150930-homophobie-paris-foot-gay-arrete-cause-indifference">dissolution of PFG</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“In the face of remarkable indifference, reluctance on the part of institutions to actually commit, and the shame some still associate with this topic, we must face facts: we can no longer make progress in our fight against homophobia.”</p>
</blockquote>
<h2>Culture of homophobia</h2>
<p>While there has been a great deal of talk and a large number of initiatives aimed against homophobia in football, real change remains elusive. This is because homophobia is perpetuated through everyday behaviour in less official channels.</p>
<p>For example, in 2009, Louis Nicollin, president of the Montpellier Hérault Sport Club, called Auxerre player Benoît Pedretti a <a href="https://www.lemonde.fr/sport/article/2009/11/01/les-associations-de-lutte-contre-l-homophobie-demandent-des-sanctions-contre-nicollin_1261368_3242.html">“little faggot”</a> in a TV interview. Nicollin, known for his “slip-ups”, was sanctioned and eventually apologised. Another example took place in Australia in 2014, when TV commentator Brian Taylor called AFL player Harry Taylor a <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/despite-ian-thorpes-announcement-poofter-remark-from-commentator-shows-how-far-we-have-to-go-20140713-zt5sk.html">“big poofter”</a> during a broadcast. Brian Taylor’s comments were widely criticised and he too apologised.</p>
<p>Yet such corrosive insults are far from absent on the field. Slurs like “faggot” and “cocksucker” are repeated ad infinitum. In the 2018 World Cup, Argentina’s team was heavily fined after its fans <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup/argentina-world-cup-2018-fine-fifa-homophobic-chanting-violence-watch-fight-stadium-violence-a8417631.html">sang homophobic songs</a>, as was <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup/world-cup-2018-mexico-fans-homophobic-chants-investigation-germany-a8404651.html">Mexico’s team</a>. When the offending players or fans are called to order, they often claim that their insults had nothing to do with sexuality – they are simply adhering to the collective definition of what is considered negative. The sexuality of the person targeted by the insult is not truly at issue. Culturally, their heterosexuality is assumed, like that of all the other players.</p>
<p>Without seeming so, such slurs are a way of defining what a football player must be. A way of evoking not only the values shared within the world of football but also the sexual orientation that is supposed to embody them. That is why football leaves little or no room for narratives outside of the established “norm”.</p>
<hr>
<p><em>Translated from the French by Alice Heathwood for <a href="http://www.fastforword.fr/en/">Fast for Word</a> and Leighton Kille.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/99052/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sylvain Ferez ne travaille pas, ne conseille pas, ne possède pas de parts, ne reçoit pas de fonds d'une organisation qui pourrait tirer profit de cet article, et n'a déclaré aucune autre affiliation que son organisme de recherche.</span></em></p>Football presents itself as a neutral, universal and, in a way, desexualised sport. Yet despite widespread campaigns against homophobia, deeply negative attitudes about gay players persist.Sylvain Ferez, Maître de conférence, sociologie, Université de MontpellierLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/823532017-08-11T00:59:26Z2017-08-11T00:59:26ZBullying and suicide: What’s the connection?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/181718/original/file-20170810-20984-pl77tp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=49%2C337%2C3394%2C1954&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Child suicide, such as the 2013 death of 12-year-old Rebecca Sedwick, has often been blamed on bullying.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">AP Photo/Brian Blanco</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Bullying, as many people know, can be a tremendously painful experience for a young person. The point has been driven home over the last decade by stories about teens like <a href="http://www.bostonmagazine.com/2010/05/phoebe-prince/">Phoebe Prince</a> or <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-27076991">Amanda Todd</a>, who killed themselves after experiencing bullying.</p>
<p>Recently, the parents of eight-year-old Gabriel Taye <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/news/gabriel-taye-death-lawsuit-blames-schools-for-bullying-child-suicide/">filed a federal lawsuit</a> against the Cincinnati public schools, alleging that their son committed suicide because the school covered up and failed to prevent a culture of bullying.</p>
<p>All 50 states have some kind of <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/deborah-temkin/all-50-states-now-have-a_b_7153114.html">anti-bullying law</a>, and schools are increasingly being called upon to implement bullying prevention programs. </p>
<p>Bullying and suicide are both significant public health concerns for children and adolescents. As a scholar with expertise in youth violence and bullying, I’ve done considerable research to understand the link between bullying and suicide. Although there certainly is a connection between the two, research highlights the complexity of the relationship.</p>
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<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yVaUq98qWGE?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">In the Academy Award-winning ‘Moonlight,’ Chiron snaps after being bullied at school.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Bullies and their victims</h2>
<p>Many studies have examined the relationship between bullying and suicidality, or the tendency to have suicidal thoughts and behaviors. We wanted to see what these studies could tell us about the strength of this association: Is being bullied or bullying others associated with suicidality?</p>
<p>To find out, we conducted an analysis of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2014-1864">47 studies on bullying and suicide</a> among students in K-12 settings. The studies were from the United States and several other countries (including China, Australia, the U.K. and Finland).</p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/181715/original/file-20170810-20110-1sms1ep.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/181715/original/file-20170810-20110-1sms1ep.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/181715/original/file-20170810-20110-1sms1ep.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=889&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/181715/original/file-20170810-20110-1sms1ep.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=889&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/181715/original/file-20170810-20110-1sms1ep.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=889&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/181715/original/file-20170810-20110-1sms1ep.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1117&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/181715/original/file-20170810-20110-1sms1ep.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1117&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/181715/original/file-20170810-20110-1sms1ep.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1117&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">In the Netflix series ‘13 Reasons Why,’ bully Bryce Walker is reason number 12 that Hannah commits suicide.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Netflix</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Overall, we found that youth involved in bullying in any capacity – both bullies and victims of bullying – were more likely to think about and attempt suicide than youth who were not involved in bullying. In short, bullying is bad for everyone involved.</p>
<p>We also found that bullying and suicidality are most strongly related for bully-victims: youth who have experienced both sides of bullying, as victim and perpetrator. This is consistent with past research suggesting that bully-victims are at <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-006-9153-3">particularly high risk</a> for experiencing mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.</p>
<h2>Who is most at risk?</h2>
<p>In addition to questions about bullies versus victims, we examined three factors in the association between bullying and suicidality: gender, country and how bullying is measured.</p>
<p>While associations between bullying involvement and the tendency to have suicidal thoughts or behaviors were similar for boys and girls, we did find a difference when it came to the country of origin for these studies. In general, there were stronger associations between bullying and suicidality in the U.S. studies compared to their international counterparts.</p>
<p>As a whole, studies also showed a stronger connection between being a bully victim and suicidal thoughts when the study asked a single question to identify victims such as “Have you been bullied?” Studies that asked about specific behaviors (without mentioned the word bullying) showed a weaker connection. </p>
<p>This finding might reflect that suicidality is more common in youth who self-identify as being bullied, when compared to those who admit only to experiencing specific behaviors (e.g., they’ve been teased). The latter may not self-identify as someone who has been bullied and may be less at risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/181720/original/file-20170810-27667-11qips5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/181720/original/file-20170810-27667-11qips5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/181720/original/file-20170810-27667-11qips5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/181720/original/file-20170810-27667-11qips5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/181720/original/file-20170810-27667-11qips5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/181720/original/file-20170810-27667-11qips5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/181720/original/file-20170810-27667-11qips5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/181720/original/file-20170810-27667-11qips5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">For youth who identify as being bullied, the tendency to suicidality can be quite high.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/depression-teen-pain-suffering-tunnel-113875279">hikrcn/Shutterstock.com</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>What else do we need to consider?</h2>
<p>Research clearly indicates there is an association between bullying involvement – on both sides – and suicidal thoughts and behaviors. However, it also suggests that there are factors beyond bullying that are relevant to suicidal thoughts and behaviors. </p>
<p>For instance, in one study of fifth through eighth graders, researchers found that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2012.09.017">once depression and delinquency were considered</a>, there were only small differences between youth who were not involved in bullying and those who were. </p>
<p>A recent study of adolescents highlighted the role of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007%2Fs11121-014-0510-2">low self-esteem and depression</a> as factors contributing to suicidal thoughts and behaviors for sexual minority and heterosexual youth who had been bullied.</p>
<p>In short, a host of psychological and other factors may contribute to suicidality.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/181719/original/file-20170810-20110-1h55zy9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/181719/original/file-20170810-20110-1h55zy9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/181719/original/file-20170810-20110-1h55zy9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=422&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/181719/original/file-20170810-20110-1h55zy9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=422&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/181719/original/file-20170810-20110-1h55zy9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=422&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/181719/original/file-20170810-20110-1h55zy9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=530&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/181719/original/file-20170810-20110-1h55zy9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=530&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/181719/original/file-20170810-20110-1h55zy9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=530&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Emily-Anne Rigal, right, founder of WeStopHate.org, and Jeanne Demers, left, founder of Realize, Inc., champion anti-bullying at the launch of their first book, ‘FLAWD,’ Aug. 18, 2015.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Diane Bondareff/Invision for Monster High/AP Images</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>What does this mean for intervention and prevention?</h2>
<p>Our <a href="http://www.thirteenreasonswhy.com/">cultural narrative</a> about bullying presumes that youth who are bullied are at great risk for suicidal thoughts and behaviors. But research shows that bullies themselves are at risk as well.</p>
<p>The analysis provides additional evidence that youth who experience bullying as both perpetrator and victim are at particularly high risk for psychological distress.</p>
<p>In short, bullying involvement of any stripe is harmful.</p>
<p>Our research (and more that can be done in the future) should prompt the creation of more effective prevention and intervention programs to better address the mental health needs of youth involved in bullying. In particular, it’s essential that we bolster mental health supports for kids who bully – not just their victims.</p>
<p><em>This is an updated version of <a href="https://theconversation.com/understanding-the-link-between-bullying-and-suicide-39037">an article</a> originally published on May 14, 2014.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/82353/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Melissa Holt does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>From ‘13 Reasons Why’ to real-life events, there’s been increased scrutiny on the link between bullying and suicide. However, research shows that we may not be getting the full picture.Melissa Holt, Assistant Professor, Counseling Psychology, Boston UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/678022016-10-28T11:39:04Z2016-10-28T11:39:04ZFootball’s fight against homophobia might have reached a tipping point<p>Scrutiny of homophobia in football has drawn renewed attention of late. According to a recent <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/37760114">BBC Radio 5 Live</a> survey, 82% of fans in England, Wales and Scotland are comfortable with their club signing an openly gay player.</p>
<p>But more concerning, the survey also found that 8% of football fans would stop supporting their club if an openly gay player were signed. Graeme Le Saux, a straight player who was subjected to homophobic abuse on and off the pitch for years, responded with a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/oct/28/homophobia-football-homophobic-abuse-pitch-fans-gay-players?CMP=twt_gu">note of optimism</a> about the situation – and said that “If that 8% are so appalled at the thought of a gay player being on their team then we should ask them to step forward, own their views and we can just ban them. They’re not welcome in football.” </p>
<p>This data is just the latest evidence that homophobic views are still present in football. A 2013 <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/21988433">report</a> issued by the Brighton and Hove Supporters Club (BHASC) and the Gay Football Supporters’ Network (GFSN) revealed that Brighton fans and players are consistently subjected to or witness homophobic abuse while observing or playing football. More recently, <a href="http://www.stonewall.org.uk/media-centre/media-release/homophobic-views-sport">Stonewall</a> published a report, Leagues Behind, which examines sports fans’ attitudes towards LGBT people. It highlights that seven in ten football fans have heard homophobic abuse while watching sport. </p>
<p>In a particularly telling finding, Stonewall reports that young people are twice as likely to rationalise homophobic abuse as “banter”, normalising discrimination, thus fostering the sort of environment in which players are put off coming out. To illustrate the point, one in five of the 18- to 24-year-olds Stonewall talked to said they would be embarrassed if their favourite player came out. </p>
<p>If this unpleasant situation is going to change, the institutions of professional football need to get on board. As Ruth Hunt, Stonewall’s Chief Executive, <a href="http://www.stonewall.org.uk/media-centre/media-release/homophobic-views-sport">put it</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>While the majority of people see homophobic chants and abuse as a problem, and want to see sport become more welcoming of lesbian, gay, bi and trans players and fans, there is a persistent minority who believe this sort of abuse is acceptable … We need high profile sports clubs and personalities to stand up as allies and help make sport everyone’s game by showing that homophobic abuse has no place in sport.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>So where are the people to do this – and how can they be encouraged to speak out and be supported when they do? </p>
<h2>Gay footballers and straight allies</h2>
<p>As the most recent findings emerged, <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/football-association-select-committee-greg-clarke-gay-homosexual-homophobic-abuse-abuse-premier-a7365841.html">Greg Clark</a>, chairman of the Football Association (FA), warned that it would be impossible for a gay premier league player to come out because of the abuse they’d receive. Looking back over recent history, it’s not hard to see why he’d think this. </p>
<p>Back in 1990, Justin Fashanu became the first English footballer to come out, but he tragically <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/justin-fashanu-found-hanged-in-lock-up-garage-1161425.html">took his own life</a> in 1998 at the age of 37. Since then, no professional male player has come out while competing in the English game. A few amateur footballers have spoken openly about their sexual orientation while competing – <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/out-and-still-playing-at-last-a-gay-footballer-speaks-9057372.html">Liam Davis</a>, for example – but in the professional male game, players have almost exclusively come out after retiring (such as <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/jan/08/thomas-hitzlsperger-gay-announces-homosexual">Thomas Hitzlsperger</a>).</p>
<p>The upshot is that no “out” gay male footballers are currently competing in the English Premier League. Estimates of the proportion of LGB people in the British population vary from the <a href="https://theconversation.com/new-data-shows-sexual-boundaries-are-changing-but-what-do-we-really-know-66649">low</a> to <a href="https://yougov.co.uk/news/2014/07/04/average-brit-knows-31-lesbians-55-gay-men/">mid</a> single digits; considering that there are 92 professional football clubs in England and Wales with between 30 and 50 players contracted to each, the absence of gay footballers diverges drastically from the figure in the general population.</p>
<p>But it need not be this way. And despite Greg Clark’s words, there have been some encouraging signs that things could be changing. </p>
<p>While they may not be at the top of the game, some of those who have chosen to be open about their sexuality seem to have received more support than abuse. One <a href="https://dspace.lboro.ac.uk/dspace-jspui/handle/2134/21495">paper</a> looking into the online reaction to Hitzlsperger’s coming out reported “an almost universal inclusivity through the rejection of homophobia”. It found that of 6,106 online comments, just 2% of comments contained “pernicious homophobic content”. </p>
<p>In another example, England women’s captain <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/england-captain-casey-stoney-reveals-she-was-concerned-by-social-media-reaction-but-has-been-9118506.html">Casey Stoney</a> described overwhelming support for her choice to come out in 2014.</p>
<p>Perhaps even more encouragingly, inclusive attitudes are also presented by “straight allies” who campaign for the acceptance of openly gay footballers. One particularly vocal ally in professional football is Joey Barton. </p>
<p>Given his <a href="http://www.eurosport.co.uk/football/scottish-premiership/2016-2017/the-life-and-crimes-of-joey-barton-but-is-he-football-s-biggest-bad-boy_sto5860687/story.shtml">“bad boy” reputation</a>, Barton is perhaps an unlikely straight advocate for gay rights, but he’s nonetheless spoken openly about gay footballers, offering an insider perspective on the importance of accepting diversity. As he himself has <a href="http://www.joeybarton.com/society-needs-preparing-gay-footballers/">written</a></p>
<blockquote>
<p>It’s all well and good speaking about an idyllic culture, but how can we get it? The way I see it is simple, you’re not only responsible for what you say but what you don’t say. People with social impact need to speak up.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Similarly, in direct response to FA chairman Greg Clark’s comments concerning homophobia in football, ex-footballer <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3849018/Why-football-ready-gay-player-come-Sportsmail-s-Chris-Sutton-disagrees-FA-chairman-Greg-Clarke-says-players-suffer-significant-abuse.html">Chris Sutton</a> has said there’s never been a better time for a footballer to come out. </p>
<p>It seems there isn’t really a consensus on the situation either inside or outside the football establishment. But that doesn’t mean we can’t find ways to improve it – and identifying points for useful intervention should be at the centre of our efforts.</p>
<h2>Forward and back</h2>
<p>Previous research into the climate of English (male) professional football has been awash with dominating and subordinating masculinities. The picture is more complex, and we could be on the edge of a progressive and inclusive turn.</p>
<p>We ourselves are conducting research with adolescent male academy footballers in which we explore player attitudes toward homosexuality in football. The boys we spoke to expressed progressive attitudes, but it was clear that their feelings and experiences were far from stable. While they expressed inclusive attitudes, they also told stories of witnessing and becoming complicit in a range of homophobic incidents – whether implicitly accepting homophobic language or staying passive when witnessing homophobic behaviour. </p>
<p>In short, their attitudes are still malleable when subjected to peer pressure. There is a crucial lesson here. We may be on the verge of what some researchers have called “<a href="http://monash.edu/research/explore/en/publications/on-the-doorstep-of-equality-attitudes-toward-gay-athletes-among-academylevel-footballers(f17315e2-6ca2-4283-a96f-b4379e746262).html">the doorstep of equality</a>”, but we could also be just a few backward steps away from a return to a harsh orthodoxy where outright homophobia remains the norm. </p>
<p>The latest research and the conflicting responses discussed point to a critical tipping point in the promotion of positive attitudes toward homosexuality in football. As Graeme Le Saux noted, it all comes down to changing the culture of the game. People should be able to play or watch football without witnessing or experiencing abuse. </p>
<p>That means working with the next generation of players to close the gap between their private attitudes and their behaviour among their peers. And everyone invested in the game, from fans to players to clubs to the media, has a crucial role to play.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/67802/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Recent data on football’s homophobia problem met with both optimism and pessimism. What’s really going on?Emma Kavanagh, Lecturer in Sports Psychology and Coaching Sciences, Bournemouth UniversityAdi Adams, Lecturer in Sport, Bournemouth UniversityDaniel Lock, Senior Lecturer in Sport, Bournemouth UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/631742016-08-25T09:51:01Z2016-08-25T09:51:01ZCould gay-straight alliances reduce school bullying?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/134825/original/image-20160819-30393-k5v2br.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">One in five students report being bullied in school.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-160627646/stock-photo-female-student-being-bullied-by-other-group-of-students.html?src=1E5Imz5G6fBy2lI_1Hxucw-2-22">Girl Image via www.shutterstock.com</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>As students across the country zip up their backpacks and get on the bus for the first day of school, many will have more to focus on than memorizing their new schedules or making it to homeroom on time.</p>
<p>For some, the chief concern will be avoiding the bullying and harassment that follow from class to class, through the hallways or into locker rooms. </p>
<p>Although federal data indicate rates of <a href="http://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/new-data-show-decline-school-based-bullying">bullying have decreased over the past decade</a>, bullying remains a significant issue. <a href="http://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/new-data-show-decline-school-based-bullying">One in five students</a> still reports being bullied at school.</p>
<p>Even though all students are at risk, bullying does not target or affect all students equally: Some students are not only more likely to be bullied, but are also more likely to be negatively impacted by it. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer students are approximately 91 percent <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/07/lgbt-kids-bullying-research-_n_7226674.html">more likely to be bullied</a> than their heterosexual peers. </p>
<p>Tragically, being bullied is associated with <a href="http://www.stopbullying.gov/blog/2013/05/31/research-brief-childhood-bullying-linked-adult-psychiatric-disorders">higher rates</a> of anxiety disorders, depression and poor academic performance as well as <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/bullying-suicide-translation-final-a.pdf">suicide, suicidal attempts and suicidal thoughts</a>. Students who are bullied for their actual or perceived sexuality or gender expression (that is, victims of <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23678925">homophobic bullying</a>) are more likely than students who are bullied for other reasons to experience depression and suicidal thoughts.</p>
<p>In some ways, this may explain why LGBTQ students report <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3662085/">rates of attempted suicide</a> two to seven times that of their heterosexual peers.</p>
<p>So, what can be done about this?</p>
<p>One promising solution is the establishment of gay-straight alliances in schools.</p>
<h2>What are gay-straight alliances?</h2>
<p>Gay-straight alliances are student-run organizations that provide a space for LGBTQ students and their straight allies to come together. Gay-straight alliances often aim to promote a supportive school climate for students of all sexual orientations and gender expressions, to decrease bullying, and to provide students with a space to be themselves.</p>
<p>The earliest gay-straight alliances emerged in Massachusetts in the late 1980s when students and teachers at three different private schools began to hold meetings between LGBTQ and straight students. </p>
<p>Today, there are over <a href="http://www.education.com/reference/article/gay-straight-alliances/">4,000 local chapters</a> of gay-straight alliances, officially registered with the Gay Lesbian and Straight Education Network, illustrating their popularity in addressing homophobic bullying in the United States.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/134821/original/image-20160819-30370-16965xd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/134821/original/image-20160819-30370-16965xd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134821/original/image-20160819-30370-16965xd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134821/original/image-20160819-30370-16965xd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134821/original/image-20160819-30370-16965xd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134821/original/image-20160819-30370-16965xd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134821/original/image-20160819-30370-16965xd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Students meet to socialize, watch movies, discuss social issues, and plan dances and events for the school.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/lizhenry/5671252689/in/photolist-9D9DQM-517txi-gp6Pq-8eSpKF-8dAjdN-owwbQc-51bBVG-51bDd9-fbgfqt-eMUc5T-51bzpY-ftpY6A-hE5oza-oJp2D7-bidaLt-oJppvv-J43Wwi-bidaLg-coptZ1-62wczJ-e7pGMR-bidaLR-8gEGp-5H6Htc-7Hdaps-brGsFW-77pBAL-bEBn46-bEBnce-bEBmpi-5zwBi4-bEBmmk-5miuC3-oHvxUN-8LK54K-6BrN2-9LmXmy-fHRNg4-aFR6KP-eZasnc-brGryf-bEBmhK-6BrNw-brGq3S-bEBkNz-AQD7m-bEBmET-bEBjBF-bEBmMe-bEBjLk">Liz Henry</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Students meet to socialize, watch movies, discuss social issues, and plan dances and events for their school. They also organize advocacy initiatives such as the <a href="http://www.dayofsilence.org/">Day of Silence</a> and <a href="http://www.glsen.org/nonamecallingweek">No Name Calling Week</a>, that bring attention to anti-LGBT bullying and harassment in schools. </p>
<h2>The promise of gay-straight alliances</h2>
<p>Considering the high risk that LGBTQ students face for being bullied, harassed, or victimized at school, we sought to determine whether gay-straight alliances were associated with lower rates of homophobic bullying. </p>
<p>We believed our partnership was perfect to explore this question: One of us (Robert) is a former high school teacher and gay-straight alliance advisor, and the other (Heather) is a sociologist who studies gender and sexuality. Together, we wanted to explore the existing research on gay-straight alliances to determine if there were any uniform findings that could be important for policymakers and school leaders. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/134822/original/image-20160819-30396-8diq72.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/134822/original/image-20160819-30396-8diq72.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134822/original/image-20160819-30396-8diq72.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134822/original/image-20160819-30396-8diq72.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134822/original/image-20160819-30396-8diq72.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134822/original/image-20160819-30396-8diq72.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134822/original/image-20160819-30396-8diq72.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The promise of gay-straight alliances.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/timevanson/7356270516/in/photolist-cd3NWh-brGqLG-bEBkrP-9Qmw3j-brGqow-brGpXy-bEBmdF-eZnpXQ-bEBmWT-bEBk1t-aFR6Kt-brGsjw-brGqT3-7AD9EE-tA5jL-dPUzio-dPNQLB-dPNRbR-dPUpK1-dPUsT9-dPNTuZ-dPNPGx-dPUqib-dPNXs8-dPUtf9-dPUtAh-dPUuYs-dPUuL7-dPNRB6-dPNQ94-dPNUC2-dPNP3a-avQjCZ-brGr9d-aFR7V6-avmVG5-bEBkUt-aFR6Kx-AQihH-bEBkQ8-brGqP5-aFR7Ve-brGq6j-aFR6L4-brGriG-9QmxgQ-aFR7Vg-brGrnW-bEBkiZ-brGr4b">Tim Evanson</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><a href="http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10964-016-0501-7">We combined and analyzed data</a> from approximately 63,000 adolescents who participated in 15 independent studies about their experiences with gay-straight alliances and bullying. </p>
<p>We found that, although individual studies offered mixed results (as some said gay-straight alliances were associated with lower reports of student victimization, while others said there was no association), data indicated students at schools with gay-straight alliances reported less bullying. </p>
<p>LGBTQ students at schools with gay-straight alliances were 52 percent less likely to hear homophobic remarks like “that’s so gay” at school. Additionally, these students were 36 percent less likely to be fearful for their own safety and 30 percent less likely to experience “homophobic victimization,” such as being harassed or physically assaulted because of their sexual orientation or gender expression. </p>
<h2>Can gay-straight alliances change school environment?</h2>
<p>Interestingly, in our analysis, we did not distinguish between gay-straight alliance members and nonmembers. That means LGBTQ students may derive the potential benefits of having a gay-straight alliances at their school regardless of whether they participate in these clubs themselves.</p>
<p>Perhaps having a gay-straight alliance promotes an accepting school climate by sending the message that a school is welcoming and committed to the success of all its students and, therefore, homophobic acts will not be tolerated. Perhaps gay-straight alliances raise awareness of LGBTQ issues among all students and, thus, create a supportive environment for all LGBTQ students, not just those who are gay-straight alliances members.</p>
<p>Regardless, it is heartening to know that all LGBTQ students could benefit from gay-straight alliances.</p>
<p>Importantly, our research is consistent with the existing body of literature around bullying. Our findings indicating that gay-straight alliances are associated with lower rates of bullying are right in line with previous <a href="http://njbullying.org/documents/ttofifarrington2011.pdf">evaluations</a> of general <a href="http://www.rand.org/pubs/rgs_dissertations/RGSD240.html">anti-bullying programs</a> that do not specifically target homophobic bullying. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/134824/original/image-20160819-30370-clqe0s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/134824/original/image-20160819-30370-clqe0s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=429&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134824/original/image-20160819-30370-clqe0s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=429&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134824/original/image-20160819-30370-clqe0s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=429&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134824/original/image-20160819-30370-clqe0s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=539&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134824/original/image-20160819-30370-clqe0s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=539&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/134824/original/image-20160819-30370-clqe0s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=539&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Gay-straight alliances lower the risk of bullying.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/westconn/7000492079/in/photolist-bEBmpi-5zwBi4-bEBmmk-5miuC3-oHvxUN-8LK54K-6BrN2-9LmXmy-fHRNg4-aFR6KP-eZasnc-brGryf-bEBmhK-6BrNw-brGq3S-bEBkNz-AQD7m-bEBmET-bEBjBF-bEBmMe-bEBjLk-avmWbJ-5zyV5Q-aFR6KD-bEBmJn-5miuzC-brGswS-6YWREP-aFR7Vp-aFR6KV-bEBjvP-bEBn9K-bV8QRk-bEBmvT-bEBms2-brGrWJ-6AMcV-brGqVh-6WWFzz-bEBjUi-brGrto-brGqsS-9QiFhR-brGqYu-brGqbN-bEBk8F-eZb59T-bEBk6n-brGs1J-9QiTy6">Western Connecticut State University Peggy Stewart Follow</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>That means that gay-straight alliances, which are student-initiated, student-run organizations that require little funding beyond an advisor’s stipend, may promote benefits similar to those derived from outside programs that can require considerable funds and resources to implement.</p>
<h2>There are hurdles</h2>
<p>Despite the promise of gay-straight alliances as a potential solution to homophobic bullying, there are obstacles to the establishment of these clubs. In some cases, students’ attempts to establish gay-straight alliances in their schools have been thwarted by <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/news/tennessee-parents-franklin-county-high-school-gay-straight-alliance/">opposition</a> from parents or school administrators who believe these clubs are inappropriate for adolescents – or even that they impose a gay agenda on students. </p>
<p>Under the Equal Access Act, American students have a right to establish gay-straight alliances. However, some students have found themselves embroiled in <a href="http://www.aclu.org/news/aclu-lawsuit-seeks-recognition-high-school-gay-straight-alliance-club">legal battles</a> to ensure this right. To date, there have been <a href="https://www.aclu.org/gsa-court-victories-guide-lgbt-high-school-students">17 federal lawsuits</a> in which students and parents have successfully sued school boards for denying charters or banning gay-straight alliances.</p>
<p>In spite of these challenges, we find it powerful to know that one of the most effective weapons in the fight to stop LGBTQ bullying is simple: youth coming together to talk, laugh and share their lives.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/63174/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The most effective weapons in the fight to stop LGBTQ bullying might just be quite simple – young people coming together to talk, laugh and share their lives.Robert Marx, Ph.D. Student, Vanderbilt UniversityHeather Hensman Kettrey, Research Associate, Peabody Research Institute, Vanderbilt UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.