'PAGE'12 .▼ ."QrNotesi.ir!. November 28^*1998
Students’ homophobia increasing
Editorial
by Jim Anderson
Special to Q-Notes
NEW YORK—The Gay, Lesbian and
Straight Education Network (GLSEN) ex
pressed alarm at the results of a survey con-
ducred by Who’s Who Among American High
School Students. The poll, which surveyed over
3000 16- to 18-year-old students, revealed that
48 percent admit they are prejudiced against
gay people. This represents an increase of 19
percentage points from last year’s survey.
“This startling increase is a wake-up call for
administrators and teachers who believe they
are doing enough to teach their students the
values of diversity and respect,” said GLSEN
executive director Kevin Jennings. “These num
bers suggest that homophobia is one of the last
socially-accepted prejudices, especially in our
schools.”
Though the findings are worrisome,
Jennings says the increase is not entirely sur
prising. Political leaders and sports stars, such
as Rep. Trent Lott and Reggie White, respec
tively, participated in one of the most public
anti-gay crusades ever last summer. “Students
live up to the standards we set for them. When
role models say that accepting diversity isn’t
important, students take the message to heart,”
he continued.
GLSEN notes that the failure of schools to
address these prejudices contributes to:
• 18 percent of male college students claim
ing they have used violence against their GLBT
peers;
• GLBT youth being four times as likely as
others to be threatened with a weapon in school;
• GLBT youth being five times as likely to
have skipped school once a month due to feel
ing unsafe.
“Prejudice prevents children from accessing
the education our country promises to all.
When we tolerate that prejudice, we ensure that
divisiveness and hatred will continue to be part
of our national fabric,” Jennings declared. ▼
Continued from page 6
final week of campaigning by the anti-gay
Gabbard had an extremely negative impact on
Hawaii’s reputation and he was intent on re
storing Hawaii as a tolerant place.
The batde against the constitutional amend
ment was a professionally executed, valiant ef
fort. The strategy was sound and attracted new
allies in our long-term efforts. Hawaii’s civil
rights community is profoundly grateful to the
Human Rights Campaign, which provided a
massive investment ($1.4 million) and incred
ible energy and skill. We are equally grateful to
Tim Gill, Robert Wilson and the many people
across the country that contributed to the ef
fort. The campaign that you funded actually
created the political space for a likely victory in
Hawaii on solid political and legal ground that
could be a platform from which future battles
are waged to secure equal recognition of gay
and lesbian relationships nationally, and ulti
mately full and equal marriage rights. We might
have lost this time at the ballot box, but we are
well on our way to winning the broader fight
for equal treatment under the law for lesbian
and gay people in this country. And the noble
campaign to defeat this amendment will be seen
as a step toward our ultimate success.
Now that the burden of crisis-driven ballot
fights is for the moment lifted, we must renew
our efforts today, to educate this country on
why it is fair, just and right for gay people to be
granted the freedom to marry. Moving public
opinion is the largest challenge before us.
We must continue to engage non-gay people
patiendy and persistently in every corner of the
country with our eyes on the prize: full equal
ity for gay and lesbian Americans, including
the freedom to marry. Other states should do
what we have done this year in Hawaii — iden
tify and approach divene opinion leaders, clergy
and groups, educating them on gay lives and
marriage. As Evan often says, you don’t get half
a loaf by asking for half a loaf. Nor, as we move
forward, should gay people settle for anything
less than full equality, eyen as we get there step
by step. T
— Dan Foley, Honolulu, HI
Door Policy Strictly Cntorced
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