<< Gays aren't fully accepted

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A group of 49 L.A. High School students responded to our survey on prejudice against gay and lesbian students. Their responses paint a picture of a school with some problems with homophobia:

Students chose the answer for each question which came CLOSEST to describing L.A. High School.

How does the principal act in relation to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students?
• 3 students said the principal has made supportive comments in public.
• 23 students said the principal has not made public comments of support, but has privately assured you or someone you know that he supports school safety and respect for all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender traits.
• 21 students said the principal pretty much avoids the issue.

How do teachers respond when they hear anti-LGBT slurs or harassment?
• 6 students said most teachers intervene, educate the student who used the slurs, and
report the incident to the principal.
• 14 students said a lot of teachers intervene, educate and report.
• 26 students said it’s a mixed bag: it seems like every teacher has his or her own policy.
How do students act toward lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students?
• 10 students said their classmates don’t use anti-LGBT slurs, don’t attack LGBT students, don’t consider "gay" to be a synonym for stupid or gross, don’t make comments when same-sex couples show their affection in public, and accept every individual without regard to whether he or she conforms to stereotypes of what a guy or girl should act like.
• 14 students said their classmates don’t use slurs or attack LGBT students, but occasionally display some subtle forms of anti LGBT prejudice, and some students seem to think that "gay" is a synonym for stupid, weird, or gross.
• 17 students said their classmates use some anti-LGBT slurs, but for the most part don’t seem to be targeting any one student for harassment.
• 4 students said their classmates use anti-LGBT slurs all the time and target students perceived to be LGBT.

In addition…

21 students said most students are too afraid to be out at L.A. High school; anyone who can "hide" their sexual orientation or gender nonconformity does.

25 students said if a guy is more "feminine" than other guys at L.A. High, he gets picked on.

16 students said if a girl is more "masculine" than other girls at L.A. High, she gets picked on.

13 students said there are some parts of school that aren’t safe for LGBT students.

11 students said sexual orientation and gender-trait-related harassment or discrimination isn’t taken as seriously at L.A. High as other forms of harassment of discrimination.

10 students said there’s a lot of subtle prejudice, or maybe just ignorance, at L.A. High.