One Town's War on Gay Teens

• Deitylight wrote on 2012-03-12 09:45

  Brittany didn't look like most girls in blue-collar Anoka, Minnesota, a former logging town on the Rum River, a conventional place that takes pride in its annual Halloween parade – it bills itself the "Halloween Capital of the World." Brittany was a low-voiced, stocky girl who dressed in baggy jeans and her dad's Marine Corps sweatshirts. By age 13, she'd been taunted as a "cunt" and "cock muncher" long before such words had made much sense. When she told administrators about the abuse, they were strangely unresponsive, even though bullying was a subject often discussed in school-board meetings. The district maintained a comprehensive five-page anti-bullying policy, and held diversity trainings on racial and gender sensitivity. Yet when it came to Brittany's harassment, school officials usually told her to ignore it, always glossing over the sexually charged insults. Like the time Brittany had complained about being called a "fat dyke": The school's principal, looking pained, had suggested Brittany prepare herself for the next round of teasing with snappy comebacks – "I can lose the weight, but you're stuck with your ugly face" – never acknowledging she had been called a "dyke." As though that part was OK. As though the fact that Brittany was bisexual made her fair game.

  
  [LEFT]
  Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/one-towns-war-on-gay-teens-20120202#ixzz1osuE2Kiw
  
  [video=youtube;m5TwT69i1lU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5TwT69i1lU&feature=related[/video]
  
  Isn't it a wonderful world?
  /sarcasm
  [/LEFT]
• Cynic wrote on 2012-03-12 09:54
  I'm not at all surprised. Though this is the first time I've heard a staff member suggest that she insult them right back.
  
  'Cause that's totally not going to make the bullying worse or anything.
• Sekwaf wrote on 2012-03-12 10:24
  Actually, a properly timed and potent enough smart-ass remark can sometimes stop the problem. It shows that you don't fear them and you can't be taken advantage of so easily. Most bullies lack the courage for a serious confrontation and would let off.
  
  OT: I'm not really sure how the article relates to gays or bisexuals. Those types of comments could be made at anybody and it never actually stated whether anyone knew she was bisexual and targeting her because of it.
• Cynic wrote on 2012-03-12 10:28

  Quote from Sekwaf;805148:

  Actually, a properly timed and potent enough smart-ass remark can sometimes stop the problem. It shows that you don't fear them and you can't be taken advantage of so easily. Most bullies lack the courage for a serious confrontation and would let off.
  
  OT: I'm not really sure how the article relates to gays or bisexuals. Those types of comments could be made at anybody and it never actually stated whether anyone knew she was bisexual and targeting her because of it.

  
  
  It's pretty clear that they are targeting her because of her sexuality. Otherwise they wouldn't refer to her as a dyke.
  
  And actually, most of the bullies I've read about aren't afraid to go as far as pushing, shoving and tripping. While you are right, it's probably in her best interest to try and get help rather then provoke them in-case they are the type who doesn't mind physical bullying.
• Juno wrote on 2012-03-16 17:31
  I don't see how it's a 'war on gay teens'.
  
  It sounds like standard issue bullying with the usual adult bungling.
• whocares8128 wrote on 2012-03-16 18:12

  Quote from Cynic;805149:

  It's pretty clear that they are targeting her because of her sexuality. Otherwise they wouldn't refer to her as a dyke.

  
  
  I'm pretty sure it's because of this:
  

  Brittany didn't look like most girls in blue-collar Anoka, Minnesota

  
  
  People pick on other people because of any perceived difference. If they were picking on her because of her sexual orientation, why would they use "cock muncher" to describe her? As for the dyke remark, it's the only quoted term that links her with lesbianism, and I'm sure some people might say such a thing, regardless of what is true about her sexual orientation.
• TA wrote on 2012-03-16 18:23
  Look at Uganda. It's literally a crime to be homosexual, punishable by death.
• RebeccaBlack wrote on 2012-03-16 18:48

  Quote from TA;809565:

  Look at Uganda. It's literally a crime to be homosexual, punishable by death.

  
  Yeah, but that doesn't make the situation in the US any better. I guess she's lucky she doesn't live in Uganda?
  
  It's pretty scary to think that she could complain about something like this and nothing would be done. Something really quite bad could come of this. Whether it's self inflicted harm or physically done by someone else, it gets dangerous. Kids really don't have many choices the way adults do and if someone throws them into this terrible world where people are doing things to them that kill them inside, there really is no escape. We can just quit our jobs or move to a new town. They're fucked for 18 years. This just adds to the normal stress kids already have growing up.
• Elena wrote on 2012-03-16 19:17
  Whether because of her sexuality or any other difference, treating her this way because of any difference is not acceptable. It's even worse that it was suggested that she insult back. What kind of behavior are they trying to encourage? Do they want things to get worse?
• whocares8128 wrote on 2012-03-16 21:10

  Quote from Juno;809508:

  I don't see how it's a 'war on gay teens'.
  
  It sounds like standard issue bullying with the usual adult bungling.

  
  
  I'm guessing you and I both only read the quoted excerpt. I see now that there's a lot more to this story, and it's all terrible so far (on page 3 atm).