Schools should be a young person’s primary center for learning, growing, and building a foundation for success in the world. High school can be challenging for any student, but LGBT youth face additional obstacles of harassment, abuse, and violence.

• Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender bullying is alarming.  In fact 9 out of 10LGBT students reported being harassed and bullied last year.
• Over one-third of LGBT students are physically assaulted at school because their sexual orientation and gender identity are different than those of heterosexual students.
• About two-thirds of LGBT students reported having ever been sexually harassed (e.g., sexual remarks made, being touched inappropriately) in school in the past year.
• Over half of all students report hearing homophobic remarks often at school. More than 30% reported missing at least a day of school in the past month out of fear for their personal safety.
• LGBT students at schools with comprehensive policies on bullying and harassment are much more likely to report harassment to school authorities who, in turn, were more likely to respond effectively.
• The average GPA for students who were frequently physically harassed because of their sexual orientation was half a grade lower than that of other students.
• LGBT students are twice as likely to say that they were not planning on completing high school or going on to college.
• Gay teens are 8.4 times more likely to report having attempted suicide and 5.9 times more likely to report high levels of depression compared with peers from families that reported no or low levels of family rejection.

The language used against LGBT students is unconscionable. LGBT Students, like any other students deserve to be treated with tolerance, respect and dignity because the reality is, it should never matter what your sexual orientation or identity is.

Principles guiding the rights approach on sexual orientation relate to equality and non-discrimination. Human rights advocates and other activists seek to ensure social justice and guarantee the dignity of LGBT’s because like anyone else an LGBT student is a person just like you are. The ONLY difference is their sexual orientation.

Maybe you’re different because you’re tall, underweight or dress differently than others. NO MATTER what our differences are everyone one deserves to be treated with respect and dignity!

• We cannot accept ignorance
• We cannot accept intolerance
• We cannot accept name-calling

• We must all respect each other
• We must all accept others
• We must all be tolerant of others
• We must all be allies

We are ALL the same – NO MATTER™! We are ALL people!

Let’s create a world of love, kindness, compassion and respect. There is no reason to call someone a name for any reason! If you don’t understand an LGBT’s sexual orientation — learn more. Educate yourself! Educate others!

Creating a safe environment for all students – LGBT and straight alike – begins with being acceptance, tolerance and respect.

CELEBRATE our differences and HONOR our similarities! NO MATTER™!

– From stompoutbullying.org