Sticks and Stones

from Crime Victim Center

Since 1894, the taunt “Sticks and stones may ‘break’ my bones but words will never hurt me,” has resounded across playgrounds and school hallways. Time has taught us bones will heal but emotional wounds not so easily.

The phrases, “that’s so gay” or “you’re so gay” have been gaining popularity since the 1990’s. Used as they are, the phrases have a negative connotation – they infer a negative judgment of something or someone being stupid or undesirable.

In October 2005, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) released their findings from a national survey of 3,400 high school students, “From Teasing to Torment: A Profile of School Climate in America”. The results from Pennsylvania revealed that biased language such as “that’s so gay” or “you’re so gay” was heard by 93% of students and that 83.1% of the LGBT students were emotionally distressed leading to missed school days. The survey was repeated in 2007 with 6,291 middle and high school students participating. Those results indicated that 9 out of 10 LGBT students experienced verbal harassment that lead to about one-third of them skipping school at least one day a month.

These phrases are not only used by students but adults as well. Regardless of how the phrase is intended, even if not intended to be disrespectful, using “gay” to describe something negative is demeaning. Crimes such as assaults, murder, property damage, etc., have resulted from anger expressed either by the victims or perpetrators - often spurred on by such prejudicial words.

The Crime Victim Center is working with others in the community to promote civility and social responsibility while encouraging a commitment to nonviolence.

For more information about GLSEN go to their website www.glsen.org or call the Crime Victim Center at (814) 455-9414.

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Co-editors Michael Mahler and Deb Spilko