Seanad debates

Tuesday, 25 September 2012

Homophobic Bullying: Statements

 

4:40 pm

Photo of Mary MoranMary Moran (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I also welcome the Minister of State to the House. We are all aware of her commitment to and support for LGBT issues.

In a message delivered at a UN global consultation on homophobic bullying in Rio de Janeiro last December, the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, referred to homophobic bullying as follows:

    This is a moral outrage, a grave violation of human rights and a public health crisis. It is also a loss for the entire human family when promising lives are cut short.

He called on governments throughout the world to act to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender young people. Also in December, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights released a groundbreaking report on the human rights of LGBT people. Therefore, it is clear that the issue of homophobic bullying is one that is of high importance at an international level. What exactly is it? It can be defined as any hostile or offensive action against lesbians, gay males, bisexuals or transgender people, or those perceived to be lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. These actions might be verbal, physical or emotional harassment, including degrading comments, name calling, gestures, taunts, insults or jokes. An excellent example of this was contained in the Stand Up! video which hit home succinctly but got the point across. It can also include offensive graffiti, humiliating, excluding, tormenting, ridiculing or threatening to refuse to work or co-operate with others because of their sexual orientation or identity. They are terms that can be used for bullying in every sense. It is good that today we are concentrating on homophobic bullying and looking at it in context and in isolation.

While most adults in Ireland can be open about their sexual orientation, the reality for young people is very different. The teenage years are a challenging time for everybody but for those who think they might be gay, lesbian or bisexual it can be even more bewildering. In the past, homophobic bullying was viewed as not too serious, a bit of banter or teasing among youngsters that took place in the schoolyard, youth club or in the sports ground. However, it is recognised that this type of bullying is not only harmful, it is costing young people their lives.

The National Office for Suicide Prevention annual report 2009 showed that LGBT persons had shockingly high levels of suicidal behaviours. This was clearly linked to the experiences of homophobic bullying. The study found that 50% of LGBT young people under the age of 25 had seriously thought about ending their lives while a staggering 20% had attempted suicide. The study also revealed that the majority of bullying was taking place in schools and up to one third of these young people had been subjected to homophobic comments from teachers. As a former teacher, I found this shocking coming from those who are supposed to be teaching and leading. It is important that adequate training is provided for them and that we are all singing from the same hymn sheet.

International research has shown that for many, homophobic bullying at school can result in long-term social, emotional and psychological effects. Those who are bullied at school can become fearful of their peer group and isolate themselves from them. The young person who is repeatedly bullied at school can experience anxiety, loss of confidence, loneliness and depression which can result in problems such as punctuality, deteriorating academic attainment, poor attendance, truancy, dropping out, mental health problems and the idea of suicide. The findings are worrying and upsetting. In the review of the junior certificate, I hope subjects such as SPHE may be given a firm footing on the curriculum and that adequate training for SPHE is provided for the teachers concerned.

Equality legislation protects the rights of everyone in the State at places of work or places of leisure, transport and health care. All areas of our daily lives should be free from discrimination on grounds of gender, marital status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability and race. Specifically, the Education (Welfare) Act 2000 requires schools to prepare a code of behaviour that specifies the standards of behaviour to be observed by students. All second level schools are required to have a number of policies in place, including one on bullying.

In August 2006, in order to reduce the administrative burden on schools, the Department of Education and Skills issued a template anti-bullying policy. This template built on previously issued guidelines on countering bullying in schools and included references to homophobic bullying.

This was a major step forward in breaking the silence and invisibility that often surrounds homophobic bullying in Irish second level schools, even at a policy level. Research carried out in the schools has established that while anti-bullying policies, campaigns and initiatives are working very well in most schools, there is an obvious reluctance on the part of many schools to be specific on the issues of homophobic bullying. This must be changed urgently. A school ethos cannot be rooted in the presumption that everybody in the school is heterosexual. School leaders will have to challenge such presumptions by making explicit reference to LGBT issues and providing relevant resources and other materials for use in the classrooms and around the school. This should remind everybody, including the staff, that although often invisible, people who identify as LGBT are valued members of the school community. What is most important is that no member of staff and no parent or student is left with any ambiguity in terms of where the school, including the trustees of the school, stand on the issues of homophobic bullying.

As recently as May last, the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy RuairĂ­ Quinn, established a forum to explore ways of tackling bullying in schools. Experts, support groups and representatives of the school sector were brought together to explore how best to tackle bullying in schools and to consider changes that might be required to existing practices. The Minister also established a working group to address the issue of bullying in schools, including homophobic bullying, cyber bullying and racist bullying. I welcome the fact that BeLonGTo and GLEN were both represented on this working group. It was an important move. The group is reviewing current measures and identifying priorities based on international research and the findings of the forum.

BeLonGTo was singled out for particular praise at the UNESCO global convention and in the Rio statement referred to earlier. Its work was highlighted as good practice and was included as a positive response to homophobia in the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights report on LGBT human rights. At the beginning of September BeLonGTo youth services unveiled LGBT Youth Mental Health Ireland, a project which specifically supports LGBT young people around the country to develop positive mental health. The project, which was launched by the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, who has been a strong advocate for LGBT youth, obviously recognises the gravity of the situation and the need for support for vulnerable young people.

In my home town of Dundalk I have been involved with the group Dundalk Outcomers for the last two years. I have been very impressed by its commitment to helping and supporting LGBT young people and giving them a chance to come out and be themselves. It has run some excellent festivals over the last two summers. This summer I attended some local events at which I was delighted to meet some former students of mine. It was really encouraging to see how we have progressed along the path of acceptance, inclusivity and diversity. However, we cannot afford to become complacent. We must work and although we have come a long way, we must keep moving.

For most adults it is possible to be gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender in Ireland today, but for many young people daily homophobic bullying means it is still not okay. Our challenge is to ensure that this generation of young LGBT people is cared for, accepted, included and supported in their life choices.

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