Bullying Awareness: April 2020
Many members of the LGBTQIA+ community have been targets of bullying. Bullies target sexual orientation, gender identity, race, ethnicity, wealth, and physical and mental abilities to wrongly make us feel small or unloved. While bullying is thought of as a childish thing, people of all ages can experience it. In this newsletter, we’ll give insight into what bullying is, its effects, and ideas on how to overcome it. Furthermore, we’ll look at the Day of Silence movement in support of those who have been bullied on April 24th. This month’s Rainbow View focus is on the Lesbian Day of Visibility on April 26th.
Bullying can take place in different environments and look different depending on the situation.
Bullying in schools is often easy to notice. One student or group of students will bully a different student or group. Students who bully tend to want the focus of others. The fear of receiving more bullying keeps students from reporting it.
Bullying in the workplace is carried out by adults. Bullies try to manipulate others to do work they are uncomfortable doing, belittle employees, or harass employees. Fears of being shamed by coworkers and not advancing professionally keep victims from reporting bullying and harassment.
Image Credit: pexels.com
Prejudicial bullying is when a bully harasses others based on perceived differences. Differences in sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, religious beliefs, or physical or mental disabilities are viewed as “reasons” to bully.
Bullying in the home is when someone sharing a living space, family member or roommate, manipulates or is abusive towards another person in the space.
Image Credit: pexels.com
This can escalate to domestic violence by threatening physical violence or withholding food, money, or clothes. These behaviors are best reported as soon as possible in order to prevent the escalation of harm.
Cyberbullying often occurs over social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or Snapchat. Gossipping, posting pictures or videos without permission, and sending harmful messages are all examples of cyberbullying.
The Effects of Bullying
Bullying is causing emotional distress, insecurity, or fear in others. This has negative short and long term health effects on victims, bullies, and bystanders. These can be reduced or prevented with proper support and mediation.
Image Credit: raymondgeddes.com
Bullying effects on LGBT+ individuals:
Dr. Lynn Addington, an American University professor, found that LGB (her study did not touch on gender identity or presentation) students faced bullying in spaces where supervision could or should have been present like hallways or classrooms. She also found that LGB students were more likely to report negative effects on their self-esteem. (6)
Bullying can affect anyone however, LGBTQIA+ individuals are often at increased risk to be affected by bullying.
Image Credit: Human Rights Campaign, www.hrc.org/youth
Research from Arizona State University surveyed 245 LGBT individuals from ages 21 to 25 based on their experiences with bullying from ages 13 to 19. From the survey, individuals who were bullied a lot reported 2.6 times more clinical depression and 5.6 times more to have attempted suicide. Individuals who reported low victimization were found to have higher self-esteem, life satisfaction, and social integration. (7)
Ways to overcome bullying
Ditch The Label, a UK based anti-bullying charity, has tips on how to overcome bullying and cyberbullying. These are a good starting point for navigating often difficult and harmful situations. Check out some of them below and on their website for the full lists! (4)
Overcoming Bullying:
Understand the bullying. If you are being bullied, know that you are NOT the problem. Bullying is a learned behavior and bullies have often been victims in their own lives. If you are the bully, you can change so speak up and let others support you.
Do not isolate yourself. While it may be a natural tendency, isolation can reduce self-esteem and keep you in a place where the bullying continues. Reach out to a trusted person like friend, family member, or counselor for support and to find a path forward.
Image Credit: pexels.com
If you feel safe enough, speak to your bully. At times, bullies may not even know they are the bully. Talking with them can help them understand how their behavior is not appropriate. Through compassion, you can understand one another.
Overcoming Cyberbullying (5)
Never respond. Responding to the cyberbully can further escalate a situation. This escalation can result in incriminating yourself.
Block and report it. Many online platforms have block and reporting systems to help in dealing with cyberbullies without having to exhaust yourself.
Image Credit: pexels.com
Sympathise. Remember that happy and confident people do not bully others. Bullies are often hurting and will need help and support themselves.
To read more on Ditch the Label’s tips to overcome bullying follow this link: https://www.ditchthelabel.org/top-10-tips-for-overcoming-bullying/ To read more on Ditch the Label’s tips to overcome cyberbullying follow this link: https://www.ditchthelabel.org/9-tips-on-overcoming-cyberbullying/
Understanding the bully
Bullying is a behavior that is learned. It can be a way to cope with stress, they are insecure and want to put attention on others, are jealous and resort to bullying, or as a result of peer pressure.
Image Credit: pexels.com
When approaching a bully, lead with compassion to better understand where they are coming from. They may be victims of bullying themselves or experience a challenge that is at the root of the bullying.
Day of Silence is a day to bring attention to anti-LGBT bullying, harassment, name-calling at schools. In 2020, it will be observed on Friday, April 24th. (8) We stand with those whose voices have been silenced by bullying and harassment.
Maria Pulzetti, a student at the University of Virginia in the US, first organized Day of Silence in 1996. Her goal was to bring attention to the university’s BGLAD Week, similar to a Pride week. In 1997, student groups in over 100 universities joined in observing the day. In 2000 it became a student-led project under GLSEN.
Groups go without speaking for the day and then gather to “break the silence” through a rally or event.
Image Credit: pexels.com
This year GLSEN is encouraging a virtual observance of the day and asking for groups and organizations to put online events to bring their communities together. Anyone can observe the day as an individual or get a group together to observe and #Breakthesilence online.
Check out GLSEN’s website for more information and register to have access to materials and receive updates about the Day of Silence!
Rainbow View
Lesbian Day of Visibility – April 26th, 2020
On April 26th Lesbian Visibility Day will be celebrated across the world. Unfortunately, most in-person events won’t be held. As with most things these days, the internet will host spaces to celebrate lesbian visibility.
To start with let’s talk about the word lesbian. Lesbian is defined as a woman who likes other women.
Image: Lesbian Pride Flag Image Credit: metro.co.uk
If you like learning the origins of words “lesbian” comes from the Greek word meaning “from the Island of Lesbos,” (9) And yes, this is a real place in Greece. Recently, there has been a trend to use queer instead of lesbian. Lesbain sounded “too old-fashioned, almost like some weird disease.” (9)
“Being born gay, black and female is not a revolutionary act. Being proud to be a gay, black female is.”- Lena Waithe Writer, Producer, Actor
Image Credit: Twitter @ LenaWaithe
This may be because of the increased education of how sexuality and gender are on a spectrum and a person doesn’t need to be married to an identity. There has been a pushback against this inclusion of intersectional identities from TERF (trans-exclusionary radical feminists) groups who are advocating to keep trans folk out of lesbian spaces. Simply put, they aren’t worth any more space than I have already given them.
“I learned that by embracing my label as a lesbian, I was helping normalise that for so many other people.” – Hayley Kiyoko
Image Credit: Twitter @ HayleyKiyoko
This day of awareness is “…to celebrate what it means to be true warriors for today’s intersectional lesbian social justice movement instead of ceding that ground to outdated or poisonous notions.” (10)
- https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/bullying/are-you-being-bullied-5-examples-of-bullying/
- https://www.psycom.net/effects-of-bullying
- https://www.ditchthelabel.org/how-to-speak-to-somebody-who-is-bullying-you/
- https://www.ditchthelabel.org/top-10-tips-for-overcoming-bullying/
- https://www.ditchthelabel.org/9-tips-on-overcoming-cyberbullying/
- https://www.american.edu/spa/news/bullying-impact.cfm
- https://www.american.edu/spa/news/bullying-impact.cfm
- https://www.glsen.org/day-of-silence
- https://www.intomore.com/travel/the-fascinating-history-of-lesbian
- https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/04/26/lesbian-visibility-day-campaigners-what-it-means-to-them/