As part of its annual observances, the QSA had its Day of Silence on April 12th, 2023. This is a national observance hosted by GLSEN, which the QSA gives its support. It is a holiday to protest against the silence about the severe bullying, harassment, and assault of queer students. The vast majority of queers in schools have seen violence, hostility, and the like. A horrid number of these students miss school on purpose out of fear. These are things that simply should not happen.
As part of the mission statement of the QSA, creating a safe place for queer students is among the most important. This involves a safe club environment, yes, but more generally, in the school. But there is only so much that such a small percentage of students can do. It is the civil duty of everyone to help create a school-wide safe space.
How does one do this? There are many ways, some preventative, some prescriptive.
- The most important is this: When you see bullying or harassment, you call it out. Don’t show your approval to those doing it. If you can, tell the bully that what they are doing is wrong.
- Don’t be afraid to report. If you see a dangerous situation, talk to the person being threatened, and don’t be scared to talk to a trusted teacher or staff about it. The QSA’s sponsor, Mr. Hernandez, is always an email or chat away.
- Let others know you are a safe contact. If it is safe, include your pronouns in your introduction, and ask others for theirs.
- Don’t assume things about people.
- Educate yourself. Look up terms you don’t understand, or other ways to support them.
Queerphobia is a pervasive issue. But together, we can all help to bash it down, one uninformed bully at a time
