LGBTQ Students & Bullying
What is Bullying?
Creating a Safe Environment
Warning Signs of Bullying
Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time.
In order to be considered bullying, the behavior must be aggressive and include:
- An Imbalance of Power: Kids who bully use their power—such as phy
Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time.
In order to be considered bullying, the behavior must be aggressive and include:
- An Imbalance of Power: Kids who bully use their power—such as physical strength, access to embarrassing information, or popularity—to control or harm others. Power imbalances can change over time and in different situations, even if they involve the same people.
- Repetition: Bullying behaviors happen more than once or have the potential to happen more than once.
Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose.
Warning Signs of Bullying
Creating a Safe Environment
Warning Signs of Bullying
- Unexplainable injuries
- Lost or destroyed clothing, books, electronics, or jewelry
- Frequent headaches or stomach aches
- Changes in eating habits, like suddenly skipping meals or binge eating.
- Declining grades, loss of interest in schoolwork, or not wanting to go to school
Creating a Safe Environment
Creating a Safe Environment
Creating a Safe Environment
It's important to build a safe environment for all LGBTQ youth. Parents, schools, and communities can all play a role in bullying prevention and helping LGBTQ youth feel both physically and emotionally safe.
Here are three ways you can take action as an educator:
- Encourage respect for all students
- Conduct social-emotional learning activitie
It's important to build a safe environment for all LGBTQ youth. Parents, schools, and communities can all play a role in bullying prevention and helping LGBTQ youth feel both physically and emotionally safe.
Here are three ways you can take action as an educator:
- Encourage respect for all students
- Conduct social-emotional learning activities in school to foster peer-relationships and help students develop empathy.
- Use inclusive language and avoid making assumptions. The words we use can make help people feel acknowledged and create a sense of belonging. For example, using "y'all" when referring to a group. Use gender-neutral pronouns like "they" or "them" instead of "he/she" or "him/her."