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Nearly 90% of high school seniors witness Harassment of gays and lesbians at their school
http://www.zogby.com ^ | August 27, 2001 | ZOGBY

Posted on 09/07/2001 3:39:48 PM PDT by ATOMIC_PUNK

Nearly 90% of high school seniors witness
Harassment of gays and lesbians at their school
Hamilton College/MTV poll reveals
Comments such as "that's so gay," "faggot,"
"homo," and "dyke" are ever-present
In American high schools

MTV's fight for your rights episode of flipped examining homophobia to premiere at 10:30 pm on monday, september 3rd in conjunction with poll release

August 27, 2001 (New York, NY) - A survey of 1000 high school seniors, released today by hamilton college and mtv and conducted by zogby international, found a hostile environment for gays and lesbians in american high schools.  88% of seniors say the phrase "that's so gay" is used by students at their school to talk about something they don't like, and half have seen classmates insult gay students by calling them "faggot, homo, dyke"; or a similar name.

"Even though high school seniors tend to hold liberal, pro-gay opinions on many issues, gays still face a hostile environment in school," said Hamilton College Professor of Sociology Dennis Gilbert, who developed the poll with his students.

The poll ties in to the September 3rd premiere at 10:30 pm of a Fight For Your Rights:  take a stand against discrimination episode of Flipped, MTV's newest reality-based series.  in the show, a homophobic teen is asked by MTV to be a reporter and cover the gay community.  He joins a meeting for a gay teen support group and learns just how harmful using words such as "that's so gay" and "faggot" (both of which are highlighted in the survey) can actually be.  He is also shocked and horrified when a new found friend is killed in a gay-bashing incident.

The poll had several other key findings in addition to the ones listed above.  It found that young people are accepting of gays and much more liberal than adults on gay issues.  Over 85% of graduates say that gays and lesbians "should be accepted by society" and 88% favor laws to protect gays against hate crimes.  The poll also revealed, however, that there are few resources currently in place to deal with the often difficult issues young gays and lesbians face.  87% of students said that their high school lacks an organization to support homosexual students, and a majority said that issues concerning homosexuality or gay rights have never been discussed in their high school classes. 

 Summary of key poll findings

Comments about gays from high school seniors

Quotes from seniors interviewed by Hamilton student poll researchers:

The Hamilton College/MTV gay issues poll is a national survey of 1000 high school seniors, covering their attitudes toward gays and gay political issues.  the survey, conducted March 16-20, 2001, measures tolerance of gays, comfort in the presence of gays, and opinions on political and policy issues. The poll was designed by Hamilton Professor Dennis Gilbert and his students, financed by Hamilton College's Arthur Levitt Public Affairs Center, and conducted by Zogby International.

The complete hamilton/mtv gay issues poll is available at the following url: www.hamilton.edu/news/gayissuespoll/gay-issues.html

Contact: Sharon Rippey, Hamilton College Media Relations, 315-859-4680 or Allison Bennett, MTV Communications, 212-846-8655.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
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Hmmmm youd think with all the hubub homosexuals would get the message instead the people who know homosexuality is wrong they are ridiculed for recognizing it
1 posted on 09/07/2001 3:39:48 PM PDT by ATOMIC_PUNK
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Comment #2 Removed by Moderator

Comment #3 Removed by Moderator

To: ernest de moniac
vulgar epithets to voice my disapproval.

Whats that supposed yo mean?

4 posted on 09/07/2001 3:53:28 PM PDT by ATOMIC_PUNK
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To: ATOMIC_PUNK
Boy, I'm sure glad this never happened when I was in high school. Everyone was so pure. No one was ever worried taking a gym shower with the guy who was a little light on his toes.
5 posted on 09/07/2001 3:54:52 PM PDT by 11th Commandment
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To: ATOMIC_PUNK
Homosexuality is wrong as far as I'm concerned, but students should learn to keep their nasty comments to themselves in a civilized society. It's one thing to express disapproval of a dangerous lifestyle, but it's another to harrass and intimidate people.
6 posted on 09/07/2001 3:57:47 PM PDT by bettina0
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To: ernest de moniac
Hmmm, this was interesting too (from the same poll):

its not in this poll i didnt see it but i just posted the zogby news site so ....i didnt click throgh to the other site

8 posted on 09/07/2001 4:00:07 PM PDT by ATOMIC_PUNK
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To: ATOMIC_PUNK
The purpose of this barrage of propaganda is to get the word out that schools are "dangerous places" for gay and lesbian youth. Then, "Gay-Lesbian Alliances" are needed, then workshops, etc., where "tolerance" is supposed to be taught, so we can have "safe schools." And at those workshops, tax-payer-funded employees teach fisting, oral and anal sodomy, etc., as they have been doing for years in Massachusetts.
9 posted on 09/07/2001 4:01:38 PM PDT by Arthur McGowan
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To: ATOMIC_PUNK
"Nearly 90% of high school seniors witness Harassment of gays and lesbians at their school"

The other 10% are those being harassed?

10 posted on 09/07/2001 4:04:49 PM PDT by verity
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To: 11th Commandment
"and half have seen classmates insult gay students by calling them "faggot, homo, dyke"; or a similar name."

How come a homosexual would object to being called a "homo"? I don't get it... isn't it just short for homosexual?

"Gay" certinly isn't a good term. With time any term that is used will be considered negitive. It is because the term is tanted by the behavior.

12 posted on 09/07/2001 4:04:55 PM PDT by babygene
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To: Arthur McGowan
The purpose of this barrage of propaganda is to get the word out that schools are "dangerous places" for gay and lesbian youth. Then, "Gay-Lesbian Alliances" are needed, then workshops, etc., where "tolerance" is supposed to be taught, so we can have "safe schools." And at those workshops, tax-payer-funded employees teach fisting, oral and anal sodomy, etc., as they have been doing for years in Massachusetts.

BINGO

AND A POLL FROM MTV IS RELIABLE TOO HUH ? /sarcasm off\ .... i think your right some of these polls are purely for spinning agenda and nothing more..

13 posted on 09/07/2001 4:07:10 PM PDT by ATOMIC_PUNK
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To: Arthur McGowan
Exactly. Hamilton College/MTV bought a poll, and Zogby sold it to them.
14 posted on 09/07/2001 4:08:18 PM PDT by Whilom
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To: ATOMIC_PUNK
Hmmmm youd think with all the hubub homosexuals would get the message instead the people who know homosexuality is wrong they are ridiculed for recognizing it

The big problem for homosexuals is not religion, it is evolution. For if evolution is true as the left preachs, then the driving force of all species is preservation of the species. Survival of the fitest and preservation of the species are the two principles upon which evolution is based.

It should seem obvious to any believer in evolution that humans are internally programmed to preserve the species. There is tons of evidence to make that point. Females will risk their lives to protect their children. That protective behavior pattern is independant of race,culture and religion. It is not even limited to humans.

Men will risk their live to protect a female and her children. That protective behavior pattern is also independant of race,culture and religion. Both patterns are universal among all species of humans.

Protecting the young and the females may be the teaching of most religions, but it is the practice amoung humans where it is not taught by a religion. It is infact universal. It is a confirmation of preservation of the species as a human characteristic.

Homosexuals do not preserve the species. They do not pro create. They do not make babies. For most of history they have been a threat to the species. They consumed food and shelter needed by the mothers and children of the species. Until very rescent times, there has always been a shortage of food, shelter, and safety. That explains the anti- homosexual feelings of males. It seems obvious evolution programmed heterosexual men to destroy homosexuals just as it programed men to protect females and children.

It is my opinion that you can not Politically Correct the instincts put there by a million years of evolution in less than a generation..or even in 10 generations.

Evolutionary theory is based on survival of those most fit to surivive. Those that do not contribute to reproduction are of no value and are an enemy of evolutionary forces that form the human personality. Those that do not reproduce are not tolerated by those that do. It is an historical fact..... Easily proven.

Religions teaches that homosexuality is a sin but forgives the sinner. There is no forgiveness in evolution. The major religions do teach against homosexuality.

If both evolution and religions condem homosexuality who besides the homosexuals will long defend it.

In the history of man, there have been periods of tolerance of homosexual activities. But they never last, and they end badly for the homosexuals.

I do not know if religions are right or if evolution is right. I do know they agree. That is not a pleasant thought for any homosexual person.

15 posted on 09/07/2001 4:08:35 PM PDT by Common Tator
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To: ATOMIC_PUNK
Hmmmm. I guess these teens slept through the class on tolerance for the gay/lesbian lifestyle. Diversity will be the death of a civil society.
16 posted on 09/07/2001 4:11:17 PM PDT by teletech
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To: all
What is alarming in this article is not that most students oppose the idea of harassing others. I certainly oppose the idea of harassing kids who have a problem--although it is not reasonable to include in the concept of harassment, simple statements of disapproval. In a free society, people can voice their disapproval of the conduct of others.

But what is alarming, is that the Left has apparently succeeded in convincing most of the youth that homosexuality is simply a different lifestyle or personal preference. It sounds from the poll results, above, that very few even conceive of putting sexual conduct--and asexual conduct--into the context of the ongoing stream of existence. Certainly, the instinctive mating quest of man and woman involves far deeper concepts than the pursuit of muscular gratification by people with unnatural urges towards their own sex. It is pathetic that people can get to their senior year in high school and not appreciate this.

On the other hand, I suppose this all goes hand in glove with the other surveys that demonstrate that very few of America's youth today seek meaningful longterm commitments.

We are in very deep trouble!

William Flax Return Of The Gods Web Site

17 posted on 09/07/2001 4:15:02 PM PDT by Ohioan
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To: Common Tator
those are very good facts common tater but how do you reverse the process?.. does it take millions of more years to do it or will it ever ...can it ever be reversed ?
18 posted on 09/07/2001 4:17:30 PM PDT by ATOMIC_PUNK
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To: ATOMIC_PUNK
This article is so homo.
19 posted on 09/07/2001 4:19:23 PM PDT by Sir Gawain
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To: 11th Commandment
"Boy, I'm sure glad this never happened when I was in high school. Everyone was so pure. No one was ever worried taking a gym shower with the guy who was a little light on his toes. " "

Yeah, I remember those days. It was 15 years before I figured out why I was uncomfortable showering in front of the gym teacher who walked like a guy and had too-short hair and massive thighs.

I think I liked life better then. Today's open sexuality is something schoolkids shouldn't have to deal with.

20 posted on 09/07/2001 4:21:37 PM PDT by steenkeenbadges
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