Thanks, Keith

Thanks for standing on the margins. I wish more people did the same....

Gay Friendly High School?

CNN reports that public school officials in Chicago, Illinois are recommending approval of a "gay-friendly" high school because harassment and violence are causing gay students to skip class and drop out at alarming rates.

The school would not be only for gay students but would provide counseling for teens who have suffered from bullying and include curriculum about sexual history and identity in history and literature classes.

In part, I am sad that it has to come to this and in part and I've considered that the move may reduce tolerance because homophobic straight students will not have any interactions with LGBTQ peers. But, it is not the LGBT students' job to educate their peers on tolerance. Especially when it puts them in danger....

The study found that 86.2 percent of LGBT students reported being verbally harassed, 44.1 percent physically harassed and 22.1 percent physically assaulted at school in the past year because of their sexual orientation.

The rates are startling but understandable when you consider that 39 states do not provide protection via the law. If only ALL schools had diverse curriculum and programs in place to help students understand that sexual diversity is not deviant....

The one in which I'm embarrassed by my home state v. 2

An interesting report in yesterday's Detroit Free Press.

According to the article:

Violent crimes against Michiganders because of their sexual orientation jumped 133% last year, according to a report released today by the Detroit-based Triangle Foundation.

In 2007, there were 226 reported cases involving violence or violent threats against gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered people, the report said. Out of those cases, two were murders, 46 were assaults and 101 of them involved intimidation or harassment, the report said. There were 97 reported incidents in 2006.

In addition to the violent incidents, there were 72 cases of discrimination, according to the Triangle Foundation.

I can't help but remember last week's news that the Michigan Supreme Court decided to outlaw same-sex partner benefits. Discrimination and hate begets discrimination and hate. Perhaps even more so when the highest court in the (state) land is setting the example.