An enlightening Reddit thread asks students for examples of their most homophobic school experiences, and the responses range from chilling to inspiring.
“I remember in the 6th grade my teacher said being gay was disgusting and an abomination,” writes the original poster. “I just want to know how common this is. I’m 21 now but I wonder if it’s still like that in schools or if things are different.”
And in general, yes, things are different — but here and there, little pockets of homophobia remain. Among the responses:
In high school, (2000 in Houston Texas), my principal wouldn’t let me start a GSA because he “wouldn’t allow a gay dating club on campus”
Uh huh. If only he knew what was going on in the teachers’ break room.
How about we take this to the next level?
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This was at a major university around 20 years ago. My macho chauvinistic spanish teacher had brought his guitar to class and was singing traditional folk songs from Spain, when suddenly he stopped, looked right at me, and said that having the men in the class look at him while he was singing made him uncomfortable, and in Spain that would be something that only homosexuals did. I turned beet red, and was embarrassed in front of my classmates– all for what?! Watching a guy sing! That asshole is still there, and teaching, and I without a doubt should have reported him, but things were a bit different in the mid 90’s.
The correct way to respond, of course, would have been to maintain unbroken eye contact while slowly licking your lips.
My language teacher told us not to say a certain thing/in a certain way if we were guys, because if we did it would be limp wrist motion “like that.”
Yikes.
A teacher of mine, with whom i was close with, saw me crying over something (i dont really remember) in the first grade and said something along the lines of “what are you crying for? You dont want to look gay”
This single line had me repress my feelings and made me an asshole to everyone i meet.
And the correct response to this one: look up, tears in yours eyes, and choking back sobs tell him: “at least I don’t look like an asshole like you.”
niwinters
When I was in 8th grade, still in the closet, my homeroom/science teacher spent an entire block describing why make homosexuality is wrong which included rudimentary chalkboard drawings showing the physical “damage” gay sex did to the body. Needless to say, I didn’t come out for quite some time.
truckproductions
I once had a choir teacher scream to a stunned classroom that his own choir teacher was a “flaming faggot!!!”
jheryn
When I was in high school and closeted, the football coach had tried to recruit me since the 10th grade. I was tough, big, and muscled. I, however, didn’t give a rip about playing football. I was into band and academics.
He stopped me in the hall on the way to class and said, “Why aren’t you playing football? All REAL guys play football. You need to get away from those band faggots.”
He knew I was friends with one of the gay kids in band so it was both a swipe at my “masculinity/manhood” and my friend.
I’ve always been quick and snarky and just looked at him and said, “So, I should just trade in a bunch of them for one single coach?”
Inferring he was gay was the ultimate insult to him. I didn’t realize then how awful using gay as an insult was. But it had the desired effect. He was bald and his whole head turned bright red.
He took me to the principle for talking to a teacher disrespectfully. Can you believe that? After the teacher heard what he said to me, the principle apologized to me, made the coach apologize to me, and made the coach explain and apologize to the band. It was awesome.
redcarpet30
The worst was the silence. No one would talk about ANYTHING. Nothing from history teachers, science teachers, sex ed teachers, nothing. And if a kid brought it up or said something homophobic, which happened often, all they would do is redirect and continue pretending gay people don’t exist.
He BGB
I never thought my 12 years of regular schooling was very bad compared to what I hear today. I was never pushed in to lockers, called names to my face (once called a fag under a guys breath when we were alone. I think he was upset because I had broken up with the hottest girl in school and it looked like I was dumped after her circle and others told her I was gay). A secret outing? Coaches paddled sissy boys morebecause they hated what they represented. More to come…..
He BGB
Testing my stories aren’t getting posted. They get better
He BGB
People left me alone. I was a screaming queen but was 6’4″ since the 8th grade aND had more talent in my little finger than all the football players and cheerleaders rolled into one. But being the flaming queen I produced a skit for talent night that was a cross between Cher, Carol Burnette and Noel Coward. I smoked a cig like Bette Davis, all the jerking hands and hips and bulging eyes
He BGB
That small town in Tennessee must have had mouths all dropped to the floor and were picking up their chins. But I had fun. Best memories. Nobody could smoke like Bette like I could.
Xzamilio
My worst experience was having my World History teacher wearing tight khakis and bending over in front of me. I think that was pretty homophobic since he never let me put my face in it.
robho3
Another story lifted from the pages of Reddit — what is this the 4-5 this week. Lame queerty lame.
txcham
I really had no problems. Went to an all boys prep school and figured out pretty quickly that the easiest way to get along was to let the popular, alpha types cheat off my exams. That changed my first semester in college. I went to a small private school and was one of the four openly gay guys. Three of us just kind of blended in. The fourth did everything he could to stand out and we stood by him. A few of the football players decided to make our lives a living hell. I complained to the dean of boys and he was just like too bad. For the good part. Two of us were tall broad shouldered types. As we got off the elevator we caught three jocks vandalizing our door. It happened all the time but this time we were face-to-face with assholes. There was nothing to do but fight them. Two queers against three jocks. I had never been in a fight in my life. I was terrified that I was going to get seriously injured and a crazy switch went off in my head. I sincerely wanted to kill them and tried my best. We beat the crap out of them with me farting the entire time lol. End of harassment, I transferred to a much larger school. So I guess a happy ending as I was never bothered again.
Scribe38
4th grade,the teacher’s aid and I got in a fight because I was always the last boy out of the restroom. All the guys would fight to line first for the restroom before lunch and I really didn’t care. Anyway she yelled at me and called me a “little fruit”. I yelled back at her, not even knowing she was calling me gay or what gay meant. Eventually the argument got back to my grandmother who was a teacher at the school, who threatened to punch the aid if she ever talked to me like that again.
nick458
In high school the art teacher called the blood bank and reported me for being gay. I was specifically abstaining from sex so that I could continue to give blood so it was really hurtful when I went to the blood center and they refused to let me donate and kept me in a room for a long time telling me that is was unclean and probably had AIDS (even though I was a virgin). The art teacher then told the principal I was gay and he asked me to leave his school. I did and got into a much better school ha!