Have you ever been bullied or harassed because of your sexual orientation?

Question

Zuegma1977- I've become the same way and I'm 21. I'm just sick of both the homophobic attitudes that many straight people continue to have, people who take advantage of someone's kindness, and even the b*tchiness that most other g*y people have towards each other. I've become one of those bitter types as well.

Answer 1

Uhh not really.  Once this ****** kid in my French class said something to the effect of he wouldn't hit a girl, but I looked like a guy enough that it wouldn't matter.  I don't know if he was just mean or if it's because I don't really dress girly or what, so you might consider that as something.  Otherwise I'm not completely out (only to close friends and sister), so I guess I haven't really been harassed for it and all of my friends are really cool about it.  I don't know, It's harder on g*y guys I think just because of the double standard of it  being "hot" to be a L*****n and "sick" to be g*y.  

Answer 2

Yes. My "best friend" doesnt know i'm g*y, but assumes i am and commonly crackes "jokes" and makes rude remarks regarding the issue. My little brother calles me a "f*g" and "homo" all the time. It sucks, but I always come up with amazing comebacks for both my brother and my "friend" (not sure at this point about friendship...). I recently got back at my friend, and it worked like a charm! Haven't heard so much as a peep on the subject out of him since the start of July!

Answer 3

Yes.  My worst memories come from junior high school.  My best friend stopped hanging out with me then and I didn't even know why since I hadn't figured out my own sexuality yet.  I was regularly beat up at school and lived in fear during the 7th and 8th grade.  Once high school arrived it was much easier because the school was so large that it was easier to fade into the background (and thus avoid getting beat up and called names).

How did I cope?  I did have some friends who were good to me.  I also had some great teachers like in English.  One English class was titled "Man's Inhumanity to Man" and in that high school class I learned a lot about how different people suffered at the hands of others.  That made me stronger.  I went on to college where things got easier still and chose a major where I would be able to help others with their suffering as a career.

It may sound simplistic but as the saying goes "That which does not kill us, makes us stronger".  Having said that, our society continues to have a desperate need to work towards celebrating and honoring diversity rather than hating and bullying.

Thanks for asking this question.    

Answer 4

Yes I have. I'm bisexual and I get harassed all the time. =[

Also, why are you mad at the guy who said he was harassed for being heterosexual? Why can't heterosexuals answer your questions?

That's discrimination too ya know!

Answer 5

Yes. I had to leave the place i grew up and in the end move to California to get a real g*y life. I have been beaten up, cars vandalized, verbally abused and threatened.

   What keeps me strong- My family(who has been incredibly supportive) My Church, my peers. After so many years of being open, i have a good basis for my own self support system.  

Answer 6

As a g*y student, I can tell you this; PE is virtually impossible to live through day to day when you are an outed g*y. I'm harassed on a day to day basis, but I just try to wave it off, Except for the last few days of school, I was thrown an Icee at the locker room, that wasn't fun.

But at the same time, it's not the 'homophobes' that p**s me off the most.

It's the clingy overreactive girls that just 'need' to have a g*y best friend. As if we're some sort of a fashion accessory. I feel that they are being just as ignorant as any other homophobe. It has gotten me to recluse myself from those people.

This really has let me down, especially my GSA which was full of those girls until I came in and laid it down. You know, I think that the only thing we can actually do about these people [at this age] is to educate them. They probably won't absorb anything, I mean they we're probably brought up within a very conservative background and they're teenagers.  We won't win anything by force, the only thing we can do is keep supporting each other when we're down and keep the g*y group mind together.

I guess what keeps me strong, is my own will to be successful, not just as a student, but as an individual, with my own beliefs. And of course my boyfriend.  

Answer 7

To flinginsf: Sexual orientation is not a lifestyle. g**s and lesbians live the same variety of so-called lifestyles as everyone else. We're city dwellers, farmers (yes, farmers), suburban soccer moms and dads, two-income-no-kids guppies (that's yuppies with a G), etc. etc. People are born with their sexual orientation in place. The only choice we make is to feel good about ourselves despite the bigots and homophobes out there.

To FTW: Good for you. I've only had to deal with verbal abuse. I've been lucky. I hope your answer helps show flinginsf where homophobia leads.

By the way: "flinginsf" Fling in San Francisco? Hmm. Do I smell a self-loathing closet case?

Answer 8

Yes, I've been called a homophobe and a breeder simply because I disagree with the g*y lifestyle.

EDIT: You just proved my point, you are a heterophobe and a discriminatory bigot.

Answer 9

I have had slurs yelled at me, that's about it.  My bf is very 'in your face' in his response to harassment.  In the end, I try not to give a leap about what other people think.  I make the world change around me.  

My partner and I will hold hands sometimes in public, usually not.  We always kiss hello and goodbye at the airport though (we fly a lot!).

I have only had a negative response once at the airport -- the san francisco police car honked his horn at us ~ it was shocking...

Once on a plane, we were holding hands, and the girl in the 3rd seat said "oh well, what can you do" to herself.  In the end, that is what they all need to learn.  What can they do?  

Stand up and be strong, because  that is the only way that you will change the world around you.  You don't have to take to the streets.  You can be politically g*y, but being g*y, and letting people know it.  The more people that realize they know g*y people, the less harassment we will get.

Answer 10

In school, maybe a tad in class. The biggest thing was when I was at a game with my cousin and someone kept throwing stuff my way.

But I'm over that and I think he is too. I'm not totally sure who did it but out of the both of them, we both kinda say hi now. We've matured and I forgave!!^^

Answer 11

My father is really suspicious of me. He also tries to do things to enforce my heterosexuality like crack jokes about taking me to a strip bar or "hooters", frankly I'm quite put off by his display.

Answer 12

Yes all the time since I was 8yrs.old =[

Wen I was born my family and friends constanly called me names. Wen I was 8 my voice was very grly...nd den I will always roll my eyes wen dey bother me which makes it worse. Evrybdy assume I was a f*g!!!!....in skoOl it was worse bczz evrybdy will cme upp 2 me and ask me and dey didn't evn noe me. Evrybdy spread rummors about me. Oh dnt tlk 2 him he's g*y he's a f*g he shld die go2 h**l...nd othrr thngs etc...I was very weak nd intill dis day I'm stll the sme. It destroy my whole life...in skOol I try 2 stay by myself cry in my room wen I get home. Hide from my uncles nd family except my mom. The problem is dat smetimes I thnk my mom thnks the sme as well. Wen I was 9yrs.old she tld me I will accepet u 4 who u r g*y/bi. The problem is dat I'm going 2 h.s in dis sept. Its goin 2 b my 1st yr. I feel like a loser and always keep my head down bczz I cnt face the fact dat I'm bi. Evrytime I wlk 2 skOol or smewerr I put my head down 2 the ground bczz kiddsz made me feel unsafe. I'm scared of my life and will always b....smetimes I thnk I need help like c a docotor or smethng bczz I cnt feel sexualy attracted 2 1 s*x. I get turn on by both.

Answer 13

When younger I was the typical happy, friendly, talkative g*y guy......As the years went by, people throwing words, hate ect at me....I became a bit defensive......Fast forward life; Now Im 31 and I feel like I've become those bitter unfriendly g*y guy. I was told I look mean, some co-workers found out I was g*y to top it off, they avoided me cuz they were bit intimitaded by me. But in the end they realize who I was after all, I'd say I've become a butchy tough g*y guy.....Some people couldnt believe Im g*y, sometimes I reflect back and realize; did negative people changed me? Im always defensive, when someone makes a comment I get in their face and cuss at them they freak out cuz they never expected that from a g*y guy..........

Answer 14

once and I punch the guy in the face, he got knocked out. and I don't let other people opinions affect me, accept the people I love, they matter and keep me strong.

Answer 15

I've been shot.  I've been stabbed. I've had my skull busted. My parents threw me out of the house at 15.  I've lost friends, family, jobs. I've been evicted from apartments.  I've heard more derogatory words directed at me than I knew existed....LOL

Fook them all.  I'm here, I'm qweer, and no one is going to break me.