Study looks into students attitude towards gays

By REBECCA WALSH education reporter

Secondary schools remain "unsafe" places for gay students, a study has found.

The survey of 821 students at 107 New Zealand high schools found that one-fifth of students did not believe gay or bisexual students would feel safe at school.

The Otago University's Children's Issues Centre study found gay students were likely to suffer verbal harassment and some were likely to be the target of physical abuse.

A large proportion were thought to be "invisible."

Only 5 per cent of the students, aged 15 and 16, thought gay students would feel safe but 67 per cent of them said they did not know.

The responses were similar for the 438 staff surveyed.

Researcher Dr Karen Nairn said the high proportion of students who did not know highlighted the invisibility of gay students.

"It's not safe to be open ... generally I think schools are relatively unsafe places for gay and lesbian students."

One student said she did not know any gay students "but judging from the way people talk about them, I think they would feel unsafe."

But another student, who was bisexual, said she had "no hassles" when people knew her sexual orientation.

A male student said he had been labelled gay for writing poetry.

In general, female students were more accepting of gay students, as were Maori and Polynesian students, Dr Nairn said.

The most extreme anti-gay comments tended to come from boys at single-sex schools.

One male student said people "hate gays and would want to beat them up."

But Dr Nairn said that for every generalisation there was an exception.

Students from 45 schools mentioned gay students were accepted or that there were supports in place for them.

Sixteen-year-old Jeanie Sergent-Shadbolt, a lesbian student at Wellington East Girls' College, said that for many students "coming out" was a frightening experience and there were not enough supports in schools.

Jeanie, who is a member of Wellington-based group "Schools Out," a social and support group for gay students, said schools should provide more information about gay groups and incorporate homosexuality more positively into the school curriculum.

"Also having teachers who are willing to say 'that's not on' if they hear something negative."

"They are willing to do that for racism but if a student says something homophobic teachers will let that pass," she said.

Dr Nairn said anti-gay attitudes were often linked with sexist or racist attitudes or harassment.

The PPTA is sending out guidelines to secondary schools providing information about gay, bisexual and transgender issues.