The release of a national school survey showing high levels of abuse and assault towards LGBT+ students must act as a “wakeup call” for the Irish Government, said BeLonG To Youth Services. 

As highlighted in the 2019 School Climate Survey, 73% of LGBT+ students feel unsafe at secondary school. 77% of LGBT+ students have experienced verbal harassment, 38% experienced physical harassment, and a further 11% experienced physical assault.

Today, @BeLonG_To launch the #SchoolClimateSurvey – the largest sample of #LGBT students in Ireland ever. The report reveals 73% of LGBTI+ students feel unsafe at school. We must do better than this for young people. https://t.co/uplTH6Pr9v pic.twitter.com/kLHjUcXVYB

— Gay Community News (@GCNmag) November 12, 2019

Speaking anonymously, one student said, “When kids know you are trans they don’t see you as male or female or human. I am pretty much a one-man zoo. I can’t change this fact and I’m pretty suicidal because of it.” Further highlighting the issues transgender students face in school, the Independent reported that a student suffered dehydration to avoid using the bathrooms.

https://twitter.com/BeLonG_To/status/1194222104117428224

CEO of BeLonG To Youth Services, Moninne Griffith, said, “This research must act as a wakeup call for the government, schools, politicians, parents and students. Minister for Education, Joe McHugh needs to take immediate action and prioritise the safety and wellbeing of LGBTI+ students who are seriously at risk. The government cannot continue to ignore the risk posed to LGBTI+ students – real political action is needed. This must stop now.”

Research findings for the 2019 School Climate Survey were released to mark the 10th year of Stand Up Awareness Week. Marking the release of the findings, Griffith further states, “Growing up LGBTI+ isn’t all rainbows post-the marriage equality referendum. Our findings indicate the intense discrimination, harassment, isolation and stigma that LGBTI+ students experience in Ireland. Worse still, the research reveals that some staff members turn a blind eye to, and sometimes even contribute, anti-LGBTI+ remarks.”

48% of LGBT+ students reported that they have heard homophobic remarks being made by teachers and staff members, with a further 55% reporting that staff have made transphobic comments. As stated by a student, “I told my friends I was gay in first year and they outed me to everyone. It was horrible. People scribbled slurs on my photos around the school and wrote a slur on my locker in marker. I told my teacher and she basically told me I shouldn’t have come out then, as if it was my choice in the first place.”

68% of LGBT+ students have heard anti-LGBT+ comments being made by fellow students. One student said, “I was physically and verbally harassed while I was in school based on my sexual orientation and because I was more masculine than other girls. I got yelled at by one student who used dyke and lesbian in a negative way towards me, then repeatedly punched and kicked me while other students watched this happened on two occasions.”

Another student reported, “I was sexually abused by the guys in the PE changing room age 14 to 17 on a weekly basis. They would slap my ass, put their fingers up my ass, grope me and pull at my penis. I was terrified of PE and this affected my attendance on PE days.” Due to this hostile environment, LGBT+ students are 27% more likely to miss school days and 8% are less inclined to pursue third-level education.

Professor Oren Pizmony-Levy, author of the research, stated, “As countries make progress with LGBT+ rights, we need to pay attention to schools where the next generation is learning to lead us toward a more equitable and inclusive world. Our findings show that, similar to other countries, schools in Ireland have much work to do.”

https://twitter.com/BeLonG_To/status/1194217138384515075

GCN has contacted the Department of Education for a response to the findings.