Grande Galerie des Glaces

The 'Things will get better' campaign is encouraging but it really means that for now things will stay the same. I am not sure this will offer any real help now to someone who is so desperate they cannot even see themselves alive in a year, or even in 24 hours time. Also things might not get better.

What is needed is real protection, legal and physical, with a change in cultural attitude starting with the government making it a hate crime to bully gay people and doing it right now. Churches that preach hatred should be brought to account and prosecuted - they have blood on their hands and must be made to pay for what they have incited others to do.

Sadly, unless there is an enforced deterrent in place, people just carry on abusing.

I apologise, I did not mean to make this a rant and hope you do not see it as one.

Hugs Binky xxxx

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"...starting with the government making it a hate crime to bully gay people and doing it right now..."
--There is some legislation in place but not enough -- mostly I think because people don't think "bullying" is serious and it goes ignored/unreported.

"Churches that preach hatred should be brought to account and prosecuted - they have blood on their hands and must be made to pay for what they have incited others to do."
--That is *so* hard to do too; WBC is very near here and they have a lot of unspoken support (imho.) When they protest soldiers deaths, that's one thing but gays? -- then people are more likely to ignore them. *sighs*

*hugs*

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I wonder if a church was prosecuted and found guilty, how willing they would be to continue? Especially if their parishioners became tired of funding the court cases!

If the laws changed then many would find a new sector to hate. Perhaps I am being cynical but many in society feel the need to hate someone, or a group, and their perspectives shift according to what the home, media and church indoctrinate them upon.

Hugs you :D

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Unfortunately any sort of legal action only further convinces these sort of 'churches' that they are in the right. And in such cases, their congregations are only too happy to continue supporting them.

Sadly, I fear you are right. It is always easier for societies to find a scapegoat to hate.

*hugs back*

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Over here most churches would find their congregations deserting them if they lost a court action.

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What is needed is real protection, legal and physical, with a change in cultural attitude starting with the government making it a hate crime to bully gay people and doing it right now. Churches that preach hatred should be brought to account and prosecuted - they have blood on their hands and must be made to pay for what they have incited others to do.

I completely agree with this. It makes me rage. It should also be addressed in schools.

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It makes me rage as well. What really annoys me is how comfortable people seem to be when they decide to be prejudiced in front of me - as if I look as though I would agree with them! They soon find out I won't and then they start trying to backtrack.

Edited Date: 2010-11-01 05:51 pm (UTC)

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Heh, yes I know. It's surprising how fast they try and backtrack. (And usually they go out of their way to avoid me afterward. Heh.)

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Back trackers piss me off because they never really learn from the experience.

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They soon find out I won't and then they start trying to backtrack.

That's one of the reasons I enjoyed working in Gala Bingo. There were a lot of gay staff and apparently it had always been like that. No-one cared. It was just accepted as normal. It made me see how things ought to be. There were even a couple of people who came out there, because they saw they didn't need to hide.

'Did you know Max is seeing Dave?'

'Really? I thought he was straight.'

'So did I.'

'Aww, bless. Want anything from the coffee machine?'

It's so much easier, so much more relaxing to see that it does not have to be a world of hiding, of hate, guilt and bullying.

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The NHS is like that too. :D

It's so much easier, so much more relaxing to see that it does not have to be a world of hiding, of hate, guilt and bullying.

I agree totally - the NHS has a long way to go on that one though - bullying is endemic. Normally nurses against nurses though. I think it is because they have never had another job so they never really grow up.

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Normally nurses against nurses though. I think it is because they have never had another job so they never really grow up.

That's really bad. Some of the things you have talked about have appalled me.

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"It should also be addressed in schools."

--I agree. But most schools just ignore things because they don't perceive bullying (and other related behaviors) as anything more than "a phase." And if a kid does complain, they are accused of being cowardly and then most of the kids will react like hounds on a blood trail ... they will not let up, not ever. And as long as there is no obvious physical injury, they just ignore it.

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But most schools just ignore things because they don't perceive bullying (and other related behaviors) as anything more than "a phase."

They didn't when I was young. I do not know why things have become so lax.

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We have had kids killed by bullying here so they take it very seriously now. A kid who is a bully is likely to be reported to social services because they assume there is trouble at home.

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Here, if the bully is male, they are considered "masculine and assertive."

If the bully is female, they are somehow considered "popular and friendly."

You don't know how many times I wished I was Carrie (even though I did manage to take care of myself.)

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We have the Human Rights Act which has forced schools to deal with bullying, the sections on humiliation and torture apply especially. Plus social services are far more likely to pay the parents a visit, beings as hitting is now illegal.

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A kid who is a bully is likely to be reported to social services because they assume there is trouble at home.

Well there probably is. My uncles said if you got caned at school, their father (my grandfather) would cane them for being caned. My dad said the same thing. Now it's so changed. :\

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I wish I knew as well. It's very disheartening.

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I agree that education is one of the big keys, so is changing cultural attitudes.

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Also, a lot of bullying is taking place in cyberspace, which has created a whole new set of legal/social issues.

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That is a major problem here; however, I believe there are new laws in place, or about to be put in place, making it illegal to terrorise with messaging or email. There is also the problem of happyslapping here as well.

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There are a few states that have cyber-bullying and cyber-stalking laws but there is still a *very* long way to go.

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