linkIn the past several weeks, the issue of homophobia at our school has been in the forefront of the news. Over the past few years, racism and diversity have been the subject of social debate. But the problem of homophobia and heterosexism, as well as the rights of and respect for the GLBTQ (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer) community, have been quietly neglected by straight, progressive students. Our concerted efforts at fighting institutional forms of oppression continue to face significant setbacks as a result of such fractures and bigotry within our social movements.
The most striking case reported was that of the assault of a student due to the perception that he was gay. On February 28th, after being called gay epithets, the student was beaten badly enough that he got a concussion and a fractured eye socket. In this case, it appears that the student might not even be gay - but regardless, the assaulter was charged with hate crime violations, because the student was allegedly gay.
