Epping Forest Lib Dems say 'Help stop homophobic bullying'

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 5th Jun 2006

A 14-year old girl, after disclosing to a friend she might be a lesbian, was forced by the PE teacher to sit outside the changing rooms before and after sports lessons until the "normal" children have changed.

A boy who came out when he was 12 was persecuted at school as a consequence. He had a camp way of speaking and walking, which the other children didn't like. "People would put up signs saying I had Aids, that I was a dirty, HIV faggot and not to go near me. I was punched and kicked."

All bullying has serious effects on victims, often resulting in failure to achieve their full potential at school, or to their truancy, self-harm and in some cases, suicide.

Liberal Democrats have a general concern about all aspects of bullying. We are turning the spotlight on this particular problem because homophobic bullying is harder to monitor and tackle at the moment. It is not about being "politically correct" but ensuring that all pupils know bullying will not be tolerated - and there are no exceptions.

Homophobic bullying affects not only pupils who grow up to be gay, but those with gay family members and pupils labeled "gay" by their peers. Words as "gay" are commonly bandied about as an insult, frequently unchallenged by staff in schools.

If homophobic bullying is to be successfully challenged then it needs leadership from the top to set high standards of expected behaviour and ensure all pupils can learn in safety.

Sign the petition at http://www.libdems.org.uk/campaigns/stop-homophobic-bullying.html