You have likely heard many students call other students “gay” as an insult. Here is an example.
Mark: Did you know that Antonio still plays Fortnite?
Andrew: Really? That is so gay!
The major problem with using gay as an insult is that it insinuates that being gay is a bad thing. In the situation I have shown above, the word “gay” means cringy or dumb. This is not true at all. Gay is a sexual orientation, and it is not stupid. Despite gay marriage becoming legal years ago and historic LGBTQ+ rights issues across the world, many people say homophobic things like this. Gen-Z is the youngest generation, and we are supposed to be the most forward-thinking generation as well. Yet, I hear countless middle-schoolers use language similar to Andrew’s.

What do Teachers Think?

Mr. Hampf- Kids used gay as an insult all the time when I was in Middle School and I didn’t like it. I have the same opinion now.
Mrs. Stearns- I think using gay as an insult is inconsiderate and ignorant. It is also unkind because being unkind has a lot to do with being ignorant.

Wanda Sykes Video

Wanda Sykes, an actress who is lesbian, was part of a video made by GLSEN and Ad Council to fight homophobia. In the video, she combats those who use gay as an insult. This video has been shown to children across the country, it was also shown to Canyon Vista students last year. Here is the link to the video.

How to combat Homophobia

When you hear people say homophobic things, you should tell them that it is not okay to say things like that.  To combat homophobia, we must stand up to it. Tolerating bad behavior is almost as bad as condoning it.  The next time someone says gay as an insult, tell them that it is not okay.