Sadly, even in the second decade of the twenty-first century homophobic language remains as prevalent as ever. Ninety nine per cent of lesbian, gay and bisexual young people report hearing the derogatory use of phrases such as ‘that’s so gay’ or ‘you’re so gay’ in school. Unfortunately many of those schools still continue to cling to the old adage: ‘Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me’. The truth however, as good educators know, is that unchallenged use of ‘gay’ to mean bad or rubbish has a profoundly negative effect on gay young people’s self-esteem.
That’s why Stonewall has launched a ground-breaking new campaign to make plain the importance of tackling homophobic language. We’ve produced a series of posters challenging the use of the word gay, alongside this guide for teachers and a partner guide for young people on how they too can challenge homophobic language among their peers