Bullying of LGBTQIA+ students in School

High school is generally difficult to handle for most folks, but it becomes a nightmare for the children who have the courage to come out to the people in their institute.
It is already difficult for queer kids, at this age, to become comfortable with their identity once they get hints and accept it, but it is even more difficult to make other people realise and accept their identities. They may subtly do it or maybe confront openly. Either way, people come to know. This is a really big decision of telling, and it really gives them the blues when they face the backlash of bullying and harassment in schools.
Bullying and harassment could be as subtle as “oh you’re gay? I’m fine with it though I mean I would never let my kid be gay, hehe” or full on, physical bullying. People do it, people see it, but nobody reports anything. This ignorance has resulted in sorrowful deaths of many kids at tender ages. People may not seem to realise, but it is happening everywhere.
No one realises how this bullying has resulted in inculcation of mental illnesses in queer kids. The risk of them having indulged in self harm is 2½ times more likely. LGBTQIA+ kids are 4 times more likely to have suicidal thoughts than their heterosexual counterparts. Children have reported not attending their schools often because they didn’t feel safe enough. This has adversely affected their teaching curriculum resulting in queer kids having a comparatively lower grade pointer.
In the instances when kids have tried to report this harassment to the authorities, they have generally not taken any step in their favor. This has pushed the kids even further into their “black hole”. This chosen ignorance by higher authorities has forced queer children to take a step back, has forced them to stay closeted and keep quiet.
When someone tries to step up and solve the problem of millions of people like them, they’re suppressed. At this point, the only solution is education. If the voices of queers are not heard, then allies should help to make them heard. Force is not an option, slowing and subtly educating people on such topics may bring the the much needed change in their mentality. One day they’ll learn.
Source – www.mentalhealthamerica.net