Tips for Dealing with Bullying, Homophobia, and Transphobia in Schools

It is easy to say it gets easier after school, but do you deal with life before it gets better?

Many young people commit suicide because of homophobic and transphobic bullying, and this is the reason we have to fight it.

If you are the victim, make sure you just stand up and speak out if it is safe. It might feel like the scariest thing in the world to do, but you will feel stronger at the end.

Gay Star News decided to team up with Diversity Role Models to create a top list of tips to overcome bullying, or at least deal with it before you leave school.

Diversity Role Models’ vision is for all children and young people can live, learn, grow, and play safely, regardless of issues because of gender and sexuality.

Their mission is to eliminate homophobic and transphobic bullying.

Speaking with Suran Dickson from Diversity Role Models, she offered a few tips to overcome bullying.

1) Seek support

Dickson said: ‘The first thing a child should do is seek support. Surround yourself with people that will help you.

‘Make sure to have supportive friends around you.’

Have support from multiple people and it will lead to a positive outlook on life. It will also give you a peace of mind.

According to Helpguide, people should seek someone they feel comfortable speaking to about the situation.

2) Report the bullying to a trusted adult

A bully will not leave you alone until you do something about the situation.

Dickson added: ‘If possible, try and speak to an adult.’

If you do not report the threats or assaults, a bully will become more aggressive overtime.

Given the frequent attacks of a bully, alarming a trusted adult should be a quick priority.

3) Turn off Facebook

Bullying has become so evolved over the years, many adults have no idea the pain some teens go through on social media.

Unlike traditional bullying, cyberbullying doesn’t require physical strength or face-to-face contact and isn’t limited to just a handful of witnesses at a time.

From spreading lies and rumors, tricking people into revealing personal information, posting pictures of victims without their consent, and being just plain mean, cyberbullying takes on several different forms.

What is worse, is that it does not end when teens leave the school gates.

Every social media site has a guide for when you feel like you are being harassed, so make sure you block and report.

4) Share your feelings

Sometimes the toughest thing about feelings is sharing them with others.

Try to speak with a counselor, teacher, coach, or even a trusted friend about the situation.

Expressing your dilemma can make a huge difference in terms of growth as a person.

Keeping information bottled up within oneself could lead to problems later in life.

5) Walk away

Bullies want to have some sort of control over you. Do not react with anger or force.

Some bullies just crave the attention that they never had and others just thrive on the pain of other people.

If you ignore the bully and calmly tell them you do not care. Even better, make it a joke.

You are demonstrating to the bully that they do not control you.

When you do have to encounter the person, be strong and brave.

Nothing makes a bully feel better than to know that they have actually hurt someone so don’t give them that satisfaction.

Dickson said: ‘If it comes down to it, remove yourself from the situation. Some situations are unavoidable like PE changing rooms.’

Alert an adult immediately if confrontation occurs.

6) Safety is your first priority

If a bully uses force and if you cannot walk away and are being physically attacked, protect yourself so you can get away.

No person should be allowed to cause any physical harm to you.

On rare occasions when bullying does occur our key priorities are to make sure that the child who has been bullied feels safe and protected.

Bullying in any form is unacceptable and we have taken the following actions to ensure that all children feel safe and free from bullying or the threat of bullying.

7) Do not become emotional and defensive

First of all, never let a bully put you on the defensive. Do not apologize for your behavior, unless it was truly a mistake.

Never argue or become angry.

Try and avoid being self-protective, since a bully will feel like he or she is being challenged and threatened.

Dickson added: ‘Don’t rise to the bait and don’t become defensive in the situation.’

Remember to stay calm and keep a clear head when dealing with a bully.

8) Find friends

Try and use social media sites to create a network of friends who share the same interest as you.

You can also make friends at youth groups, book clubs, or religious organizations.  Try taking up new hobbies such as art, music, or sports.

If you are able to build a community of friends online who share the same interest, you will be able to forget about the bully and have a supportive online family.

Dickson added: ‘Bullying can lead to depression and if possible use your creative skills to seek new hobbies and opportunities.’

9) Most of all, remember it does get better

Focus on the positive and reflect on all the things you appreciate in life, including your own qualities and gifts.

A bully’s aim is to say very hurtful things to upset and cause distress to individuals.

Some may call you names because of your sexuality.

Dickson said: ‘If you are being bullied because of your sexuality, you can’t really defend that.’

Nothing is wrong with if you are LGBTI+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex +) and you should not pay any attention to them.

Many bullies cause misery to others because they are not happy with their own lives.

She added: ‘Don’t take anything serious a bully says personally.

‘If someone makes fun of your ears or your sexuality, don’t listen because you really cannot change it.’

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This article is excerpted from GSN.