VIDEO : Powerful Irish Anti-Gay Bullying Ad

This in my opinion is well made and done by the 'Belong To Youth Service' a brilliant organisation in Ireland!

reply to post by longwinter


A strong video of acceptance from a country that used to ban homosexuals because of the churches stong influence over politics and communities.

As a straight man with open gay friends and family its about time we stamped out homophobic bullying.

Let each person live their own life in what ever way gives them happyness.

reply to post by longwinter


I felt that to be quite empowering!

Jamie.

Bullies used to beat up smart kids now they do it on homosexuals? Times have change

I always felt bullies we're jealous of the smarter kids because of themselves rarely being very smart.
I guess bullies would also be jealous of people showing affection since it's so hard for them to show their real emotions...

I really wish I could see this as a change in perception. however the subject matter here was that the person is question was admittedly gay. What happens when the person on the receiving end is not?

This does not just affect the LGBT community.

Not bad.
I know a bit of the Irish context, but not very much.
I suppose that context influenced how it's made.
I wish we could see similar material in the post-colonial world, especially South Africa, where our laws are very liberal, but gay men and women still face widespread violence in areas, and the "curative rape" of lesbians is common.

However, I have some problems.
There is a fine line between opposing gay bullying and advocating homosexualizing an environment (and I speak as a gay man).
We don't see any other couples in the school holding hands (in fact in many cultures men holding hands is not regarded as homosexual - in that sense it's redefining homosexuality and broadening homophobia).
Pre-empting the backlash, I can see how this couple gets special rights, not equal rights.
It would be better if they were holding hands amongst other heterosexual couples also holding hands.

Gays remain the "born victims", unable to stand up for themselves.
If I was cornered by that homophobe, I'd either kiss him or knock his teeth out.
There's a stereotyope here of gays as weak, nerds and unfit.
Gay guys here are seemingly people who can't really help themselves.

I might be missing something, but what is the homophobia here? A few words? Oh please.
It seems to trivialize true homophobia and bullying.
Heck, I felt more sorry for the "bully" when everybody does some weird dance.

True homophobia is violent, hypocritical and dysfunctional - that is not conveyed at all.
I don't see why youngsters have to be portrayed in adult relationships to counter bullying.
Rather give them some tools that everyone can use.
Gay guys who don't identify with the shown couple might be further marginalized.
There are young guys out there thinking: "I can't be gay, I play rugby."
This does nothing for them. It threatens to mentally exclude people.
Young people who are still developing an identity don't need it imposed on them, neither gays or straights.
Recalling my school days I'd have focused on the "homophobe/bully" (always the best looking men) instead of the two nerds.

I found this advert against homophobia in football far more effective:

reply to post by JakiusFogg


Bullying on any issue whatsoever should not be tolerated, i remember kids in my school having a laugh and joke about one person just because the colour of their eyes were different from each other, they were quickly told to shut up and they did.

'First they came for the communists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak out for me.'
Martin Niemöller (1892–1984)

reply to post by longwinter


Except that no one in schools speaks out for any one else. This is a very bitter point for me I suppose, as I stood it for 8 years. I am 33 now and still it makes me angry. It wasn't until I had left school and I was in a bar with a friend (my co tormentee) and we ran into our former bullies. Of course they tried to rehash the past as it were. It quickly stopped when me and my mate kissed each other on the lips, in reaction to one of their line (in a full bar). Now, neither of us is gay, but we had matured to the point where this bollox no longer mattered to us. We had moved on, they had not.

As they say, perception is everything. and in this case perception is all the bullies have. and when that is taken away, either by force of fact, or demonstration there is nothing left for them to bully.

lol I dunno man they saying everybody's gay

not that I care but plays into the whole eugenics game pretty good

reply to post by JakiusFogg


Indeed there is a serious psychological thing going on with that type of persona, more than likely they are or have been bullied or have a 'The Truth Hurts' thing going on, whatever it is, it's their problem and not your's, they just want to make it your's, sad really. Glad you grew up to be the stronger one in reality!

Are these kids wearing uniforms or not?
What hair rules do they have?
In my day all the guys would have been caned, and the girls given detention.
These kids need some serious discipline from what I see.
The only bullies should be the teachers!

Originally posted by halfoldman
Are these kids wearing uniforms or not?
What hair rules do they have?
In my day all the guys would have been caned, and the girls given detention.
These kids need some serious discipline from what I see.
The only bullies should be the teachers!

edit on 17-5-2011 by halfoldman because: (no reason given)

All schools are different here, depending on which one you go to, i had a teacher in school who bullied and beat everyone, poor 'lesbian getting none-nun'

reply to post by longwinter


I Guess better the lesbians getting nun, than the Christian Buggerers,.... errm I mean Brothers

Originally posted by JakiusFogg
reply to post by longwinter

 

I Guess better the lesbians getting nun, than the Christian Buggerers,.... errm I mean Brothers

Very True!! Isn't the hypocrisy baffling?

Bumping just for the message, i don't want your stars or flags, just reply that will keep the message alive!