Are there places in Britain where it's dangerous to be gay?

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Reply 60

Moonstruck16

Ghetto secondary schools. Particularly between years 7-9.

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Reply 61

The_Last_Melon

anywhere in which people have a shred of class and thus anywhere away from money

Reply 62

littlebitofsky

I wouldn't particularly say that the area in which I live is a 'dangerous' place to be gay, although I have no doubt that there are places in the UK where gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals feel threatened on a daily basis.

I have however experienced discrimination and homophobic bullying. It's not quite the same as being beaten up, but it has a negative and notable impact on my (and many others') mental and emotional health. For example, a lot of young people still use the word 'gay' to mean 'rubbish' or 'bad'. When I hear someone say "Oh, that's so gay" it makes my heart sink. They're basically saying that because I'm gay, I'm also rubbish, or dysfunctional. Often they have no idea what they're saying, and that's almost worse. They're a product of a society that systematically discriminates against anyone who isn't heterosexual.

I have been told by a teacher that it's a phase and I'll grow out of it. Girls have called me an effing dyke and scribbled the word 'lesbian' on my schoolwork. When we had sex-ed at school the only mention of a homosexual relationship was in the context of paedophilia. When I went to Gay Pride with my friends a man stood on a street corner and hurled homophobic slurs at us. Someone once told me I was disgusting. None of these things damaged me physically but they still hurt, and continue to hurt.

So although (thankfully) it isn't dangerous to be gay in many places in Britain on a purely physical level, homophobia and targeted bullying do have a major impact on many members of the LGBT community. We still don't live in a fully tolerant society. Getting there, though :smile: