Gay Ghettos
Dateline: 09/05/97
Today I posted an article about a new Gay school, the state of Texas having decided that the best method it has to protect gay and lesbian teens from the harassment and violence of their peers being to provide an alternative solution, at a cost of $7,000 dollars per year.
The financial aspect alone poses a problem. While parents don't have to foot the entirety of the $7,000 tuition due to donations from people who want the school to succeed, what of the students whose parents cannot afford even a portion of that amount? What of the students who are not out to their parents yet still suffer from harassment and violence? What of the students whose parents assume that their child's orientation is a "phase" and would rather keep their children in school with other "normal" kids while waiting for the "phase" to pass? And what of students who are not gay or lesbian, yet still suffer because they are sufficiently different that "accusations" are made against them resulting in beatings?
The school was formed because Texas felt it could not otherwise adequately protect gay/lesbian youth. Does the formation of this school mean that it is abrogating its duty to provide a safe and nurturing school environment for all students?
It's not as if Texas is alone in this. Other states and localities have found solutions. Examples include Massachusetts, which has a state-wide program along with the plethora of information available on how to create a positive environment for students within any traditional school environment (including consciousness raising films at the elementary school level) and information on how to establish support groups for GLBT students.
And what does this separate school say to the gay or lesbian student? "You're not normal." Oh? It's for the protection of the student?
Tell me, when there is violence against minorities in a school do we form a separate school just for black students? For Hispanic students? For Anglo students?
No, that is called segregation, and we learned long ago in Brown vs. The Topeka Board of Education that separate is not equal.
Students are entitled to be taught in an environment that mimics the realities of the society into which they will be living. If other students have a problem with gay or lesbian students, then it is those other students who must be taught that intolerance is intolerable.
(I am reminded of the, perhaps apocryphal) story about Golda Meir. One of her aides informed her that women were being raped nightly on the streets of Tel Aviv, so he suggested that there be a curfew imposed upon women for their protection. Golda's reaction was, "The women aren't doing anything wrong, impose the curfew on potential rapists.")
Similar to this "Gay School" issue, a few years ago I was in a bowling league with a gay male friend of mine. He had written a letter congratulating the Los Angeles Unified School District and School Board for organizing and holding a "Gay Prom."
I asked him if this meant that gay and lesbian students would no longer be welcome at the regularly scheduled proms. Proms where they would mix with their non-gay friends along with bringing their same-gender date instead of going to a strange place surrounded by hundreds of people they did not know from schools all over the city. Isn't one of the points of a Prom saying goodbye to all your friends? (I wouldn't know, I didn't go to mine ;>) How can one do this if they aren't spending that evening with their friends?
He wrote a follow-up letter, incensed that students were not able to enjoy the school proms in peace, imploring the District to do something about the situation, instead of avoiding it.
Yet "Gay Proms" have become a big business. Available not only for students graduating from High School, but also for adults who did not attend their own Proms.
Then there's that new stupid Gay City. Halsted. West Hollywood, Greenwich Village and San Francisco come immediately to mind. But those were formed semi-naturally. Not created.
It's one thing for us to flock to an area where we feel more comfortable. It's quite another thing for others to create a place and say, "Here, this is yours." How long until we're told we have to live in a city created for our "special" needs?
I remember the last time special portions cites were created. Does the phrase "Warsaw Ghetto" ring a bell?
We're never going to obtain the rights we deserve if we assist those who would suggest we are so far from normal we need our own schools, proms and cities.
In Pride,
Deborah
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