Celebrating Diversity Training 90 Minute Session

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Celebrating Diversity Training90 Minute Session
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Population

• How many young people in Australia have a
  non-heterosexual attraction?

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5
10
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In Australian around 8-11 of young people have a
non-heterosexual attraction1
That is around 2 students in every class of 20.
1. Lindsay et al. 1997 cited in Hillier et al.,
2005 Op. cit.
2. AIHW, 2007, Young Australians their Health
and Wellbeing, Australian Institute of Health and
Wellbeing
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Writing Themselves InNational Data on Same-Sex
Attracted Young People, 1998
1. Hillier, Warr Haste (1996) 2. Lindsay,
Smith Rosenthal (1997) 3. Hillier, Matthews
Dempsey (1997)
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Writing Themselves InNational Data on Same-Sex
Attracted Young People, 1998

• 750 same-sex attracted young people aged 1421
  years from every State and Territory of
  Australia.

• Over-representation of SSAY in homeless sample 1
• SSAY report higher drug use 2
• Higher levels of STIs amongst sexually active
  SSAY 2
• Stories of abuse and links with suicide

• Hillier, L, Dempsey, D, Harrison, L, Beal, L,
  Matthews, L Rosenthal DA 1998, Writing
  Themselves In.
• Lindsay et al 1997

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Writing Themselves InSources used by SSAY for
information
Hillier, L, Dempsey, D, Harrison, L, Beal, L,
Matthews, L Rosenthal DA 1998, Writing
Themselves In.
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Writing Themselves InSources of Information
Hillier, L, Dempsey, D, Harrison, L, Beal, L,
Matthews, L Rosenthal DA 1998, Writing
Themselves In.
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Writing Themselves In Again 6 Years OnThe 2nd
national report on the sexuality, health and
well-being of same-sex attracted young Australians

• This study followed up Writing Themselves In to
  explore the positive changes since 1998
• 1749 respondents aged between 14 - 21

1. Hillier et al., 2005a, Writing themselves in
again, Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health
and Society, LaTrobe University, Melbourne
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Writing Themselves In AgainSexual attraction,
identity and behaviour

• Young people more likely to be attracted
  exclusively to the same sex and identify as
  gay, homosexual or lesbian than in 1998
• Young women still less likely than men to
  identify as gay, homosexual or lesbian
• Increase in positive feeling about sexuality -
  76 feeling great or good in 2004 compared
  with 60 in 1998
• SSAY people more likely to be sexually active
  earlier than heterosexual peers
• SSAY more likely to be having sex in line with
  feelings of attraction than 1998 study
• Therefore, assumptions should not be made
  about SSAY sexual behaviours

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Writing Themselves In AgainSexual attraction,
identity and behaviour

• Young women were more likely than young men to be
  SSA yet only heterosexually active

• 47 with only women
• 27 with both sexes and
• 5 with only the opposite sex

Who are lesbians having sex with?

• 17 with only women
• 37 with both sexes and
• 17 with only the opposite sex

Who are bisexual women having sex with?

• 70 with only men
• 10 with both sexes and
• 1 with only the opposite sex

Who are gay men having sex with?
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Sexuality can be fluid
Writing Themselves In AgainSexual attraction,
identity and behaviour
Homosexuality
Heterosexuality

• You may like men, but sleep with women where do
  you sit on this continuum?

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Writing Themselves In AgainWhat age did these
young people realise their sexuality?
30 before puberty 30 during puberty 10 always
knew1
If a third of students realise their SSA before
puberty, when should we be discussing SSA issues
in schools?
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Writing Themselves In AgainHomophobia and
discrimination

• Work and school were more common sites of this
  discrimination
• 44 reported verbal abuse and 16 reported
  physical assault (same as 1998)
• The most common site for abuse, was school - 74
  of abuse happened there.
• Impact on young people who had been abused
• Fared worse on every indicator of health and
  wellbeing
• Felt less safe at school, home, social occasions
  and sporting events
• More likely to self harm, report an STI and use
  a legal and illegal drugs
• More likely to have sought support from
  individual or organisations

Discrimination is against the law Victorian
Equal Opportunity and Human rights Commission
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Writing Themselves In AgainAlcohol and drug use

• Drug use still substantially higher than for
  heterosexual young people
• In 2004 use of all drugs was down on reported
  use in 1998
• Significant relationship between experience of
  homophobic abuse and drug use

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Writing Themselves In AgainDisclosure and support

• More young people had disclosed their sexuality
  in 2004 than in 1998 (95 vs 82)
• Support for those who had disclosed had
  increased
• More young people are disclosing to teachers and
  school welfare counsellors
• Friends remained most popular confidantes -
  followed by mothers
• Young people feel isolated and unsafe can
  connect supportive and accepting world through
  the internet

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Writing Themselves In AgainMultiple layers of
identity

• SSAY Culturally and Linguistically Diverse
  Backgrounds (CALD)
• Less likely to have disclosed to parents and
  feel safe at home than anglo peers
• Religion
• Young people being forced to choose - sexuality
  or religion.
• In many cases the rejection of their sexuality
  and the embracing of their religion
  resulting in young people hating and harming
  themselves.
• SSAY with a disability
• Dual discrimination between and within the two
  groups
• Generalised feeling of people with disabilities
  being asexual
• Very little research in this area

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Writing Themselves In AgainMultiple layers of
identity

• Rural areas
• Feel less safe at social occasion than their
  urban peers
• Lack of appropriate services, SSA safe-sex
  information, confidentiality and support and
  accessing information through gay media
• Those migrating to urban areas at risk due to
  lack of knowledge of new environment (eg. drugs,
  alcohol, available services)

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Writing Themselves In AgainThe way forward

• Preventable abuse is predisposing young people
  to health risks including self harm and suicide
• Schools, most importantly, need to address
  homophobia when it occurs - recognise it, name it
  and react with zero tolerance

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Same-Sex Attracted Youth SuicideWhy are we still
talking about it?

• Suicide Prevention Australia
• National conference, Sydney, April 2001
• Study by Jonathan Nicholas and John Howard(not
  the former Prime Minister, another Mr Howard )

• 528 young adults up to 30yrs (m21yrs)
• Heterosexual 94 males, 192 females
• SSA 123 males, 119 females
• Includes people from non-urban areas

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Same-Sex Attracted Youth SuicideWhy are we still
talking about it?

• Suicide Attempts
• Bisexual/undecided female 34.9
• Bisexual/undecided male 29.4
• Lesbian female 28
• Gay male 20.8
• Heterosexual female 8.3
• Heterosexual male 5.4

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Same-Sex Attracted Youth SuicideWhy are we still
talking about it?

• Lesbians first suicide attempts on average
• 1.9 years after becoming sexually interested in
  women,
• 0.2 years after self-identifying as SSA,
• 0.8 years before another person found out they
  were lesbian,
• 2 years before they had their first samegender
  sexual experience

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Same-Sex Attracted Youth SuicideWhy are we still
talking about it?

• Gay males first suicide attempts on average
• 5.7 years after becoming sexually interested in
  men,
• 3.5 years after self-identifying as gay,
• 0.4 years before another person found out they
  were gay,
• 0.3 years before they had their first
  same-gender sexual experience

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Disclosure to Professionals

• 22 had disclosed to a counsellor outside school
  (63 were supportive)
• 13 to a special teacher (60 supportive)
• 12 to a youth worker (67 supportive)
• 11 to doctors (67 supportive)

• 6 to a student welfare or school counsellor
  (67 supportive)

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Coming Out to Parents

• 72 had not told their mothers
• 84 had not told their fathers
• Generally it was slightly more likely that
  mothers would be more supportive then fathers
• Reactions ranged from
• Ignoring or discounting the information
• Passive acceptance
• Tears
• Screaming
• Rejection and ejection from the family home
• No parents celebrated the revelation

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Activity video
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What is a whole school approach?

• 1. Policy development
• 2. Professional development and training
• 3. Inclusive curriculum frameworks
• 4. Student support and welfare
• 5. The broader school community

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Policies frameworks for schools

• Framework for Student Support Services
• National Safe Schools Framework
• Talking Sexual Health
• The Victorian Equal Opportunity Act
• Codes of Conduct
• Health Promoting Schools
• MindMatters

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Responding to homophobia at school

• N name the problem
• A refer to the agreement' ie our ground
  rules/policies say no put downs
• C give consequences If you use a put-down
  again you will have to follow disciplinary
  procedures

Developed by Felicity Martin, SSA Project Worker,
Nillumbik Community Health Centre, 2003
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Responding to comments aimed at people

• 1. Im not sitting next to her shes so gay.
• I dont want to hear you putting people down
• A persons sexual orientation is none of your
  business.
• Go away and do some research for me about the
  word gay
• Hes a poofter.
• What has their sexuality got to do with the
  situation?
• How do you know the person is gay? (Be aware of
  personal attacks)
• This is regarded as harassment - go and read
  the school policy on..

4. Im not sitting at that desk - its
gay. I didnt know a desk could have a sexual
orientation. We accept both gay and
heterosexual desks in this classroom All desks
are celibate here (in a catholic or religious
school)
3. We hate Ms Sing shes such a big
lezzo. What do you mean by that?
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Responding to comments aimed at objects

• 5. This movie is so gay.
• Does it have a gay or lesbian theme?
• Whats a better word to explain what you mean?
• So are you saying you like it or you dont like
  it?
• What do you mean by gay in an emotional
  sense?

6. Were not getting in that car Fords are
gay. Are all Fords gay? Falcons, Utes? Fords
come in all shapes and sizes. So you would
prefer a Volvo? How can you tell? So youd
prefer to walk? Look what youre missing out
on. I really dont like it when you talk like
that. Its got a steering wheel so it swings
both ways.
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Creating SSAY friendly environmentsCreated by
Felicity Martin, Nillumbik Banyule SSAY Support
Project

• Modelling inclusiveness of all students,
  including those of different cultures, religions
  and sexual orientation, will say so much to a
  young person.
• Assume at least 10 of people are SSA
• Respond to homophobic abuse in the same way
  youd respond to racism or sexism
• Display posters and brochures in pastoral care
  and welfare areas
• Buy books and videos for the school library
• Make every classroom a SEXISM, RACISM,
  HOMOPHOBIAFREE ZONE
• Include different family structures in any
  discussions on family and community
• Organise a whole school review of your
  anti-bullying and anti-discrimination policies
• Ensure that school computers allow internet
  access to sites discussing SSA issues
• Be openly supportive towards, and a resource
  for, SSA young people in your school.
• Advertise the local SSAY social support group
• Display rainbow stickers around the school.

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Some points to remember

• Silence
• Same sex attracted (SSA) young people attend
  your school
• For most of these students their experience
  is likely to be challenging
• There are options for supporting SSA students
  and addressing homophobia at your school

Adapted from information by Daniel Witthaus,
Pride and Prejudice program.