HOMOPHOBIC bullying in schools is being targeted in a poster campaign across Teesside.
Huge red and white billboards saying: “Some people are gay. Get over it!” are being displayed throughout Middlesbrough in a two-week campaign to raise awareness.
Launched by gay rights organisation Stonewall, in London, by Torchwood star John Barrowman, the national campaign aims to crack down on bullying.
A total of 600 posters are being rolled out across the country.
It is part of Stonewall’s Education For All campaign. The slogan was designed after consulting 150 schools.
Ben Summerskill, Stonewall chief executive, said: “Homophobia is almost endemic in our schools and blights the lives of people throughout society.
“It makes sense that this zero-tolerance message should be extended to the wider public.”
But not everyone agrees.
Actor and sexual health worker James Wood is a gay Teesside man who came out when he was 17.
He remembers being bullied on a number of occasions and thinks the posters may have the opposite effect.
He said: “I don’t think the posters are a good idea.
“It’s too confrontational and won’t do gay people any favours.
“There are other ways to reach young people by going into schools and youth groups.
“I can remember being bullied three times in particular at school and at college.
“The type of people who are not gay friendly are not suddenly going to look at the posters and think ‘I won’t go out gay bashing, I’ll sit in and listen to Kylie.’
“I think if there are going to be posters for gay people then why not have them for everyone - women, old people, ethnic minorities and stop discrimination for them too?
“The posters will not change the views of those they are aimed at - it could have the opposite effect.”
More than 5,000 posters, stickers and postcards have been distributed to schools.
Digg it: source : at Gay mens blog, beauty, art, and freedom of gay expression.
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