Non-Normative Gender and Sexual Identities in Schools: - Schools Out

SS: I mean it’s I say if they were saying oh that’s so black, or that’s so Irish or that’s so
Paki or that’s so spaz you know we would be we would be challenging it on all the other
areas. And I find it fascinating that people trip over themselves to say oh its not
homophobic, they don’t really know what they are saying where they wouldn’t be saying
that if it were spaz or black or Irish, they would be saying do you realise what you are
doing, what are you attempting to achieve. You know that use of the language in that
particular way is clearly provoking hatred in some way or another.
AM: So, in your experience, do you find a lot of teacher’s wont challenge these words,
SS: {yes}
AM: …because they think, well they don’t mean homosexual…
SS: {yes}
AM: …so it’s ok and for me that automatically indicates that they are thinking, if they did
mean homosexual then that would be wrong, because homosexuality is wrong, but
because they don’t mean, just to be clear, I don’t think homosexuality is wrong…
SS: {No, no no, I don’t think teachers think that.
AM: Right.
SS: Some may do. But I think what they think is, it is not homophobic because the word
has now changed its meaning.
AM: OK.
SS: They don’t mean homosexual.
AM: Yeah sure, but what I think, perhaps you’ll disagree with this is what they need to
understand is the fact that they don’t mean homosexual, the fact they mean stupid, is
actually very homophobic…
SS: {yes}
AM: …because the use the word gay…
SS: {yes that’s right}
AM: …in itself is not a derogatory term.
SS: It’s been chosen…
AM: {yeah}