'MO - February 2009 - (Page 12)

community Click here to comment on these stories. Shared Differences Examines Experiences of LGBT Students of Color in School LGBT students of color face unique and diverse challenges regarding victimization at school, according to Shared Differences: The Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Students of Color in Our Nation’s Schools, a report released today by GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network. The report documents the experiences of more than 2,000 lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) middle and high school students of color who were African-American, Latino/a, Asian or Pacific Islander, NativeAmerican, and multiracial, using 2007 data collected as part of GLSEN’s biennial survey of LGBT students, the National School Climate Survey, along with results from in-depth individual and group interviews. “While research on the experiences of LGBT students has increased in recent years, few studies have examined the specific victimization of students who identify as people of color and LGBT,” said GLSEN Executive Director Dr. Eliza Byard. “Our schools are diverse environments, and it is important to understand how our students experiences differ based on personal characteristics such as race and ethnicity. This report provides alarming evidence that we must act now to ensure that America’s LGBT students of color are safe in school.” The report, which can be downloaded at http://www.glsen.org/cgi-bin/iowa/all/library/ record/2374.html, also provides descriptions of the experiences of LGBT students of color in their own words. “You could very well on any day hear someone yelling across the hall, ‘fag,’ etc,” said a 10th-grade Latino male student in the report. “I’ve heard it before. … It’s hurtful because it’s just not something that you say. And it’s just generally hurtful. And I know that I’ll just be walking in a hallway, and someone will just say under their breath with a group of friends, “fag” … and hearing things like that in my school—it kind of brings me down almost. It kind of negates any hope that I have for our school to be a better place.” SOME KEY FINDINGS: • Across all groups, sexual orientation and gender expression were the most common reasons LGBT students of color reported feeling unsafe in school. • More than half of African-American, Latino/a, Asian/Pacific Islander, and multiracial students also reported verbal harassment in school based on their race or ethnicity. • About a quarter of African-American and Asian/Pacific Islander students had missed class or days of school in the past month because they felt unsafe. Latino/a, NativeAmerican, and multiracial students were even more likely to be absent for safety reasons—about a third or more skipped class at least once or missed at least one day of school in the past month for safety reasons. • Native-American students experienced particularly high levels of victimization because of their religion, with more than half reporting the highest levels of verbal harassment (54%), and a quarter experiencing physical violence (26%). • Less than half of students of color who had been harassed or assaulted in school in the past year said that they ever reported the incident to school staff. Furthermore, for those students who did report incidents to school staff, less than half believed that staff’s resulting response was effective. GLSEN released the report in conjunction with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Organizing Weekend, which took place January 16–19, 2009. Dr. MLK Jr. Organizing Weekend provides an opportunity for students and Gay-Straight Alliances to honor the coalitionbuilding work of Dr. King and other civil rights leaders, such as Bayard Rustin, by reaching out to others committed to working toward safe schools for all students. 17th Annual Chefs’ Dinner Raises More Than $285,000 for Bailey-Boushay House Proceeds support nutrition programs for clients and residents living with HIV/AIDS More than 300 community and corporate leaders gathered Sunday, Jan. 18, for an exclusive, multi-course Chefs’ Dinner, helping to raise more than $285,000 for Bailey-Boushay House, a skilled nursing facility operated by Virginia Mason Medical Center that cares for people living with HIV/AIDS and other complex, life-threatening diseases. An additional 100 guests joined them at a pre-dinner, hors d’oeuvres reception and silent wine auction. The event was the most successful Chefs’ Dinner to date, exceeding last year’s funds raised by more than $15,000. The increase was due to the tremendous generosity of host Bell Harbor International Conference Center and Columbia Hospitality; event sponsor, the Safeco Insurance Foundation; all the chefs who donated their time, talents and food to the cause; and the more than 500 participants and volunteers who opened their hearts and pocketbooks to Bailey-Boushay House. Emcee for the evening was media personality Dick Foley. “Even during this time of economic uncertainty, supporters of Chefs’ Dinner amaze us with their generosity and willingness to give to Bailey-Boushay House,” said Darren Kerbs, director of events at Virginia Mason 12 Foundation. “We far exceeded our fundraising goals and previous years’ proceeds. Donors know what a tremendous difference every gift makes to our clients. Their gifts reﬂected the critical need to sustain this important community asset.” Bailey-Boushay House, opened in 1992, is America’s first skilled nursing facility that was planned, funded, built and staffed to meet the needs of people living with AIDS. Bailey-Boushay is operated by Virginia Mason Medical Center. For more information, please visit VirginiaMason.org. celebrating seattle’s gay community http://www.glsen.org/cgi-bin/iowa/all/library/record/2374.html http://www.VirginiaMason.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of 'MO - February 2009

'MO - February 2009 Contents Letter From The Editor Voices Pet Project Gay Softball League Seeks New Players Instant Activist: Two Opportunities to Make a Difference Bailey-Boushay’s Chefs’ Dinner Pulls in More Than $285,000 GLSEN Releases Report on LGBT Students of Color Gay City Health Project: Race Relations Form & Function: Partner Workout Power Couple: Senator Ed Murray and Michael Shiosaki Montréal The ’mo Interview: Joe DiPietro New on DVD: Tru Loved Coming to CD/DVD: The Annie Lennox Collection SceneOut: People@Places AIDS Awareness & Action Day 2009 Capitol Hill Guide

'MO - February 2009

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