's Blogs

Millions wear purple on Spirit Day in a stand against bullying and to show their support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth. Observed annually since 2010, individuals, schools, organizations, corporations, and public figures wear purple, which symbolizes 'spirit' on the rainbow flag. Getting involved is easy: Wear purple or go purple online on October 17th and help create a world in which LGBT youth are celebrated and accepted for who they are. http://www.glaad.org/spiritday

bullies are not acceptable in any walk of life

http://youtu.be/OH6TSrkCNlo

Homophobic bullying? Queer bashers are really bashing the queer inside not outside. Insecurity + repressed sexuality.

The only time I have been subjected to homophobic bullying was when I was 18. It was the two most unpleasant weeks of my life (but for various reasons I was unable to simply leave) - and by a guy who is now a senior politician.

I was bullied by one guy for a couple of years.He was a nasty piece of work. I came across him a few years later at a youth club. That evening I waited outside for him (I was a lot bigger by then) and I said "remember me?" He said no but I still knocked seven bells out of him and left him lying in the gutter. Every one was shouting "shame on you beating up a mentally retarded kid". Turned out he was one of a pair of identical twins. He went to a special school and I had beat the wrong one up! Still feel guilty about that many years later.

Me too when I was young BUT when I turned 12 - I GREW BIG. An older bully tried his performance at school and He was put down - I've hatted bullies every since and stop it when I see it happen..

Bullying takes many forms. I managed to protect myself through school by making one the jocks my best friend. After college when he found out I was gay. He wrote me out of his life. But I was safe on the schoolyard. But like jjlonerider, home was different. I was a later in life child. Adopted. My Dad was an ex-Marine, lettered in every sport in High School. Hunted and fished. And the disappointment in his face every time he looked at me as I grew up was palpable. I was lousy at sports (needed glasses but no one knew), liked to read, took music lessons. Disrupted the hunting by making too much noise. Just wanted the animals to have a chance to hide. It never goes away. It stays with you forever. I spent my entire life trying to make him proud, to have him say he loved me. Never got to hear it.

So bullying can be done with no words, no physical action. Just the knowledge that you are unworthy of someone's love and affection.

I was bullied at school by a few students and a couple teachers. I have no contact with them now and have no interest in finding them. Bullies exist everywhere. They are a part of life, like taxes and occasional constipation.

i was never bullyed but a lot of lads were n i used to hang out with the lads who were getting bullyed n then batter the bullys all my mates would not stand up for themselfs i used to do it for them x

I was bullied at high school and hated it. I think the guy that bullied me really liked me but was to macho to express his feelings any other way. He constantly tried to have me meet him after his wrestling match. After being humiliated, having books knocked out of my hands, being hit in the chest on a regular basis, I don't think he would have been a good catch. And he had a really bad acne problem too.

Its so Sad when your Bully is yr Dad.The one person thats suposed to
protect you from that sort of crap.

i was bullied at home for years by my dad. i have no relationship with him now and don't miss him at all.

people at school think bullying is clever. its not and they just prey on the weak. thankfully i wasnt bullied but i know people were were and i stuck up for them. i got detention for fighting once and i told headmaster why i did it. he still didnt let me off tho lol

bullys r everywhere.. school.. home... work.. and yes even here on gbt :( sh

compelling story @JJlonerider. Thinking about it, my older brother was my biggest bully. At some point in my early school years he turned from being my protector to my worst tormentor. My father did nothing about it, he thought it would "man me up", and just normal sibling rivalry. There is difference between sibling rivalry and sibling abuse, something my father would still laugh at. After I moved away I had little contact with my brother, who eventually drank himself to death. Can't say I miss him much.

Like batmanseeksrobin my bullying came at home but not from one older brother from 5 older bothers, 4 older sisters and my parents and not a bit of it over my sexuality as they don’t even know about to this day. I am positive were any of them confronted about it they would be utterly shocked that I felt in anyway I was ever bullied, it would a case that they never did anything wrong, it would be I was wrong in the way I felt about it. What they would not understand is bullying can come with no physical abuse whatsoever. They would not understand the toll the prolonged, coordinated emotional attacks take over a lifetime. I am probably not unique at all in the fact that I wanted and needed a relationship with family and what I wanted more that anything was their acceptance, their approval, I tried relentlessly please them, in truth I am still trying but never have been able to. I was made fun of at home constantly for things as trivial as my stature, all my older brothers were over six feet and at 5’-10” was the “runt” in the family. I somehow also ended up with blond hair and a very gentle and passive nature about me, more fuel for the pack. Six boys and 4 girls and one of the ongoing comments from dear old dad was, “I raised 5 boys and 5 girls”, he would bring home co-workers from the road crew he worked on and I would get introduced as his youngest daughter and everyone would have a good laugh, I suppose he never knew how humiliating it was to be laughed at, to be the ongoing joke of the family. School was actually my safe haven, I got along well with both teachers and other kids at school, I fit in there, it was always home where I was out of place. I was involved in athletics in school and actually became quite poplar but it was also in school where something even worst happened than what went on at home. There was a girl in our school who, through a combination of birth defects and on-going illness outwardly had a strikingly abnormal physical appearance. She was the subject off all the abuse I was used to and it came from every place in school, in the classroom, in assemblies, at lunch, outside, every inch of those grounds must have been a living hell for her. I never personally said anything to her but more than once I stood by and laughed with the masses to be sure I fit in. By seeing it go on and doing nothing, by laughing along with the others at the cruel and inhumane jokes I participated in the bullying. I saw her one time outside of school at a quick stop gas station and my instinct was to go tell her how sorry I was for what she endured and how sorry I was for my role in it and I didn’t, a few months later she died so now I can never say I’m sorry and I suppose I will carry that link in my chain of burdens the rest of my life. If you ever see someone being bullied, don’t be like me, don’t be a coward, take a stand, call out the bully, you will probably find you have a lot of other silent allies. Don’t pretend your eyes don’t see, call them out, do it for the weaker person, do it for yourself, do it because it is the right thing to do, please don’t make my mistake.

I was bullied/abused relentlessly by an older brother, by the jocks in school and even in my workplace as a firefighter ..by those with the "wolf pack mentality" (they pick on those they see as weak or vulnerable) IT hurts and can affect you in many ways...the secret stand up to them..... look face to face and ask "is there anything else you would like to bully me about"? They will usually tuck their tails between their legs and move on. and in school above else report/complain about it.

My nephews daughter was being bullied.... he went to the school to see principal and mentioned he had consulted with his lawyer. Every one of the 7/8 guilty parties and their parents were hauled into the office and threatened with expulsion....the bullying STOPPED lol!

empower yourself do something talk to some one . feel free to contact me private.

I saw one of my bullies after I left school and I was working in retail. He came up to my counter and I told him who I was and what he did to me in school. He look mortified when I told him this, he sincerely apologized and explained that he was such a stupid kid to do that. That shocked me, and his sincerity made it easy to forgive him. He came in a few times after that, we would smile and wave but that was the end of it. That was some years ago now.

I was bullied before I had friends in school. When I first started going to a new school and I didnt know anyone I was bullied I guess because I stood out sort of. Got easier thank God! But I suppose everyone is bullied at some point,even straight people. Everyone is bullied.

I lost my dad When i was 7 and a few days later a guy started picking on me because i was withdrawn and very quiet..He pushed ,one too many buttons so we had a scrap and i won haha .It helped me release my anger and he never came near me again haha POWER TO THE UNDERDOGS i say ...