Blog 4

  In a shocking report written by the LGBT Youth Scotland Charity, nearly 70% of all LGBT youths in Scotland experience homophobic bullying, and are being driven out of schools, colleges and universities because of it. The survey showed that 14.3% of all LGBT youth have quit school as a result of bullying. Transphobic bullying is even worse, with the number of students who have dropped out or quit at a shocking 42.3%

  The report, The life in Scotland for LGBT Young People: Education Report is the biggest of its kind to date, finding that education is where most LGBT youth find the most discrimination. 

  Many of the youth interviewed said things such as this:

  "I faced discrimination during my entire school career. It no longer exists in higher education, but I feel like people treat [me] as a bit of a joke. 'The token gay guy' and don't take me very seriously"

  The study showed that transgender students have it even worse, 76.9% of students had been bullied in school, 69.2% in college, and 37.5% at university.  As one girl told the organization: "I am a female who has dressed like a boy/tomboy my whole life. In both primary and secondary school I was asked 'Are you a boy or a girl?' daily as a method of bullying until I left."

The full article, which can be read here, is rather shocking. I find that this is very similar to my own school experiences. As my grandparents often told me: "Children can be cruel." As you can see, the percentages of GLBT students who are bullied lowers as they get older. This is a prime example of how we need stronger, more diverse curriculum in schools, both for the teacher and the students. 

Blog 2 - Christian Doctor Perscribes Castration Drug as "Gay-Cure"

  Australian Doctor and member of an ultra-conservative christian sect, Mark Craddock has been permanently banned from the practice of Medicine, according to The huffington post. The decision came after Craddock prescribed a young man, who was 18 at the time, a form of Hormone Therapy often used to chemically castrate sex offenders.
  When the young man came out to a church leader, he was told to see Dr. Craddock for a "Cure". Craddock prescribed the young man a hormone drug called Cyprostat, which is commonly used to treat prostate cancer and chemically castrate sex offenders. The young man, who wishes to remain nameless, said that the doctor never referred him to a psychologist, or even discussed the side effects of the medication.
  During the hearing, the committee ruled that Dr. Craddock failed to adequately assess the patient and failed to provide appropriate medical management of the patient's therapeutic needs," and that he was guilty of "Unsatisfactory processional conduct. He was severely reprimanded and practice restrictions were placed on his registration."
  Dr. Craddock is a member of "Exclusive Brethren." A anti-gay christian sect that boasts 40,000 members world-wide.
  Almost every major Scientific organization has agreed that anti-gay cures are unethical and worthless. The American Psychiatric Association says "the potential risks of 'reparative therapy' are great, including depression, anxiety and self-destructive behavior, since therapist alignment with societal prejudices against homosexuality may reinforce self hatred already experienced by the patient."
  The fact that after all this time (the patient is 24 years old now) The fact that Craddock is being brought to justice now is both a good and bad sign. On the good side, society is making great strides towards equality, towards acceptance. On the bad side, the fact that the young man was so ashamed that he had to wait until he was 24 years old, or that nobody would listen to him until now. Is a sad reminder of the terrifying and dangerous lives that many GLBT youth have to live through.

Blog Entry 1

  A couple weeks ago on August 9th, 2012, Madonna performed live in Russia. As many of you know, Madonna has always been a huge supporter of the GLBT movement. During her live show in Russia, she spoke out to the Russian GLBT community, which has been badly discriminated against in that country. The singer told the audience that she was "here to say that the gay community here and all around the world have the same rights to be treated with dignity, respect, tolerance, compassion and love."  You can hear her full speech in this youtube video. 
  Now, A Russian anti-gay group is suing the pop icon for over $10 million. The group is claiming that the lawsuit is for "Moral damage suffered by St. Petersburg residents."  Russia recently passed a law banning "propoganda or sodomy, lesbianism, bisexualism and transgenderism, and pedophilia to minors."
  Back in March, Madonna said that she would speak about it during her upcoming show. 
  Alexei Kolotkov, one of the people who filed this (in my opinion) asinine suit made the comment that "after Madonna's concert maybe some boy becomes gay, some girl becomes a lesbian, fewer children are born as a result and this big country cannot defend its borders- for me it causes moral suffering." 
  From what I've seen in my philosophy class, that's the most unsound argument I've ever seen. The premise that people who went to that concert will magically transform into gay people is completely wrong, Every major scientific institution is in agreement that being gay is something that cannot change. You can't just "become" gay.  
  To me, this is all some asinine stunt to perpetuate these negative, bigoted, and completely wrong myths about the GLBT community in Russia; who've had it hard enough with the recent hundred year ban on GLBT related events. It looks like a smear campaign to me, and if I had any respect for these people in the first place, it's gone now.
You can read the full story here, on Huffington Post.
  Hope to see you at Moscow Pride, 2112.