Referred to a woman as a "dyke?"
Told your buddy to stop acting like a "fag?"
The Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) is launching a new initiative called Think B4 You Speak. GLSEN, along with the Ad Council have created a Twitter tracker that (get this) keeps up-to-the-second (a.k.a. real-time) stats on the frequency of anti-gay slurs used on Twitter each day.
Why am I so interested in this? Because it ties right in with my anti-bullying voice (however small it may be), teaching kindness (I try, I really do), loving others, and leaving them alone to just be who they are. I firmly belief with every fiber of my being that if we just left each other alone, we wouldn't have 1/8 of the problems we have...but that's a different theory for another day entirely.
I am excited to be able to share the Twitter tracker with you! It's amazing and frightening all at the same time. Take a look:
This will probably find a nice cozy home over in the sidebar of my blog. I believe it's worth being available for people to see. Often.
If you'd like to share the Twitter tracker with friends, tell them to check out www.thinkb4youspeak.com, where they can see the Twitter counter updating, live.
Also, watch the Ad Council's Think B4 You Speak PSA. If I told you it had Wanda Sykes in it, would you click the play button faster? :)
Additionally, here's a tweet you can use. Just copy and paste! I'm making it very easy for you, people!
How often do people say "fag" or "so gay" on Twitter? Too often. See real-time stats here: http://glsen.us/16C31J2. #ThinkB4YouSpeak
Follow & join in the conversation with #ThinkB4YouSpeak. And, if you are so inclined, share this whole blog post!
Is there anything you can do that doesn't directly link to social media? There sure is. TALK TO YOUR KIDS about name-calling. We were all given names by our parents for a reason.
Anti-gay slurs are really commonplace and I don't for one second deny that I haven't engaged in it as well. But a little awareness can go a long way to ensure that those with us and around us are comfortable in conversation and receive the dignity that all people, everywhere, deserve.
Think before you speak...and then speak with integrity.
In the spirit of full disclosure, I was not compensated for this post. All thoughts, assessments, and opinions contained herein are my very own.
This is something everyone needs to be aware of. A lot of times, people do not realize how these thigns are taken or they see them as harmless jokes, when in fact they're anything but harmless. Wonderful of you to be a part of raising awareness.
ReplyDeleteAs a parent I am realizing how much slurs like these are still used. Kids hear them from older kids and don't realize that they are offensive. I really hope this effort is ablt to get rid of these terms once and for all.
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