The Importance of Spirit Day

Today is Spirit Day: The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation is asking Americans to wear purple to show their support for efforts combating anti-gay bullying. Of course I support this, and I'm happy to wear purple today (it's my favorite color anyway). Spirit Day is a great idea--it brings attention to horrible stuff going on--but it's also sort of a shame that there has to be a day for something that should really just be common sense. "Do unto others" and all that. But since when do teenagers have a lot of common sense, right? Or some adults, for that matter.

Everything about high school is worse now than it was 25 years ago when I was there. College admissions are way tougher and kids are under all kinds of pressure to succeed academically, athletically, musically, and school-spirit-ally. Teens are peer-pressured to do a lot more than chug a beer or go to second base or shoplift some nail polish these days. But the increase in bullying--any kind, not just anti-gay--takes the cake.

At least I think there's been an increase in bullying. I'm sure it existed in my day, though I didn't experience it personally and didn't even see much of it being done to others. Sure, kids could be mean and hurtful sometimes, but I don't remember it being anything but stupid. Generally, it was the kids who didn't have much going for them who did the teasing. Most people could kinda turn the other cheek and not let it bother them too much.

If anything, you'd think being teased about being gay would've decreased since the 80's. After all, society as a whole is more accepting of homosexuality nowadays. Why is this happening? Is it because kids tend to come out earlier and are therefore more visible? In my day, there were kids people knew (or suspected) to be gay--and, yes, these kids were more likely to be teased--but no one was really out and proud.

Or are kids just meaner now? Or maybe they are more insecure, and this insecurity leads them to belittle others, thereby making them feel better about their own selves. I don't know.

Much of the problem is with the others: the witnesses, those who stand by and do nothing. Because if bullies were continually alienated and ostracized, then they probably wouldn't do it anymore.

Making real changes is going to take more than being open-minded and silently wearing your purple. We need to step in and actively stop the abuse when we see it. We need to call these bullies out and make it clear that being mean and abusive is not cool or funny or a way to increase popularity.

It's gotta stop, people.