HGHW responds to the Maine election results and their impact on youth.

As you know, November 3rd was a big day here in Maine. With a slim majority, Mainers voted to repeal the law that granted the right to same-sex couples to marry. One of our first thoughts here at Hardy Girls was how this news, and Campaign messages on both sides, have impacted Maine youth and their sense of community and safety. I think we can all agree that the security, support, and wellbeing of our youth are core concerns. For that reason, we are including a few resources to support your new, ongoing, and renewed work to protect and support all youth.

As we learned from the Ugly Ducklings National Campaign to Reduce Bullying and Harassment of LGBTQ Youth, the importance of safe, supportive communities for all youth cannot be understated. According to the 2007 GLSEN National School Climate Survey:

-86.2% of LGBT students reported being verbally harassed, 44.1% reported being physically harassed and 22.1% reported being physically assaulted at school in the past year because of their sexual orientation.

-73.6% heard derogatory remarks such as "faggot" or "dyke" frequently or often at school.

-More than half (60.8%) of students reported that they felt unsafe in school because of their sexual orientation, and more than a third (38.4%) felt unsafe because of their gender expression.

- 31.7% of LGBT students missed a class and 32.7% missed a day of school in the past month because of feeling unsafe, compared to only 5.5% and 4.5%, respectively, of a national sample of secondary school students.

The statistics are staggering but they highlight the need for all of us to continue to fight for environments where all youth can thrive: in families, schools, and communities free of bias-based harassment and violence.

Whether or not the state recognizes same-sex marriages does not diminish the impact that this election has on Maine families, and in particular, children. We encourage you to please reach out to the young people in your life and encourage conversation about how we can all work to create an ideal environment where all youth can grow up free of harassment. Now, more than ever, it's important for young people to know where they can turn to for support, information, and allies.

For all our friends and allies, we recommend the following resources for reducing bullying, harassment, and violence.

Top Ten Ways to Make Schools Safer...For All Students

Lesson Plan: Building a Bully-Free Building

Four Steps Schools Can Take to Address Anti-LGBT Bullying and Harassment

Let's not forget about the kids

I'm thrilled that yesterday Maine's governor signed into law legislation legalizing gay marriage.

But, I can't help but think about this news in contrast with the two recent deaths of kids who were harassed so badly for their perceived sexual orientation that they committed suicide.

Gay and lesbian youth are 2-5 times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers.

We can't look at these two boys' deaths as separate from a society saturated with homophobia. School leaders, community members, parents, and youth allies need to take responsibility for creating environments in which all youth thrive, not just those that fit into our culture's narrow definition of 'normal'.

Curricula, films, and other tools designed to reduce bullying in schools generally do not take into account the toxic environment. Rather, resources focus on singling out bystanders, bullies, and victims singling out individual students involved without taking into account the systems in place that reinforce and reward students' bullying and harassing behavior.

Hardy Girls' Ugly Ducklings Campaign is a national campaign designed to combat bullying, harassment, and suicide of lesbian and gay students through the use of a multi-media community action kit. The kit includes a documentary film about the real effects of homophobia and hate on youth as well as a guide for creating safe, supportive environments for all youth. It also includes a special section on youth and suicide.

Check out the Campaign and preview the kit and documentary online at www.uglyducklings.org. And now, for a limited time, get a copy of the Kit and Documentary for 50% off.

Join with us. Because together we can create a better world for girls.