Homophobia: noun. An extreme and irrational aversion to homosexuality and homosexual, or sexual minority people.

People are not discriminated against for preferring tea over coffee, or dogs over cats, or hamburgers over hot dogs, so why is it that some people (adults and teens alike) must verbally and physically abuse other people for loving someone of a sexual minority. The way I see it, people should be able to love whoever they want without getting someone else’s opinion in the matter.

Equality in schools is important for lessening distractions so that teens can do better in school. When teenagers are dealing with whether or not they will be harassed in school, they cannot possibly do their best in the classroom.

A survey done in America said that 91.5 percent of American teenagers have heard derogatory terms such as “faggot” or other anti-gay words at school. A similar survey in Canada found that only 70 percent of Canadian teens have heard those terms used. Why is the hatred so much more prevalent in the US?

As important as education is, gay-bashing and harassment can result in things much darker than a teased teen who is unable to focus in class. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention says that gay, lesbian and bisexual youth attempt suicide at a rate three to six times that of similar-age heterosexual youth. The hatred that teens face is often damaging enough to their self-esteem that they would rather end their lives than continue to suffer through it.

A survey of 160,000 gay lesbian and bisexual teens between the ages of 11 and 19 showed that more than half of them have suffered from homophobic bullying in middle school and high school alone. This doesn’t take into account the hatred that many of these teens face from their own family members. A LGBT teen with a homophobic family member often faces bullying 24/7 – from classmates at school and from a family member at home – if they are still allowed to live at home, that is.

Sometimes teenagers who are not homophobic and don’t think they are bullying anyone do more damage than they realize. Maybe calling something “gay” or teasing someone by calling them a faggot is just a joke, but the very fact that the terms are being used in a derogatory manner means they are harmful. LGBT students who hear it, even as a joke, will be hurt.