Ireland Launches Attack on Antigay Bullying

A new policy issued by the nation's education minister requires all schools to address and seek to prevent such bullying.

Trudy Ring

Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.

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Trudy Ring

September 13 2013 4:21 PM EST

November 17 2015 5:28 AM EST

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Ireland's minister for education and skills today announced a new policy requiring all primary and secondary schools to develop strategies to address and prevent anti-LGBT bullying, reports Pink News.

Such bullying is widespread in the nation; studies indicate that 50% of students report having endured verbal abuse with homophobic or transphobic content, and 25% have been subject to physical threats, the news site notes.

Advocates for LGBT youth praised the new directive from education minister Ruairi Quinn. "These new procedures, which are mandatory for both primary and post primary schools, provide the opportunity to radically transform the lives of young LGBT people in every school in the country and make Irish schools safe, supportive and affirming for young LGBT people," Sandra Irwin-Gowran, director of education policy at Ireland's Gay and Lesbian Equality Network, said in a press release.

Michael Barron, director of BeLonG To Youth Services, issued a statement calling the policy "a major breakthrough." He added, "Every class in every school in Ireland has LGBT students. Many schools are already working to create a climate that is safe and supportive for these students. Many other schools, however, are not working to support LGBT young people, and these procedures provide much-needed support and direction for those schools."