Gay School

Are there really gay schools? Ive never heard of them in America(I live in Massachusetts). At any rate, I dont think I would like to go to a school only for gays. It'd be like going to school just for straight people if I were straight, I'd get a sense of being isolated, even if it were with people just like me. I like being allowed to socialize with all different types of people around me like I do now. But that's just me

 

I would like to attend an all gay high-school. I know of one in new York called Harvey Milk High School.

But I also wouldn't mind a co-oriented high-school either. As a matter of fact, I wouldn't have wanted to give up my high-school for anything in the world! It was the best thing for me, a pride that is unforsakable.

 

If one was near me and i hadn't already started the hs i already go to i definatly would love tyo go. in fact when looking for a college one of the biggest thing i'm looking for a is a large gay community.

 

I hadn't heard of this either, and I agree with Emp. I prefer to interact with a variety of groups with a myriad of interests and beliefs, and attending any school with an exclusionist policy would certainly limit that. Granted, my community could definately use more homosexual influence (the gay community is just absent from my city), but I don't like the idea. This is just my opinion, though, so feel free to disregard it ^^

 

Guitargirl, what are the specific names of the schools that you know of. I only know of one, but you mentioned that there are a FEW. Just wondering. I might want to research these schools.

 

I do think along the same lines as XxWritergurl06xX, I would like to be around alot of gay people in college, but since im staying in MA, it shouldn't be too hard hehehe

 

I feel the same way, but I'm glad that these schools exist for those who are gay and don't feel comfortable in their own school b/c of their sexual orientation.

 

Just my opinion, but schools that isolate specific populations just alienate other people. Case in point: Catholic schools. Great for developing Catholic communities, but it's a bit of a culture shock when you get into the 'real' world and meet different people. ( If you hadn't guessed, I attended a Catholic school for all of my pre-university education, and was disgusted to learn about all of the little bits of history that they conveniently left out...)

So even though I would have loved to attend an all gay school, I wouldn't give up my highschool experience for anything. A bit hipocritical considering I was a a Catholic school, but hey.

 

I'm of mixed emotions on this one...

Studies have shown that segregating boys and girls allow each to excel at school without having to worry about the reactoin of the other sex... i.e. girls don't want to appear to be too smart in math or science when there are boys around, so tend to do better in those subjects in an all girl environment. For the same reason, gays might feel more comfortable in an all gay setting.

On the other hand, I agree that there are 'life lessons' to be learned in school beyond the academics - and those are usually more important and carry you farther than the academic ones. So learning how to relate to others, deal with adversity, etc. are important things to develop. Being exposed to differnet types of people in school sets you up to be able to do the same in the real world.

 

Really? I didn't know that there are gay schools...

Well, it will be cool to go there and make friends but I like my school and I'll stick with it.
I mean I like being allowed to socialize with all different types of people around me and I think school meant to be that. Well, that's only my opinion though:rolleyes:

 

Some info on Wikipedia here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvey_Milk_High_School

 

In a society that already views gay people as 'not normal' and 'bad', I think having gay schools is an awful idea. It only further segregates gay people from the rest of the community and deprives gays from making straight friends.
I try to convince and show people around me that gay people are just like any other 'normal' people, and things like this really annoy me sometimes because it just emphasises the stereotype that we're SOOO different from straight people...
So basically, it's not my cup of tea... Each to their own though

 

I don't think I'd go. I wouldn't like to be isolated like that.


However, I'd have absolutely no problem going to events at that school, like dances and whatnot.

 

It's funny you say that because the top students in each grade level at our school are females, and boys feel alienated (I don't, Im in the top 10 in my grade and thats good for me). The boys consistently say they feel discouraged from doing well since the females always hold the number 1 and 2 spot in each class rank.

 

I agree 100%

 

I think it would be a better idea to try to eliminate all gay violence from schools. To have as low tolerance for gay slurs, violence, etc, as schools have for racism.

And I agree... I would never want to be isolated from my straight friends.

 

I think until society overall gets better at dealing with the whole issue of sexual orientation, it's a great idea--kinda like women's-only spaces. Ideally of course you don't want to live in a society that needs women's-only spaces, but I think the fact that we have them is really valuable and appreciated by a lot of women.

I went to an all-boys private school, so I know about segregation in an educational setting. At the time, it was an incredibly good school for me to be at because I was super great at school and I'm sure most of you know how valued getting good grades is among high school-aged guys (especially when you combine that with the fact that I was not at all athletic). At the all-boys private school, I was totally encouraged to achieve achieve achieve scholastically, so it was great.

That being said, my school was so right-wing and eilte and exclusive that it kinda makes my head hurt to look back at it. So there's probably always some kind of trade-off. I believe in co-ed education pretty strongly, mainly because I think what with half or more of the population being female, it's pretty important to get socialised around both men AND women. It's not quite the same with gay thing, though, because even if you go to an all-gay or totally pro-gay school, the overarching culture you're embedded in is still gonna be uber-straight. It's not like gay people don't get exposed to straight ideas every single day or anything. *sigh*

So yeah, if I had been out when I was in high school I think I would have enjoyed going to a super-gay positive school. At least I would have been able to flirt and date without getting the shit kicked out of me--and really, I think developing relationship experience is probably one of the biggest things queer kids miss out on in high school, which really, really sucks.

[And it's not like if you went to a gay school they would bar you from having straight friends--I know I had female friends the entire time I was at the all-boys school.]

 

i dont really no about this maybe it would ok. maybe if i went to a gay school i wouldnt get teased as much???