I've been dealing with an uncomfortable situation that has risen its ugly head a couple of times now and created some great discomfort for me at school. One of my fellow classmates, let's call him "Jose," has on several occasions made some very homophobic remarks to me. I started off really liking the class and most of the students, even getting along seemingly well with "Jose." The class is a good mix of ages and students range from high schoolers up to middle aged adults. Most everyone is pretty easy going and some joking around is expected, but the kids in this class tend to take things pretty far. Last week "Jose" turned around, he sits in the row in front of me, and just blatantly said "you're gay," well I tried to play it cool and pretend like it didn't bothered me and just merely replied, "that's a little uncalled for," it took a while for him to understand what I meant and he turned back around for awhile. I thought it was somewhat resolved, but a couple of minutes later he walks by and says "look at this faggot, etc.. etc.." I don't remember if I said anything, but at that point I was pissed beyond belief and tried my best not to blow up and make things worse. Later on in the day he walks up to me and says that I am making him look bad, well I'm in a shitty mood (no particular reason why.....), so I responded with "and how is that my problem?" He says I put down a time before he did on the sign out sheet to leave class, when I left after him, if that makes sense. Basically, he was trying to cut class and signed out at say 1:45 when he left at 1:20, I was leaving the class and put down the time it was, which happened to be like 1:43. Again I said I'm sorry it's not really my problem, why should I be looking out for you? He got pissed and said I was being a dick and what was my issue. I told him just to sit down and not worry about it. Let's just say it was a tense afternoon. Now I feel completely uncomfortable around the kid and just generally in class and neither of us has said a word to each other. I've just been keeping to myself, but worrying too much about it, and it's making it hard for me to concentrate on my work. This is not the first time it's happened, and I'm pretty sure he has an idea that I'm not straight, and is continually provoking me. I don't want to satisfy his hunger, with a reaction, but this is one thing that's really hard to just ignore. Part of me wants to knock his face in, and part wants to let someone in the school know what's going on. I'm not out to anyone there, nor do I feel the need to be, because doing so is only going to make that class more of a hell. I wish I could find a school with some more mature people, a good majority of them are so openly homophobic it makes me sick, I really do not fit in there :help:
Kid really sounds like a dick, I'd just ignore him =/ People don't seem to have anything better to do these days... (*hug*)
I am in a similar situation. The best to do is just not care. I know it's difficult, even I can't do it fully. Jose: "Hey, you're gay" You: "Yes, and?" People will be so immature in highschool. I'm basically the circus attraction. "Oh, it's the bi kid" It's very frustrating, but try to just ignore it. "Nobody can make you feel bad without your consent" Good luck
This creates a hostile environment for you. I would approach your teacher/counsellor/principle about this.
I agree. You don't have to come out to talk to a teacher or admin. Just say something like "This kid Jose has really got something in for me. He's called me gay, he's called me a faggot. Is this allowed in your school?"
