I was a freshman when I first learned the things I say could have a negative effect on the people around me.
Coming back from class to my dorm with a group of friends, the subject of hermaphrodites came up. We kept using the term “man-woman,” unaware that walking very close to us was a transgender male and his friends.
Although our ignorant comments weren’t directly addressing this person, the conversation came to a screeching halt when we realized he had overheard what we were saying.
An uncomfortable silence followed both our groups until we parted ways in the Quad.
I remember feeling embarrassed and ashamed for what happened. And I was right to feel this way because I had insulted someone simply by not thinking before I spoke.
Situations like this occur regularly in places like schools and college campuses, creating a hostile environment for minorities and other social groups.
The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) released its biennial National School Climate Survey on Oct. 22. In the study, LGBT students from middle schools and high schools were polled to examine how unfriendly academic climates impact their safety and mental health, as well as their academic performance.
The study found that while academic environments have improved over the years, schools are still deemed as “unsafe and unwelcoming for the majority of LGBT students.”
An infographic released with the study showed 65 percent of the students surveyed said they heard homophobic remarks often, though not necessarily aimed at them. Thirty percent missed at least one day of school because they felt unsafe and uncomfortable, and 85 percent revealed they were verbally harassed in the past year.
While the survey mainly focused on high school and middle school environments, these findings are still pertinent for people in college and in the real world.
How many times have you described something as “gay?” How many times have you called someone a “slut” or used the “n-word?” Chances are, if you used any of these words, you did so without considering their significance.
Despite the fact that hate crimes and cases of blatant discrimination have diminished over the years, our generation tends to keep the mistreatment of minorities alive in a more subtle, not necessarily intentional, way through the terms or phrases we use.
Television and other media sources glorify crude comedy. We are taught to subconsciously, and in some cases blatantly, mock or point out others’ differentiating characteristics and opinions to preserve a status quo of what society considers “normal.”
My personal experience accidentally insulting someone not only taught me to be more sensitive toward the people and cultures around me, but also allowed me to realize we have the opportunity to break this vicious cycle of social hostility.
People slowly are steering away from viewing their differences as something negative meant to be ridiculed and instead fighting to make sure they are respected.
It took me making someone else feel uncomfortable as they walked back from class to learn to respect others’ differences, but that doesn’t mean you have to experience something similar in order to change your mindset.
We have the power to stop this trend by advocating to our peers, as well as to younger generations that there’s nothing wrong with being different.
Think twice the next time you feel the need to yell “Hey faggot!” in the Student Union when you see one of your friends.
Don’t automatically conclude that someone’s sexual orientation or ethnicity automatically disqualifies or favors them from being your equal in other ways.
If we learn to accept each other’s differences from the start, we can avoid creating or being exposed to, hostile environments.
Jose Bastidas is a 21-year-old mass communication senior from Caracas, Venezuela. You can reach him on Twitter @jabastidas.