Ad Council PSAs to Address Anti-Gay Bias Now Airing in CT

Mar 18, 2009

The PSAs, which feature celebrities Wanda Sykes and Hilary Duff, are part of the first national public education campaign designed to address the use of anti-gay language among teens, particularly the term “that’s so gay.” Copies of the localized PSA, which include a title card at the end with information about GLSEN Connecticut, have been shipped to local TV stations.

“GLSEN Connecticut is honored to participate in this critical campaign to make Connecticut schools safer for all students, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression,” GLSEN Connecticut co-chair Leif Mitchell said. “Connecticut needs to do more to address the prevalence of anti-gay language in schools. We look forward to working with local TV stations to make sure this powerful message of respect reaches as many Connecticut residents as possible.”

GLSEN’s 2007 National School Climate Survey found that nearly nine out of 10 (86.4%) LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) students experienced harassment in the past year and that three-fifths (60.8%) felt unsafe in school because of their sexual orientation. More than 99% of LGBT students said they had heard the term “gay” used in a negative manner at school.

The campaign, which launched in October and already has aired thousands of times, aims to raise awareness among straight teens about the prevalence and consequences of anti-LGBT bias and behavior in America’s schools. The campaign also aims to reach adults, including school personnel and parents, because their support of this message is crucial to the success of efforts to change behavior among the target age group.

The campaign hopes to motivate teens to become allies in the efforts to raise awareness, stop using anti-LGBT language, and safely intervene when they are present and anti-LGBT harassment and behavior occurs. The PSAs direct audiences to visit a new comprehensive website, www.ThinkB4YouSpeak.com , where the national versions of the PSAs can be viewed.