A NEW CAMPAIGN TO FIGHT Introduction An anti-bullying campaign reached consistently say publicly that bullying Focus unprecedented heights after a simple is not good for anyone, the presence The perennial problem of bullying YouTube video of journalist of bullying, particularly in schools, achieved international and his partner Terry Miller appealling continues to be a significant problem. headlines in the fall to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Bullying is intentional. Bullies seek of 2010 after a string (LGBT) teens went viral. Their message to publicly humiliate a person or group of bullying-related to LGBT youth: do your best to survive with no regard for the pain and anguish suicides led to a viral high school because once you graduate they are causing. In fact, bullies enjoy Internet campaign to your life will get better. The two men the negative power they wield and the convince victims that things will get better. made the video in response to the suicide corresponding pain they cause their This News in Review of Billy Lucas, a 15-year-old boy who victims. story looks at the was teased, tormented, and bullied It is encouraging to see the attention campaign as well as for being gay. Lucas was one of four that Savage and Miller’s simple yet the overall problem of American teens to take their lives over a profound message was able to garner bullying. three-week period in the fall of 2010. for the cause of gay youth, youth who Savage’s campaign are questioning their sexuality, and all Vocabulary surged in popularity shortly after people who are victims of bullying. Only When a video goes being posted on YouTube, drawing two months after the original video was “viral” it means that international attention and eventually posted, 5 000 other It Gets Better videos the video has travelled inspiring U.S. President have been posted, and these had been all around the Internet to post his own It Gets Better video in an viewed by about 15 million people. Now and been posted on effort to curb bullying and the suicides the project has its own Web site, and it is YouTube, MySpace, Google Video, it was provoking. More than anything, hoped that lives are being saved because Facebook, Digg, blogs, the It Gets Better campaign highlighted a lifeline has been extended to lesbian, etc., and has been the persistence of bullying despite the gay, bisexual, and transgender youth viewed by millions of emergence of powerful anti-bullying who live in daily torment at the hands of people. education initiatives in the past decade. bullies in their local high schools. While people, both young and old, will To Consider 1. For what reasons might Savage and Miller have made their It Gets Better video?

2. Have you, or someone you know, experienced bullying? If so, what was the impact of the bullying?

3. If you were to create your own anti-bullying video, what messages would you want to include?

CBC News in Review • December 2010 • Page 31 A NEW CAMPAIGN TO FIGHT BULLYING Video Review

Further Research Pre-viewing Questions To see the Dan Savage With a partner, or in a small group, respond to the following questions. and Terry Miller video, 1. What examples of bullying, if any, have you seen at your school? go to .com and type “it gets better” in the search box. A list of videos that are part of the It 2. What would you do if you saw someone being bullied at your school? Gets Better project will pop up, including the original video made by Savage and Miller. 3. Do the media—television, films, the Internet, etc.—make it seem like bullying is okay? Explain.

4. Are there particular groups at your school that are commonly victimized by bullies? Identify the groups and state why you think these groups are being targeted.

Viewing Questions As you watch the video respond to the questions in the spaces provided. 1. According to the Journal of Pediatrics, how common is bullying?

2. What do bullies want their victims to feel?

3. What is cyber-bullying? How common is this form of bullying?

4. What bullying issues did the animated cartoon South Park inspire?

5. What does the research show about children who bully? What are they more likely to become involved in later in life?

CBC News in Review • December 2010 • Page 32 6. What kind of kid was Ashkan Sultani? Why do his parents think bullies Check It Out! targeted him? Surf the anti-bullying campaign site at www. itgetsbetter.org.

7. Why did Ashkan Sultani’s parents refuse to take part in the school board’s anti-bullying campaign?

8. What Internet phenomenon emerged from the suicide tragedies of the summer of 2010?

9. What was U.S. President Barack Obama’s message to the victims of bullying?

10. How common is bullying directed at lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students attending Canadian schools?

11. What was Rick Mercer’s message to homosexuals victimized by bullies?

12. What did Brian Burke do to fight homophobia and bullying in honour of his son, Brendan?

13. Describe the anti-bullying campaign created by students at a Nova Scotia high school. How did the campaign start? Who was involved? How effective was the campaign?

CBC News in Review • December 2010 • Page 33 14. How effective do you think the Canadian It Gets Better video will be in comforting Canadian LGBT teens who are being harassed and bullied at school?

15. What is the overall message that the anti-bullying campaigns are trying to communicate? Is the message being embraced?

Post-viewing Discussion With a partner, or in a small group, help each other to complete the answers to the viewing questions. Then discuss the following:

1. Is homophobia a problem at your school?

2. Do you think it is considered acceptable for people who are labelled gay to be bullied at your school?

3. Are students less likely to intervene in bullying if it is directed at a gay student, or one who is suspected of being gay? Explain.

4. What will it take to stem the tide of bullying against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth?

CBC News in Review • December 2010 • Page 34 A NEW CAMPAIGN TO FIGHT BULLYING What is Bullying?

Definition Reading Prompt Bullying is when Bullying can be terrifying and can destroy a person’s life. Like many problems in someone repeatedly society, stamping out bullying when children are young is more effective than and intentionally does trying to deal with a bully later in life. As you read the following information things to hurt another think about strategies that might work to reduce bullying among young person physically or children. emotionally. There are three types of characteristics c) Spreading lies and rumours — this associated with bullying: a) the bully type of bullying goes beyond simple Did you know . . . intentionally targets the victim; b) the gossip; instead the goal of the bully is The “power-hungry bully repeatedly goes after the victim; to spread false information about the bully” enjoys the and c) there is a power imbalance intended victim. This type of bullying feeling of having power over another between the bully and the victim. The involves a leader working through a person. He or she also bully enjoys the prospect of humiliating group in a campaign to humiliate the enjoys the attention his or her victim and often thrives on the victim. that accompanies this public attention given by bystanders— d) Exclusion — when a bully leads a demonstration of whether that attention is fear or support. group in a public decision to exclude power. Victims of bullying are either unlikely or the intended victim from participation incapable of defending themselves. in activities. The goal of this type of bullying is to make the victim feel as Physical Bullying isolated as possible. This involves any kind of physical assault on the victim, including shoving, e) Cyber-bullying — using electronic punching, kicking, and spitting. This media to bully another person. This type of bullying may also involve taking could involve phones, texting, social things from the victim. With physical networking sites like Facebook, or bullying, the bully is trying to arouse a chat rooms. Cyber-bullying has been victim’s fear for their own safety. cause for tremendous concern recently because the bullies are often difficult to Verbal Bullying identify since they can hide behind the a) — using , slurs, or technology. They can also inspire others taunts to belittle another person. This is to take part in their bullying campaign not the general teasing that friends use with a kind of gang mentality eventually to poke fun at one another. This type of emerging. On the other hand, the victim teasing is designed to belittle the victim. is completely exposed—the target of a Bullies often resort to homophobic, person or group that they cannot easily racist, sexist, and offensive language identify. when targeting their victims. What can you do if you are bullied? b) Threatening — a form of verbal • Monitor your feelings. Assess the bullying where a person says they are situation and make sure you are not going to do something even though they overreacting. Try to determine if the may not necessarily follow through on the bully is intentionally doing harm and threat. For example, a bully may threaten how the harm is being delivered. If it’s to spread rumours about the victim if they bullying it will be clear the bully is don’t do something for them. intentionally trying to hurt you.

CBC News in Review • December 2010 • Page 35 • Talk to an adult or someone in charge. • Stay close to your friends. Avoid Talk to your parents, your teacher, or situations where you are isolated or on your boss to let them know that the your own. Bullies like to target their bullying is taking place. Bullies get victims when they are at their most most of the power from the silence of vulnerable. They are less likely to bully others. Don’t maintain your silence. when their victim is part of a cohesive • Demand action. If authorities are not group. handling the situation properly, get • Take care of yourself. Bullying can your parents involved and demand cause serious emotional damage. Make action. School boards, workplaces, and sure you do things to keep your self- governments all have regulations to esteem intact. Activities might include deter bullying. Use the policies or laws playing sports, pursuing a hobby, or available to force the hand of people joining a club. who are reluctant to deal with the bullies. Source: The Canadian Safe Schools Network, www.canadiansafeschools. • Appear strong in the presence of the com; Olweus Bullying Prevention bully. While this may be easier said Program, www.olweus.org; “Attacked than done, bullies are less likely to Online,” Girls’ Life, August-September persist if they can see that they are not 2010; “What to do if you are being getting to you. If you can project an bullied,” American Mental Health Channel: Healthy Place, www. image of confidence—even if you a healthyplace.com terrified inside—the bully may back off. However, there is no guarantee that the bully will not simply persist until they break your confident exterior.

Analysis Complete a written response to the opening reading prompt and compare your response with that of a classmate. Add any points you had not considered to your own notes.

CBC News in Review • December 2010 • Page 36 A NEW CAMPAIGN TO FIGHT BULLYING Tragic Tales of Bullying

Did you know . . . To Consider For youth who are The information in this feature focuses on the tragic stories of students who struggling with have been the targets of bullies—and where the bullying led to their deaths. issues like anxiety Although they may be extreme examples, they demonstrate that bullying is not and depression, or something we should ignore. the repercussions of bullying, there is help. Tormented to Death in Cyber-Bullying Leads to Suicide: Call the Kids Help Massachusetts: Phoebe Prince, Alexis Pilkington, 17 years of age Phone at 1-800-668- 16 years of age The native of Long Island, New 6868. When the native of Ireland arrived in York, was said to be very popular and South Hadley, Massachusetts, she was an established soccer star, earning greeted by an almost instant state of a scholarship for her efforts from a acceptance and popularity. She became nearby college. But beneath the surface, the girlfriend of the quarterback of the Pilkington was dealing with personal school’s football team and appeared demons that led to her suicide in the to have transitioned into life in a new early spring of 2010. In the aftermath country with surprising ease. Things of her suicide, her friends pointed out came undone quickly when her that the teen was being cyber-bullied on boyfriend left her for his ex-girlfriend. Facebook and Formspring. While her Insulting slurs began surfacing on parents maintain that Pilkington did not Facebook. Her face was scribbled out of kill herself just because she was cyber- a class composite picture hanging in the bullied, experts believe that the cruelty school’s hallway. A classmate confronted inherent in comments made by cyber- her in the cafeteria, screaming, “Stay bullies carry a power that can lead to away from other people’s men!” Finally, extreme anxiety and depression. In other as she was walking home from school words, the cyber-bullying likely played a one day, a car full of classmates sped part in her decision to take her own life. past her, shouted an , and threw a Local police began investigating pop can at her. Prince had reached her the cyber-bullying allegations and breaking point. She walked the rest of discovered hundreds of extremely the way home and killed herself. disturbing posts denigrating Pilkington. In the aftermath of Prince’s death, six Even more troubling news came when, students from South Hadley High School after her death, friends put up tribute were charged with crimes ranging from pages for her on both Facebook and criminal to statutory rape. Formspring so they could express their Beyond the legal problems the six grief and remember their friend. Within accused face, the accused are struggling days, both sites were infiltrated by a to fit in with a community that is slew of negative posts and some graphic repulsed by their behaviour. Some claim images from people who just couldn’t that the bullies are now being given a stop attacking the young woman. Even in taste of what it is like to be bullied. death, the bullies would not relent when it came to Alexis Pilkington.

CBC News in Review • December 2010 • Page 37 Four Suicides in Three Weeks: Billy Another 13-year-old, Seth Walsh, was Did you know . . . Lucas, 15; Asher Brown, 13; Seth also tormented by his classmates for The “vengeful bully” Walsh, 13; Tyler Clementi, 18 mistakenly believes being gay. Eventually Walsh attempted to they are acting in Between September 9 and 29, 2010, take his own life, only to be discovered the interests of the four U.S. teenagers killed themselves by his mother and rushed to hospital. group based on some in bullying-related incidents. The first However, 10 days later Walsh died as a behaviour the victim was Billy Lucas, whose short tenure at result of his injuries. has exhibited. This Greenburg High School in Indiana was Eighteen-year-old Tyler Clementi had type of bully might tap plagued by and bullying. While into a group’s racist or high hopes when he began attending homophobic feelings he never claimed to be gay, some of his Rutgers University. While he had a to target a victim. classmates though he “acted gay,” calling bit of a personality conflict with his him “faggot” and telling him he should roommate, Clementi hoped that, over kill himself. The bullying was well time, the two would learn to get along. known among the student population, but However, his roommate, Dharun Ravi, the school administration and teachers apparently had no such plans. One were oblivious to the torment Lucas evening in September, Ravi remotely was enduring. One day after school, just taped Clementi having sex with another weeks into the school year, Lucas took man. Ravi then streamed the video his own life. images over the Internet on his Twitter Asher Brown’s story is disturbingly feed. Within days, Clementi learned of similar. The 13-year-old was bullied by Ravi’s actions and his intentions to do four boys over a prolonged period of it again given the opportunity. Clementi time. His family believes he was bullied eventually made his way to a local bridge to death, targeted because he was small, and jumped to his death. Before killing from a lower income family, a member himself, Clementi posted a note on his of a certain religion, and because the Facebook page that read, “Jumping off bullies believed he was gay. Brown took the gd bridge sorry.” his own life in late September.

To Consider 1. The people who bullied Phoebe Prince now appear to be victims of a kind of bullying themselves. How do you feel about that?

2. What role did cyber-bullying play in the death of Alexis Pilkington? Why do you think some people continued to cyber-bully Pilkington after her death?

3. Evaluate the actions of Dharun Ravi in the death of Tyler Clementi. To what extent do you believe he is responsible for the death of Clementi?

CBC News in Review • December 2010 • Page 38 A NEW CAMPAIGN TO FIGHT BULLYING It Gets Better

Did you know . . . Focus for Reading LGBT teens are four Have you ever been told that high school will be the best time of your life? Has times more likely to this been your experience? Is this the experience of your friends or members or commit suicide than your family? Respond to these questions in your notebook before your begin their heterosexual reading the following feature. counterparts. The Viral Video contributors hold the position that the Dan Savage is a successful people who say that the high school Further Research internationally syndicated columnist. He years are the best time in a person’s life The Web site for It is powerful advocate for gay rights and, are selling a myth. Gets Better is www. in the summer of 2010, he came to the Certainly some people love high itgetsbetter.org. The school, but many others find it to site for The Trevor conclusion that he needed to expand his Project is www. involvement in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, be a time of searching, probing, and thetrevorproject.org. and transgender (LGBT) community by confusion over personal issues like speaking out against anti-gay bullying. self-identity and self-worth. This is In August 2010, he founded the It Gets particularly true for LGBT youth who, in Better Project, and one month later he addition to having to discover who they and his partner, Terry Miller, posted a are, frequently have to ward off bullying YouTube video highlighting the “it gets and harassment. For some, it is just too better” message. much to bear and they resort to suicide. The video went viral, inspiring The is designed to 5 000 user-made videos that received help LGBT youth realize that others have 15 million hits just eight weeks into the walked the same path they are on right video portion of the project. Included now and that someday, in the not too among the videos were messages distant future, it will get better. from U.S. President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, The Trevor Project Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff, actors Savage and his colleagues are not the Ann Hathaway and Colin Farrell, talk only ones trying to help LGBT teens. In show host Ellen DeGeneres, and Glee 1998, The Trevor Project was founded star Matthew Morrison. The project also when HBO decided to air the Academy features videos from the staffs of the Award-winning short film called CBC, Google, the GAP, Facebook, and “Trevor.” The film is about a 13-year-old Pixar animation. boy named Trevor who is rejected by his peers because of his sexuality. The film It Gets Better ends with Trevor, a victim of isolation, Savage was motivated to start It Gets exclusion, and bullying, attempting to Better by the tragic suicides of several take his own life. gay and questioning teens in the United Just prior to airing the film, the States. He imagined that, if he had just producers thought it would be a few minutes to speak with the young appropriate to share a phone number or men before they made the decision to resource for LGBT youth who might be take their own lives, he would say to experiencing the same issues as Trevor. them, “Hang in there because it gets When they discovered that there were better.” Many of the project’s video no help lines or resources The Trevor

CBC News in Review • December 2010 • Page 39 Project was born. The goal of The Trevor Mercer, author Ann-Marie MacDonald, Did you know . . . Project is to eliminate suicide among and Olympic gold-medalist Mark The “inadvertent bully” is accustomed LGBT youth. Before Savage brought “it Tewksbury joined over 20 others to to sharing their gets better” to the headlines, The Trevor speak out against bullying and to lend opinion without being Project was delivering a similar message. support to LGBT youth struggling challenged. As a result to survive high school. The video is they may not know Canada and It Gets Better profound and disturbing but ultimately that their comments Many Canadians have joined the It Gets hopeful. If nothing else, the entire It are hurtful to others. Better movement. The most notable Gets Better campaign has people talking contribution came from a group of about the harm that bullying does and the prominent Canadians who posted a video need to eradicate the practice instead of on YouTube. People like comedian Rick tolerating it as an archaic rite of passage.

To Consider 1. When Grade 12 students David Shepherd and Travis Price learned that a grade 9 student had been bullied for wearing a pink polo shirt, they took matters into their own hands. They didn’t threaten the bullies; instead they took away their power. They did this by convincing classmates at their school to dress in pink the next day to show their support for the bullied student. The response was overwhelming—a sea of pink and the bullying stopped. Do you think this kind of campaign could work at your school? Why or why not?

2. Around 90 per cent of LGBT high school students who are bullied are bullied at school. Does this surprise you?

3. Go to www.itgetsbetter.org and watch some of the videos. Write a 75–100 word summary of one of the videos, focusing on the central message of the video as well as the ability of the video to convincingly communicate a central idea.

CBC News in Review • December 2010 • Page 40 A NEW CAMPAIGN TO FIGHT BULLYING Activity: A Personal Story

Bullying is an all-too-common human experience. About 30 per cent of people report being bullied and about the same report having taken part in bullying. With over half the population experiencing bullying on one level or another, it is important to examine the personal stories that emanate from such experiences. Remember, it was the tragic story of Billy Lucas, a 15-year-old high school student who killed himself after enduring relentless bullying because people suspected he was gay, that prompted Dan Savage to launch the It Gets Better project.

Your Task Tell your own story of being bullied or having taken part in the bullying of another person. Be as specific as possible about the details of the story. Focus on things like how you felt while the bullying was happening, any fears or anxieties that accompanied the bullying, or corresponding feelings of power or powerlessness that emerged from the bullying incidents.

OR

Tell a story of bullying that you discover from your own research. You can either find a bullying story on the Internet or you can ask a friend, a family member, or a teacher if they have any stories of bullying. Once again, focus on the feelings associated with bullying. Try to determine the impact that the bullying has on the victim and the bully.

Length of the story: 300-500 words

Follow-up Share your story with a close friend or family member. Make sure it is someone you feel you can trust. Have a discussion about the prevalence of bullying in our society and brainstorm potential strategies to ward off bullying. Write a brief summary of your discussion.

Note: If you are artistic, or a good filmmaker, you might choose to express yourself in one of these mediums rather than in written form. Discuss this option with your teacher if you are interested in producing a work of art to express your experience.

CBC News in Review • December 2010 • Page 41