Discrimination and hate speech are major problems for members of the LGBTQ+ community in workspaces, affecting both adults and children. According to NBC, about 1 in 10 people in the LGBTQ+ community experience a hate crime in a work environment, whether it's by colleagues or fellow students. Discrimination is an issue commonly talked about, but what exactly qualifies as hate speech?
Hate speech by definition is, “abusive or threatening speech or writing that expresses prejudice against a particular group, especially on the basis of race, religion, or sexual orientation.” This means that any discriminative talk against these groups would be considered hate speech. So what can we do here at Minarets do to stay away from acting upon hate speech for the LGBTQ+ community?
Our community can help by respecting any preferred names and pronouns students may have. Referring to someone by the gender they identify with and the name they use is not only respectful, but can help them feel happier, safer, and less anxious than they may feel somewhere else, or if they were being discriminated against.
Teaching how to avoid hate speech could also be useful if students find themselves in high-up positions in the future. A report from the School of Law at UCLA showed that 46% of LGBTQ+ employees reported unfair treatment at some point in their careers due to their identity or orientation, such as harassment at work, being excluded from company events, being passed up for jobs, or even being fired. A similar study showed that approximately 150,000 kids between the ages of 13 and 17 identify as transgender, which could cause them to be discriminated against if this kind of behavior is thought of as acceptable. Teaching people now that hate speech can’t be tolerated under any circumstances is vital for the safety, comfort, and respect of everyone.
