Bullied gays remain silent
According to an online poll, many bisexual and homosexual students do not turn to teachers or parents for help when bullied.
The Boys' and Girls' Clubs Association and Chinese University found only 3 per cent of 300 gays aged between 13 and 21 would ask teachers for help, while 2 per cent would talk to their parents. Twenty per cent said their parents knew of their sexual orientation; 30 per cent said teachers were aware.
In one case, a 20-year-old university student named Wing kept his sexual orientation a secret for years. Classmates laughed at him and called him names when he started dating an older male student in secondary school.
Even university professors embarrassed him by joking about gay relationships.
Poon Yu-hin of Chinese University's gender studies division said homosexuality is rarely addressed in school and teachers do not know how to counsel students.
'I think teachers should respect sexual diversity and help students to explore their gender identity,' Poon says.
