One story could be that a LGBT youth was constantly called mean names in the hallways. Other students would make fun of their appearance and the way they walked. It made the youth feel really isolated and sad, and they started to dread going to school every day.
Schools should have strict anti - harassment policies. For example, they can immediately suspend students who are found harassing LGBT youth. This sends a strong message that such behavior is not tolerated.
Well, there was this instance where a gay man was being harassed at his workplace by a coworker. The management initially didn't take it seriously. But then the gay man's friends and allies within the company organized a peaceful protest. In the end, not only did the harasser get reprimanded, but the company also implemented better anti - harassment policies. It's a story that started badly but ended with a positive change.
One story is about a gay couple walking in the park. Some kids started making fun of them by imitating their way of walking. But the couple just laughed it off and started doing a funny dance together, which made the kids look silly instead. It was a case where they turned potential harassment into a moment of fun.
I don't think harassment is a laughing matter, whether it's against the LGBT community or anyone else. But if we consider some situations that were wrongly perceived as harassment at first. There was a transgender person who was using the restroom. Another person was a bit shocked at first but then realized it was just a normal situation. Some people might think that was a 'harassment - like' situation but actually it was just a lack of understanding.
Well, in school, harassment can be in different forms. There's sexual harassment, which is unfortunately not uncommon. This can range from inappropriate comments to unwanted touching. Then there's academic harassment, where some students might be made to feel stupid or be constantly criticized for their academic performance in a demeaning way. And of course, the traditional forms like being harassed for being different, whether it's due to a disability, a different style of dressing, or coming from a different cultural background.
In my school, there was a girl who was harassed because of her weight. Other students made mean comments about her body. She started skipping meals. It took a long time for teachers to notice and stop it. The school should have been more vigilant.
Another story might involve a teacher withholding grades or educational opportunities as a form of punishment that is not related to academic performance. For instance, if a student didn't participate in an extracurricular activity the teacher liked, the teacher might give them a lower grade than they deserve. This is a form of harassment as it uses academic power in an unfair way.
Well, there was a case in a high school where a student with a disability was harassed. Some classmates would mimic his speech impairment and laugh at him. It was really cruel. Also, I heard of a girl who received inappropriate text messages from a boy in her school. He was constantly pressuring her for a relationship she didn't want, which is a form of harassment.
Some just use humor. For example, if someone mocks their appearance, they might make an even funnier self - deprecating joke that catches the harasser off - guard. This way, they defuse the situation without getting into an argument.