How Homophobic is our Student Body


      In the fall of 1996, the high school’s Gay/Straight Alliance conducted a survey of students and faculty. This survey had to do with gay and straight issues and people’s feelings towards homosexuals. The survey’s purpose was to gained understanding of how tolerant our school is of homosexuals. The results of the survey are encouraging. A majority of the people have no problem with having friends, teachers, or school-mates who are gay. A significant minority would question the friendship if a friend revealed he or she were gay, after being friends for a long time. Our school was mostly split on issues such as gay couples being parents and gays on TV It was disturbing, however, that many would respond violently if someone of the same gender asked them out. Below, you can check out the survey results for yourself:

1. Can a person look or act gay?
Yes (84 responded) 58%
No (31 responded) 21%
Not sure (27 responded) 19%

2. Is/Does a person…
Born gay (47) 32%
Unwillingly become gay (26) 18%
Willingly become gay (47) 32%
Not sure (39) 27%

3. Statistically, how many people are gay in this school?
Less than 8% (73) 50%
8-14% (22) 15%
14-20% (4) 3%
20-50% (1) 1%
Greater than 50% (0) 0%

4. What would you do if a friend told you that he/she was gay?
Keep friend… nothing has changed (92) 63%
Distance yourself but remain friends (25) 17%
Drop the friend (10) 7%
Other (15) 10%
Responses for other:
Violent responses (6)
Not sure (3)
Other type (6)

5. Should same sex marriages be allowed?
Yes (61) 42%
No (25) 17%
Don’t care (50) 35%
Not sure (8) 6%

6. Should couples of the same sex that live together be allowed to be parents?
Yes (49) 34%
No (41) 28%
Don’t care (39) 27%
Not sure (25) 17%

7. Do you think it is appropriate to show gay people on TV?
Yes (64) 44%
No (33) 23%
Don’t care (41) 28%
Not sure (15) 10%

8. Would you object to be taught by a teacher you knew to be gay?
Yes (18) 23%
No (106) 73%
Not sure (21) 15%

9. If you had kids, would you object to them being taught by a teacher you knew to be gay?
Yes (21) 15%
No (105) 72%
Not sure (19) 13%

10. What would you do if someone of the same gender asked you out?
Respond violently (31) 21%
Respond fearfully (19) 13%
Respond indifferently (57) 39%
Respond kindly (28) 19%
Respond in another manner 12%