Dear friend,

I’m delighted to be part of Stonewall’s new campaign to tackle homophobic language, which launches today as part of Anti-Bullying Week. I wanted you to be one of the first to hear about it and I’d also like to ask for your help!

We know that 99 per cent of lesbian, gay and bisexual young people hear phrases such as ‘that’s so gay’ or ‘you’re so gay’ in school. We also know that hearing the word ‘gay’ to mean ‘rubbish’ can have a devastating effect on gay young people’s self-esteem.

The new campaign – ‘Gay. Let’s Get Over It’ – aims to tackle the casual use of homophobic language in schools across Britain. Stonewall have launched powerful new posters and clear guidance for both teachers and pupils to help them to challenge this harmful language.

The series of posters are being sent to schools across Britain with the clear messages: ‘Gay. Let’s Get the Meaning Straight’, ‘Your So Gay. Can You Spot the Two Common Mistakes?’ and ‘That’s So Gay. Let’s Be Honest, It’s Probably Not.’

You can order a campaign pack to give to your local school or download our posters and other resources here.

I’ve raised this issue with the Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove MP, but we need you to get involved too:

• Make a donation – just £5 allows Stonewall to send these materials to a secondary school, ensuring that hundreds of pupils know why it’s wrong to say ‘that’s so gay’. Simply text GAY to 70500 to donate £5 or click here to donate online.
• Buy a ‘Gay. Let’s Get The Meaning Straight’ t-shirt – help us reclaim the word ‘gay’ and show your support to young people.
• Get your friends and colleagues together and raise awareness and funds for Stonewall during Anti-Bullying Week. Go to www.stonewall.org.uk/ABW13 for our fun ideas!

About the campaign, read more at stonewall.org.uk