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Take It Back:
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Look around your school. There are countless differences among the people you see - differences in race, ethnicity, gender, cultural heritage, religious belief, sexual orientation, economic class, age, physical and mental ability, and many others. Instead of being embraced as expressions of diversity, these differences are often singled out for ridicule. Name-calling, labeling, harassing remarks, and slurs such as "You faggot!" "Spic" and "You're retarded!" send clear messages to their targets that they are not welcome or "not as good" as others, and contribute generally to a hostile school environment for everyone. Words DO have the power to hurt us! Slurs hurt, isolate, and fragment communities, leaving people feeling left out and targetted. Recognizing the power of language to affect individuals and environments is foundational to the work of creating safe space for all students at school. Through student organizing and activism, you can work to prevent slurs and respond effectively when they happen; you can focus on the source, meaning, and impact of slurs in order to take back hurtful language in your school. By speaking out against slurs on your campus, you can also take back the ability of language to empower and strengthen our communities. By offering you Take It Back: A Manual for Fighting Slurs on Campus, Gay-Straight Alliance Network invites you to be a partner in taking on the use of slurs in schools because:
Click here to download Take It Back: A Manual for Fighting Slurs on Campus |
