Hi there,
Thanks for your letter, it sounds like youve been treated really badly because of your interest in My Little Pony. Im glad that you decided to write to me.
Nobody has the right to put you down because of what your interests are. Whether its dancing, football, computer games or My Little Pony, the things you enjoy are an important part of your identity that you have every right to express. Unfortunately even though this is the case, sometimes when you are interested in things that are seen as unexpected or unusual, it can lead to people making assumptions and even becoming abusive. No matter what their reasons are, behaving like this is not okay.
The things youve described in your letter sound really concerning. Not only are you and your friends getting called names, but youve described the bullying getting physical when people have thrown books at you.
When there are so many people bullying you, it can sometimes feel like nothing is ever going to change. Bullying can even start to feel like its part of daily life but that is never meant to be the case. If you were on the street for example and someone started throwing heavy objects at people, anybody would be well within their rights to phone the police. You have just as much right to be safe when youre in school.
Im wondering what it might be like to think about talking to a teacher in school about what people have been saying and doing. Your school have a responsibility to protect all young people from bullying and discrimination. Calling you faggots and using gay as an insult is homophobic bullying, no matter what your sexual orientation is. This is totally unacceptable in any setting and your teachers need to take action to stop it.
Names can be incredibly hurtful, sometimes even more so than having the books thrown at you. When people say nasty thigns, it shows more about them than it does about you. It can help to think about how youd most like to react when the bullies start saying things to you. Our being assertive page might really help with ideas on what you can do to react.
It might help to read the message boards to see other young peoples experiences of being bullied. You might also like to see some of the threads on the boards from other Bronys.
Whenever you feel ready, I think it would be a really good idea to talk to a ChildLine counsellor about whats been happening. Theyre there to support you in a non-judgemental way about anything going on in your life and can help you to think about ideas for the future. You can talk to them online, call them for free on 0800 1111 or even send an email to get support.
Take care,
Sam
