Anti-homophobia policies may reduce teen binge drinking
Posted August 15, 2013 10:26 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – A UBC study reveals an unexpected benefit to anti-homophobia programs in high schools: they appear to cut down binge drinking.
That applies not just for gay students, but straight teens, too.
UBC School of Nursing professor Elizabeth Saewyc figures anti-homophobia policies reduce overall bullying and create a better environment for everyone.
“A lot of straight young people are bullied using homophobic terms, and so a lot of the people who say they are harassed with anti-gay harassment actually are straight.”
“We think perhaps what’s happening is those gay/straight alliances and anti-bullying policies actually reduce harassment overall in the school and create a more inclusive environment,” she explains.
Saewyc says the decrease in binge drinking is quite noticeable in the stats; she feels it’s another reason for schools to seriously consider anti-homophobia policies.
Click here to read the study.