Lesson in misery (苦痛) for gay at school

Many gay and lesbian (note 1) students do not know who to turn to for help (note 3) when they get bullied at school.

 

A case in point (note 3) in Ah Wing, who kept is sexual orientation secret for many years for fear of (note 4) being bullied by classmates.

 

Eventually, when Ah Wing, 19, broke up with this boyfriend when he was in Form Five, his classmates found out.

 

“I was afraid of what people would think of me. When my classmates knew my secret, they threw stones at me and teased (取笑) me,” he said.

 

At other times he was forced to laugh along with the class when the teased made derogatory (降低品格的) remarks about homosexuals.

 

He said there were occasions when he skipped classes (逃學) because of the bullying and on one occasion he even attempted to commit suicide (note 5). Social worker Chau Chun-yam from the Boys’ & Girls’ Clubs Association said teacher training in insufficient to deal with these issues (note 6) at school. “Teachers do not know how to counsel homosexual students and rarely address homosexuality in sex education classes.”

 

Joseph Cho Man-kit from Nutong Xueshe, a support group for homosexuals and bisexuals, said his group has approached schools to talk about homophobic (恐懼同性戀症) bullying but some rejected their suggestion saying it is an attempt to advocate homosexuality among student.

 

The association and the Chinese University of Hong Kong are working on a study of homophobic bullying in schools.

 

Only 20 percent of 300 bisexuals and homosexuals, aged between 13 to 21, said parents know of their sexual orientation (性取向) while 30 percent said teachers are aware.

 

Currently a post-secondary student, Ah Wing said he will only tell his parents once he becomes financially independent (財政獨立).

 

(note 1) gay and lesbian=男女同性戀者。

Gay=男同性戀者, Lesbian=女同性戀者

Gay=當形容詞語時解作快樂的,快樂的,花俏的

Gay colors=鮮豔的顏色

 

(note 2) turn to for help=尋找幫助。

Turn the clock back=倒退。

Turn the corner=轉危為安。

turn the knife in a wound=落井下石。

turn the scales=扭轉局面。

turn the screw=對某人施加壓力。

Turn up=出現,發生。

 

(note 3) a case in point=一個好例子。

Point=特點,要點,旨趣。

The weakest point=最大缺點。

Point of contact=接觸點。

There is no point in doing that=那沒有做的必要。

What is the point of getting angry?=發脾氣有什麼用處呢？

at [on] the point of=接近,靠近。

 

(note 4) for fear of=害怕。

fear=憂慮,擔心,顧慮,不安。

He was overcome by fear=他嚇壞了

She should not speak for fear=她嚇得說不出話來

Full of hopes and fears=滿希望和顧慮

No fear=沒事兒

There is no fear of their losing the battle=他們不會打敗仗的

For fear that [lest]=生怕,以免

go about in fear of one’s life=害怕會送命

 

(note 5) attempted to commit suicide=企圖自殺。

Attempt a difficult task=想完成一件艱難工作

 

(note 6) deal with these issues=對付這些問題

raw deal=不公平的待遇

square [fair] deal=公平待遇 [處理]