Being bullied for any reason can be hard to deal with.Being bullied because of your sexual orientation can be very sad and discouraging.This can be true if you haven't come out yet.You don't have to let homophobia ruin your life.Be aware that being bullied is not your fault.If you address it, seek support, take care of yourself, and make an effort to stop it from happening to others, you can deal with homophobia.
Step 1: Don't respond to the bully.
People bully because they want to get a reaction from you.Homophobic bullies try to upset you by using your sexual orientation as a way to make themselves feel better.Don't give them the satisfaction of a response.If you respond to the bully with anger, it could cause you to say something that could make the situation worse, like getting into a physical altercation.Don't react if the bully says that you are homosexual.Denying it will allow the bully to keep bothering you.If you haven't come out yet, reacting to the bully might make you angry.Walk past them and ignore their comments.Turn your attention to something else if you can't walk away.If it is happening online, you shouldn't respond.A response could make the situation worse.You can either block the bully or hide their posts.It might be a good idea to stop using social media for a while.
Step 2: It's time to calm down.
It is easy to get upset when someone is making fun of you because of your sexual orientation.You could feel angry, humiliated, anxious, or afraid.First, calm the situation down.Slow down your heart rate by taking a few deep, slow breaths.If you need to, take at least 3 deep breaths.Relax your shoulders and let go of any tension in your body.Relax your shoulders, you may need to think to yourself.Good.Relax your hands.
Step 3: Show your confidence.
The homophobic bully can be dealt with by showing how confident you are.This will show the bully that they have no power over you.When they realize they don't intimidate you, they may no longer want to bully you.If you don't feel confident, act like you do.You are the only person that knows that you are nervous, so don't let it show.Take a deep breath.Stand up straight with your shoulders back.Keep your voice calm, clear, and steady if you talk to the bully.Look at the bully in the eyes.They know you are not afraid.
Step 4: Once you are calm, tell them to stop.
You can tell the person to stop doing it.If you let them know that you don't like what they are doing and want them to stop, that may be enough to make them stop.Say something like, "Stop bothering me."If it is online harassment, you can send a private message to the person telling them that their posts bother you and that they need to stop.Say something like, "Leave me alone" if they don't stop harassing me.Before the situation gets out of hand, just walk away.
Step 5: Have a discussion with them.
Sometimes the person isn't aware that what they are doing is harmful.Explain to them how their words hurt them.Older people may have been raised to believe that homosexuality is wrong.It hurts your feelings when your friends say things like "that's gay" all the time.Say, "What you said hurt my feelings."Being gay is a part of who I am, but not everything.It can be difficult to talk to your bully.Bring a supportive friend, family member, or authority figure with you for help and moral support.
Step 6: If you are a child or teenager, have an adult with you.
They can help you deal with the homophobia by protecting you and giving you advice.If there is any type of physical contact or threats of harm or violence, you should immediately tell an adult, like your parents, teachers, coach, or religious leader.I need to talk to you about something.Give them details like when it started, how long it has been going on, who is doing it, and what they are doing.Even if you haven't come out yet, you can still tell an adult.You can tell them that you are a victim of bullied, but not confirm or deny your sexual orientation.Don't give up if the first adult you talk to refuses to help you.Don't stop asking until you find someone willing to help.You shouldn't have to face it on your own.
Step 7: You should tell someone you trust.
You don't have to go through this on your own.Tell someone you know.They can help you deal with the effects of homophobia.Talk to your friends about how you feel.Don't be afraid to tell them when you're scared or depressed.Friends are for that.Your friends can help you figure out how to deal with the bully.If you haven't come out to your friends, tell them that you're being bullied because of your sexual orientation.If they don't know about your sexuality, you can say something like, "Hey, guys, there's a group of kids that harass me after school."
Step 8: You should hang out with a group.
This will help you deal with what is going on, because bully wait until you are alone to bother you.Hanging around people that care about you can help you feel good about yourself, and they can also help keep you safe from the bully.Don't be around the bully by yourself.When you are going places that the bully will be, ask a friend to go with you.You can spend time with friends doing things that make you feel good about yourself.
Step 9: Talk to a professional.
The effects of homophobia can be very bad.You might experience depression, anxiety, or even suicidal thoughts.Talking to a professional like a therapist, counselor, doctor, psychologist, or religious leader can help you deal with the effects of being bullied.The stress of being bullied can be alleviated with the help of a therapist or counselor.They can help you deal with negative feelings and lowered self-esteem.If you haven't come out yet, this is important.They don't try to make you straight or gay, but they can help you with your sexuality.You can ask your physician, school counselor, human resource department at work, or a trusted friend for a referral to a good counselor.If you believe that you are in danger from your bully, you should report it to the police or the administration at your school or workplace.
Step 10: You can keep a journal about it.
Long-term problems can be caused by keeping your sexual orientation bottled up, and how it makes you feel about yourself.Write about the homophobia in your journal.If you need it later, you can use your journal as a way to document things.What feelings do you have after being bullied?Write about why you feel that way.If you are homosexual and haven't come out yet, write an entry about how the harassment is affecting you.
Step 11: Take care of yourself.
It can have a negative impact on your physical, mental and emotional health.You might find that you have trouble concentrating, sleeping, or eating.Taking care of your health can help you deal with the effects of homophobia.You should be getting regular physical activity.Walking, doing yoga, or playing sports can help you deal with the stress of being bullied.Have a schedule and sleep routine.It's easy to lose sleep over a bully, but it will cause you to be more anxious, and stop you from thinking clearly.Don't skip meals or eat just because you're emotional.You can eat healthy meals and snacks on a regular basis.Drugs and alcohol can be used to cope with the bully.You will have more long-term problems if you do this.
Step 12: Do not blame yourself.
It is something you just have to deal with if you feel that you have done something to deserve the harassment.It is not.Understanding that being bullied isn't your fault will help you deal with it.The bully's words and actions prove that they are the one with the problem.You don't deserve to be bullied if you are homosexual or out.This is not a reflection of me.I did not do anything to make this happen.I will not tolerate it and I don't deserve it.
Step 13: Use methods to reduce stress.
When it is happening, they can help you deal with it, but they are also a way of being less stressed and more peaceful.Making an effort to reduce stress will help you deal with homophobia when it happens.Regular deep breathing and stretching can have positive effects on your mood and health.When you experience stress, regular meditation can help you deal with it better.It is possible to improve your health by doing physical activity on a regular basis.Painting, sculpting, and gardening can calm you and give you a sense of purpose.
Step 14: Support people who have been bullied.
Bullying of any kind should not be ignored.If you take action, someone else can be bullied because of their sexual orientation.Knowing that someone cares can help someone who is being harassed for being gay.You should hang out with the bully.It might help them feel better about themselves.It can make the bully stop bothering them.The bully should be told to stop.You could say leave him alone.If the bully is threatening to hurt the other person, immediately tell someone of authority like law enforcement, religious leaders, or teachers.
Step 15: Speak up.
If you are comfortable with it, you can say something when your friends, family, or others are doing things that are gay.It lets the bully know that what they are doing is not okay.You could say, "I'm sorry, but what does being gay have to do with anything?"If someone makes a homophobic comment, no one cares about that type of stuff.You don't have to confront the bully, but you can make a joke to break the tension.You might say with a laugh, "That reminds me of my grandma, talking about sexuality and stuff like that."She is old-fashioned.She calls silver movies, which takes the pressure off of the victim and expresses that homophobia isn't cool without confronting the bully.
Step 16: Become active in your community.
One of the best ways to deal with homophobia is to speak out against it.It is possible to end homophobia by educating people about it.International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia will be held on May 17th.Work with your school or work leaders to make sure that anti-bullying policies are in place and that people are trained to deal with issues such as homophobia.