Senior Attorney and leader of GLAD’s Youth Initiative Vickie Henry testified May 30 before the Massachusetts joint House and Senate Education Committee in support of An Act Relative to Bullying in Schools. The proposed legislation would make much needed improvements to the state’s anti-bullying law by adding important provisions for enumerating protected classes – including LGBTQ students; for tracking and reporting bullying behavior; and for conducting a student school climate survey.

In her testimony, Vickie spoke of the direct information GLAD has received over the past year about the harmful impact bullying based on sexual orientation and gender identity continues to have on students.

“I have met the youth behind the bullying statistics. Over the past year, my colleagues and I have traveled across Massachusetts speaking to more than two thousand youth and educators. At every talk we give about the legal rights of LGBTQ students, we hear from students and families that many students are specifically targeted for bullying because of their sexual orientation or gender identity or expression. GLAD also receives calls regularly from our about LGBTQ youth who are being bullied.”

You can read Vickie Henry’s full testimony here.