Students face issues based on gender; teens learn to deal with criticism from peers

According to StopBullying.gov,  it  is estimated that about 46% of students between the ages 12-18 are bullied throughout their school experience. This may not be the majority, however it still happens.

      As reported by students at NH, girls and boys can both be picked on for a number of things. Freshman Anna Deveno has known someone who experienced bullying. The ninth grader states,“I think they were bullied for being overweight.” When it comes to bullying, Deveno comments, “I think people can be bullied for anything, but with standards set in place by today’s society girls are usually picked on more.”  She added that’s not to say “that guys don’t experience it, I just think they don’t express themselves enough for us to see it as often.” Deveno thinks girls and guys are both picked on mostly for their weight or body type. 

     Sophomore Brady Gilmore’s opinion on the matter is slightly different. Gilmore knows someone who has experienced racial discrimination by someone they knew. Gilmore does agree that people can be picked on for anything because “anything can be deemed outside of the range of what’s normal.” He also believes that the range of what sex is picked on more is fairly equal.

      Another sophomore, Payton Kacher, has experienced peers’ harsh critiques first hand. “I was bullied for my body, and the person used to be my friend until they started being mean to me.” Kacher also agrees with the statement that people can be picked on for anything. Along with Gilmore she believes that the bullying variation is about even. Kacher thinks girls and guys are mostly picked on for their bodies because “people set unrealistic expectations for girls to look a certain way and if they don’t then they get picked on for it.”

      Based on what students had to say at NH, many people think that girls and guys are picked on about evenly and for similar things usually because of their bodies. It’s a well known fact that bullying can have a detrimental effect on people’s health and academics, and StopBullying.gov reports that “research indicates that persistent bullying can lead to or worsen feelings of isolation, rejection, exclusion, and despair, as well as depression and anxiety, which can contribute to suicidal behavior.”

     Students who are experiencing bullying should know that they have outlets accessible to them. The school’s guidance department is available from the hours of 7:30-2:25 every weekday.