'Think Before You Speak,' Anti-Gay Bullying Campaign Produced By GLSEN, To Air At Super Bowl (VIDEO)

Madonna's highly-anticipated halftime show has been hyped as "bringing gay" to the Super Bowl, but a series of public service announcements will ensure other aspects of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) life are emphasized during the big game.

The Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) will share its new PSA campaign targeting anti-LGBT language among teens with Super Bowl attendees at Indianapolis' Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday. The award-winning "Think Before You Speak" campaign features stars Hilary Duff, Wanda Sykes and the NBA's Grant Hill.

"GLSEN is thrilled to share the Think Before You Speak campaign’s message of respect with tens of thousands of football fans attending the Super Bowl this year,” GLSEN Executive Director Dr. Eliza Byard said in a press release. "The PSA campaign featuring Hilary Duff, Wanda Sykes and the NBA’s Grant Hill has already reached millions of Americans across the country and we are truly grateful for this opportunity to increase awareness among a new kind of audience about the negative impact of anti-gay slurs."

The news comes on the heels of GLSEN's "Playground and Prejudice: Elementary School Climate in the United States" report, released last month. Among the poll's more eyebrow-raising findings: a staggering 75 percent of students reported that they were called names or bullied with some regularity, frequently based on their looks or body size, while one in seven students said the reason they personally felt unsafe or afraid at school is personal appearance.

View more about the "Think Before You Speak" campaign here.

Comments

[Mariah Dailey]

08:04 AM on 02/14/2012

Raise your kids to be decent human beings and not use foul or offensive language. Stop them in their tracks if you hear it. They will grow up thinking that is normal, that "being decent" is normal! That's how I was raised so that is how I raise my kids. Also, we had little money so that has nothing to do with it. Decency. Pass it On.

[Godweiser]

02:53 AM on 02/03/2012

Bigotry is taught, homosexuality isn't. It starts with adults; see the way they encourage kids to do themselves in in Bachmann's district; that started with adults too.

[Godweiser]

02:50 AM on 02/03/2012

Boy, Michelle Bachmann's gonna fume over this one; her congressional district makes a cottage industry out of bullying kids until they end it.

[Ganji]

09:05 PM on 02/02/2012

I don't believe in censorship..sorry

[crowepps]

10:35 PM on 02/02/2012

People who care about others can voluntarily choose less hurtful words. There isn't anything *requiring* people to be rude and homophobic.

[Ganji]

11:03 PM on 02/02/2012

if gays are so fragile that a word hurts them then it speaks more about them then word sayer. i won't walk on egg-shells to appease a gay person

[Rastafari59]

01:27 PM on 02/03/2012

Censorship is when the government punishes speech legally. Trying to convince people to use different language voluntarily is not censorship.

I was a child before civil rights. When I came back from school and used racial language my Mom made it very plain she would not have it in her house. That is how I learned not to do it. The government didn't come and arrest me. My Mom made me see I was being an idiot.

There is a difference.

[charlieburke]

11:27 AM on 02/02/2012

The NFL players' union could do a major service to the country if they decided NOT to play in the anti-union, right to work (for less) state of Indiana. Or at least add to the antibullying service with a prounion message. cb

[sedagive42]

10:07 AM on 02/02/2012

I am so old I can remember that people who used offensive terms told something about themselves, more than my taking offense at their ignorance. Feel sad about someone who is so limited in how to express themselves. Anybody else remember when people who used curse words did so because they had a small vocabulary and wanted to shock people to cover it up.

[Ganji]

09:05 PM on 02/02/2012

i see it different, i think people who are easily offended by a word are insecure in themselves

[Godweiser]

02:51 AM on 02/03/2012

So are people that need to go around pathologically insulting others to feel good about themselves. You're the one with an empty, unenvied life.

[rockysparks]

09:40 AM on 02/02/2012

Think Before You Speak: Ah, if only all of us --- and I include myself --- would adopt that policy before we make our comments on HP ...

[GDWhiteman]

07:23 PM on 02/03/2012

Dang, Rocky - that's no fun ;)

[rockysparks]

09:41 PM on 02/03/2012

You're right, what was I thinking ...

[stephan67]

04:40 AM on 02/02/2012

The athletes usually have the '' macho'' mentality while gay men usually have effeminate behavour. It's a conflict between two totally different worlds.

[GDWhiteman]

07:24 PM on 02/03/2012

Tell that to the gay guy who played defensive tackle in front of me.

[stephan67]

01:31 AM on 02/04/2012

I used the word usually, because I meant the majority .There is of course a minority ,that doesn't behave this way.

[STaR Scream 81]

03:53 AM on 02/02/2012

I see more hating, stereotyping and absolute disrespect in the Gay/Lesbian area of HP than anywhere else and its the gays and lesbians who are doing it! So many gays and lesbians on the HP wanting to be "accepted" who go about it completely the wrong way. All I ever see on these posts is gays and lesbians attacking anyone and everyone and then wanting people to be kind and accepting of them. I realize you have frustrations that most do not understand but most of you are adults and maybe you act like it. Nobody's life is perfect.

Yes, yes, Im sure most of your responses will sound like this, " Well they dont approve of our lifestyle and its not fair, waaaaa" Theres things in my life that family and friends dont approve of but I take the high road. I dont act like a child and kick and scream and attack their belief in god or anything else.

People should be who they are gay or straight but quit acting like everyone on the planet has to bow down to your every want and need just because you are gay.

Then again, this might be one of the only places some of you feminine boys feel confident taking shots at some one who could put a whooping on you in real life.

[SomewhereInLeftField]

09:32 AM on 02/02/2012

I don't use the legislative process to deny people rights because I disagree with their "lifestyle."

You do.

Explain why I shouldn't take that personally.

And, as an aside, how can you claim to take the "high road" when, two paragraphs later, you label gays as "feminine boys" (a slur that is as rude as it is inaccurate)?

[STaR Scream 81]

02:49 PM on 02/02/2012

I dont deny anyone their rights, like I said, people should be who they are gay, straight, fat, skinny or purple. EVERYONE should have the right to be who they are, yet I see people attacking people because of their beliefs. This is not right, and the people attacking are the gays and lesbians. "THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK" remember? So everyone should accept your beliefs while you stomp on everyone elses ?

[STaR Scream 81]

02:52 PM on 02/02/2012

Another thing, c'mon, I personally know a couple gay men who are not feminine but lets be honest here. For every masculine gay man there are dozens who talk and act very feminine. Im not making fun of this, Im just stating fact, it is what it is. So for you to say its inaccurate is like saying the sky isnt blue.

[vonric]

09:21 AM on 02/03/2012

Interesting bundle of stereotypes...

I was serving as a 2lt in Vietnam (a war that occurred probably before you were born).. My CO was an extroverted, dynamic and pragmatic guy, something of a jokester and a man's man. Kept this very green 2lt out of trouble........... Discovered, quite by accident, that he preferred guys in the sack.

So much for that feminine boy riff, there, Droppin' knowledge.....chances are that you have sat next to some butch dude at a sports bar and - horrors - NOT EVEN KNOWN IT!!! (I know, I know, traumatic, actually, but you'll get over it)

my CO became a good friend, left the military, became an attorney. he and his partner are welcome in my wife's and my home any time....

[STaR Scream 81]

03:00 AM on 02/04/2012

If funny how you seem to have missed the point of what I said all together and just focus on the little jab I threw at the end. See, thats my point exactly. Most of the comments here from gays and lesbians are nothing more than cheap shots at peoples beliefs and somehow were supposed to show support through this.... MY POINT WAS, maybe you should stop with the cheap shots and actually leave something of substance. When people see the cheap shots thats all they focus on, so thanks for making my point exactly. You didnt even focus on the post just the last two lines, too bad, the first part actually could benefit some of the people here...

[AngryHarpy]

01:15 AM on 02/02/2012

I hope all of Westboro Baptist Church, Rick Santorum and the 'Don't Say Gay' Tennessee legislator are watching the Super Bowl. I bet the campaign will really get their panties in a bunch when they see it.

[Godweiser]

02:53 AM on 02/03/2012

That's okay. A bunch of us had to put up with Tim Tebow and his mom a couple years back. It's politics in sports, and that lot started it.

[AngryHarpy]

05:50 AM on 02/03/2012

Honestly, I was okay with Tebow's ad. It was tastefully done and didn't say or dictate their ideology. Of course, the mere fact it was Focus on the Family behind it left a bad taste in my mouth.

[Biochemist she]

12:59 AM on 02/02/2012

As others have already stated, this is excellent news. It's becoming clear that this type of b/s/ is no longer going to be tolerated in professional circles, which in turn, extends to young people.

I'm absolutely elated to see that the x-tian wrong's greatest fears have materialized--the tide is turning and YOUR children are going to learn to treat others with respect.

Delicious.

[ZC1968]

01:15 AM on 02/02/2012

Yes, as long as the message get out.

[ScottyboyLA]

11:49 PM on 02/01/2012

This is great news. All Americans should pay attention and listen to this message. But until the likes of say, Kobe Bryant and others who have made slurs against gays join in on this message, our high profile professional althetes have a lot more work to do. How about taking it to the next level? Tell the nation that it would be OK if one of their teammates were an out gay man. Now we're talking.

[SalesmanForLife]

11:25 PM on 02/01/2012

There are certain types of kids, young people this is targeting. I hope your children are not one of them.

[Biochemist she]

12:53 AM on 02/02/2012

I hope in time, you learn to... oh, who the heck am I kidding, you're obviously an absolute knucle-dragger.

Run along.

You're irrelevant.

[SalesmanForLife]

01:17 AM on 02/02/2012

Why am I irrelevant for making a comment which implies that parents need pay attention to what young people do? Seems pretty relevant to me. But, after your comment, not sure you get it.

[The hell with it]

06:32 PM on 02/01/2012

I was never bullied or vice versa.Never saw it either. I would not have tolerated it if I did.That's not my nature to let anyone anywhere take the higher ground just because they think they can.If you are a human being you MUST respect everyone as you would want to be respected. If they are wrong there are ways to bring change or face the consequences. Zero tolerance,no exceptions. If you see a wrong you owe it to yourself to step in and defuse the situation. If you are to shy then seek out an adult or an authority to assist in the matter.NO BULLYING, ANYTIME, ANYWHERE! SCHOOL,WORKPLACE OR ON THE STREET. We must grow as an American society or admit
we aren't as great as we say we are.America the beautiful for equality everywhere!

[KAYLEE BURRIS]

07:17 PM on 02/01/2012

the hell,
your lucky,i was one of those kids growning up.it was hell,
but to get even i persevered.
i didn't allow their sickness to ruin my life.
funny when i confronted the bullies they didn't remember bullying amazing how that works,early case of alzheimers.

[joe1964]

04:18 AM on 02/02/2012

Isn't it amazing, Kaylee, they never remember it. I've had people come up to me that treated my like toe fungus in school give me a hug and tell me how they miss old times. The whole time I'm thinking that I want to punch them in the face and please don't touch me.
I think they know what they did, they just think that 'after all this time it doesn't matter.'
Yes, it does!

[Godweiser]

06:25 AM on 02/03/2012

Truth is, I never saw them again. I didn't stay in my hometown anyway. I think most people who went to HS in a red state that have much in the way of intelligence and ambition tend to leave. I went to HS in east Texas, but I went to college in the DC area. I haven't bothered to keep track of anyone but my closest friends.

[billy goat]

06:22 PM on 02/01/2012

I'm old and gay now, but when I was young, I never enjoyed playing or watching sports. I never related to the activities or to the people when they were engaged in playing or watching. I always felt like I was seeing some other world from across the street. I'm not sure why I was never interested. When I was older, still a kid though, the hypermasculinity and intense judgements of the sports world seemed very threatening. I'm glad to see, finally, some attempt on the part of the world of sports to acknowledge its historical disregard for gay people as wrong.

[stephan67]

05:00 AM on 02/02/2012

But there are many homosexuals that have ''macho'' image too .