HONG KONG: About half of homosexual and bisexual teens whose schoolmates know their sexual orientation feel they are stigmatized, an online survey has found.

In a poll of 492 youngsters who are not "straight" heterosexuals, 79.7 percent said their schoolmates know about their sexual orientation.

Some 13.5 percent of 392 teenagers who said their schoolmates know of their sexual orientation said they either had been assaulted, including sexual assault, or blackmailed at some time.

This shows that some students cannot accept non-heterosexuals at all," said Lo Wing-lok, an executive committee member of the Boys' and Girls' Clubs Association, which conducted the poll last month. "More public education needs to be done for people to have more thorough and objective understanding of sexual orientation."

He added, "Our sexual orientation is inborn. We cannot change a gay into a straight guy, but many people just don't get it."

Some 42.3 percent of the 392 youngsters said they had been humiliated or teased about their sexual orientation some time in their lives.

About a third of the 392 teenagers felt as if others targeted them for discrimination, the survey found.

Some 22.3 percent of the 131 youngsters, who said they felt that others treated them as inferior, said they had pondered suicide at some time.

Peter Cheung Kwok-che, the lawmaker for the social welfare sector, said it is obvious that these youngsters need help and he said teachers and social workers need more training on how to incorporate the topic of sexual orientation into the school syllabus.

The survey also found that 61.1 percent of the 131 respondents feel lonely and helpless when others show bias toward them.

Only 11.5 percent of the 131 teenagers said they share their problems with teachers. But 60 percent of the 15 students who have shared their troubles with teachers said their instructors suggested they change their behaviour or manner of speaking to conform to conventional views.

"Non-heterosexual teens are generally in lack of support. They badly need someone to talk to when they are puzzled about their sexual orientation. Their parents may also feel scared, angry or confused when their children tell them they are not straight, but school teachers and social workers may not be ready to address their concerns," said Lo.

He urged more public acceptance of those who do not conform to conventional views of the sexual norm and he urged there be more support groups to assist these troubled minorities.

The group's director, Law Suk-kwan, said support and acceptance from parents and teachers are of utmost importance to non-heterosexual teens, who often feel stranded after becoming aware of their sexual orientation.

An 18-year-old Form Seven graduate, under a pseudonym of Tim, said he discovered he is gay when in Form One or Form Two at a Catholic school. He tried to conceal it from others but in Form Six, he said, his classmates discovered his secret. "They have since not asked me out for gatherings and I have become isolated by most of my school friends," he said. "I feel very lonely."

(HK Edition 08/11/2009 page1)