Thank you to Carole and The Romance Reviews for hosting the GLBT Madness Hop!
I’m now in my early 40’s and I’ve seen some wonderful improvements in acceptance of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender folks in the course of my lifetime. Still, homophobia remains, especially in certain pockets of culture.
Athletics is a culture that’s dear to me but sadly still struggling with tolerance of GLBT issues. I witnessed a close friend grapple with the coming out process on my college swim team, and his battle really influenced me to become a heterosexual ally.
I wrote about this experience in my fictional short story Swim Recruit, which I’m offering for free. Heterosexuals can make a huge impact by fighting against homophobia. I’m also offering an iTunes gift card to download great music by gay artists like the Indigo Girls!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Click this button to visit the next blog on the hop! 
Jennifer Lane Books 
I have two girls and I have watched them both go through some bullying. Middle school is so brutal. The kids will ridicule you until you cave and get with their program. Luckily both my kids are very strong willed and refused to cave, but the consequences are a lot of hurt feelings 😦
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I have always stood behind my glbt friends, and supported them when they struggled with coming out and their sexuality. I was told (on more than one occasion) that I was the only straight friend that didn't abandon them. That just about broke my heart!
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Hi Jennifer. I totally agree with you. Every voice counts. Stories look great. Thanks for being on the Blog Hop.Hi. I love the subject of your stories! I always felt that the Angels needed to have a life. It looks like you gave them a reat one.Chrisceagles48218@yahoo.com
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Oh, I agree. I work at a college University and I hear them discuss this issue a lot. Wonderful post, Jennifer. ~JD
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My daughter came out to me when she graduated from high school. When she was born I prayed she would be happy and healthy. I worry about her and how terribly cruel people can be but she is my baby girl and really all I want is for her to be happy and healthy.1_trouble at msn dot com
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What a great hop and what a nice tie in with Swim Recruit. We can only hope that each generation becomes more tolerant & one day the Archie Bunkers of the world will be extinct.
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My younger brother was a target of bullying and I tried to be his protector when I could, but it almost broke my heart a few times when I found out after the fact.Thanks for the giveaway opportunity and thanks for the generous giveaway of your short story.
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I dealt with a lot of bullying because, I wasn't a girly girl. The gym locker room was always the hardest. smurfettev AT gmail DOT com
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I am always amazed when people who,have themselves been discriminated against, turn around and do,it to others. How does one develop compassion? The world of athletics has an intolerance that I hope will fade.brendurbanist AT gmail DOT com
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I think it's great that you are promoting this cause. I loved Swim Recruit and was also a huge fan of Greg Luganis, who didn't come out until his diving career was almost over. My best friend is gay and she's the best person you could meet.
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I was made fun of for being fat, even at age 6 when I wasn't fat. Of course ridicule by my peers made me feel fat, making me eat my feelings and eventually became fat!Thanks for participating! OceanAkers @ aol.com
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In high school I had a problem with a gang of girls who liked to bully me and others. I lost a couple of so called friends because of them so I guess that they were not really my friends. Most of those mean girls didn't stay in school so the bullying stopped by 10th grade.jmesparza821(at)gmail(dot)com
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I figure everyone is entitled to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness….wherever those ideas lead. Hopefully the naysayers will realize that LOVE between consenting adults is never wrong. Thanks, Michelle chellebee66(at)gmail(dot)com
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Sharon, middle school can destroy anyone's self-confidence without bullying, and throw bullying into the mix and it's a disaster! I'm glad your kids are resilient.
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You know how I feel about this issue, having been through it myself as a bisexual woman. I love you for participating in this blog hop and for standing up for your GLBT brothers and sisters. Rock on, sister!xoJen DeLucy
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Jaybird, that would break my heart too. We straight peeps need to straighten people out when they make it hard for others to be themselves.
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ceagles, amen for every voice counting! Thanks so much for stopping by.
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Justine, you hear about homophobia being rampant in sports? It's really too bad. That's great you work at a university though–a fun place to work!
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Donna, that must have been an adjustment for your family at first. I love how you focus on health and happiness for your daughter. Are you involved with PFLAG?
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Nicki, Archie Bunker has a certain appeal but all of his \”isms\” certainly do NOT! 😀
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Aw Sophia, that must've been so painful to hear your little bro had been bullied. Hope he's recovered from that.
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Geez Sheri, bullies target the dumbest stuff! I was sort of a tomboy too but luckily I found a lot of acceptance in the sports world.
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Urb, are you saying that athletes have been discriminated against? That doesn't make sense when the bullied becomes the bulliers, I agree.
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Thank you, Heather! I've seen Greg Louganis speak and he has an incredible story.
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Juliana, I've been teased for being overweight as well and it is no fun. It seems the last \”acceptable\” discrimination is against overweight people.
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Juana, boo for mean girls! No esta bien.
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Michelle, there's nothing wrong with love! It's not like heterosexual marriages work out so great anyway.
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Jen, thanks for stopping by and sharing the love.
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This is a subject that I teach about extensively in my Social Psychology class. In fact, my students are creating 45 second PSA's for anti-bullying.Yvetteyratpatrol@aol.com
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Yvette, that's great you're a psychology teacher! And your students are creating anti-bullying PSA's? Wonderful!
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I was teased as a kid and just started to cuss out my tormentors. Teasing and bullying are so vicious compared to when I was a kid. Thanks,Tracey Dbooklover0226 at gmail dot com
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I was bullied as a kid, but I never really thought of it as bullying because it was not the stereotypical bullying you see on TV and in books – the \”give me your lunch money or I'll beat you up and lock you in a locker\” type. Emotional bullying is way worse.BTW, I didn't download \”Swim Recruit\” because I already have it in an anthology. I loved it, though, and have been wanting to read more of your work.
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Tracey, way to fight back! I had a potty mouth myself as a kid ha ha.
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Ricki, social violence can be just as devastating (or more) as physical violence. It's hard to fight back against something you can't see in a tangible way.
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Well, I was bullied all through elementary to high school. I absolutely hated school until I went to college. Bullying sucks and I don't care what excuses you make up for it, it's never okay. It doesn't build character or any of that bull crap. It's destructive and needs to be stopped.tiger-chick-1(at)hotmail(dot)com
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Emily, that's awful to hear. College was a healing experience for me too after a clique-ish high school experience. I think schools are addressing bullying much more effectively these days.
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Thanks for participating and the free read. I've never been subjected to bullying but I've always tried to stick up for those who were. Yolandapechedete@yahoo.com
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I've seen bullying first hand and am proud (as an adult) of my younger self standing up for my friends. Children can be cruel especially if taught intolerance at home. I am thankful that it seems to be getting better but we still have a ways to go.Kassandrasionedkla@gmail.com
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Great post and giveaway.There is always somebody bigger and meaner than the bully,who will, probably bully the bully at some point and they(the bully being bullied) definetly won't like it.
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We have a gay son, and I'm always glad to find another straight ally!
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