Wonder first of all how stonewall was able to reach a conclusion on which 5,7,10 year old students were "gay" - like they would know at that age!
On another note,independant studies have shown that suicide,depression etc rates are much higher among the "gay" communities normally - and that has nothing to do with bullying of any sort, these are adults who were surveyed.
Finally,this kind of "survey" would be more authentic if done by an independant body without any leading questions. Whatever.

Leo, London, UK

I think it is correct to state that all bullying needs to be targeted - no child deserves to be picked on, whether it is because of height, weight, skin colour, intelligence or sexual orientation.

But I think it correct to pinpoint particular targets as small steps towards tackling the bigger picture. Calling someone 'gay' in a derogative sense is harmful, only enhancing the idea in that child's mind that to be gay is a bad thing, irrespective of their own sexuality. In turn it damages their gay, lesbian and bisexual peers, who may feel oppressed and unable to 'come out' even to their friends, for fear of similar ridicule.

I am now at university, where a person's individuality is valued much more and issues like sexuality just don't matter in the same way. At least two or three of my old school peers are now happily 'out' who stayed firmly in the closet at school. This, I am led to believe, would be the reason why.

Children have to be educated out of these attitudes!

Eleanor, York,

It is a great shame that the new Children's Minister sees fit to bring in sexual issues into the minds of children. Let children be children and not young adults.

Leave the anti-heterosexual stance of the nanny State and let parents be parents.

perhaps the Children's Minister does not have the time, inclination or knowledge to see the real problems for the UK children.

We have the worst teenage pregnancy rate, increasing self harming, mental health problems, drug and alcohol abuse, delinquency, criminality and family breakdown.

Do what your are paid to do and stop pandering tto the gay agenda of family destruction.

Shaun O'Connell BSc PGCE

Shaun O'Connell, Gosport, Portsmouth, Hants UK

Good for the U.K.! Unfortunately, this would never happen in the United States of America. We are too busy funding “faith-based” charities with our tax dollars because of George Bush. Homophobic bullying is a serious problem for school-age children. Drop-out rates and suicide rates are disproportionately higher among gay and lesbian youth. In fact, studies have shown that gay and lesbian students were 3.41 times as likely as heterosexual students to report having attempted suicide. I am happy to see that someone is trying to combat hatred based on sexual orientation within the school system. If it starts in the U.K. perhaps, someday, it will be dealt with in the U.S.A.

Paul, Denver, Colorado, USA

How, I would like to know did the homosexual advocacy group Stonewall arrive at the conclusion that 200, 000 youngsters were gay or lesbian (funny how they omitted bisexuals)? Which survey of the 'sexual orientation' of children 5-16 was relied upon? Or were they just making it all up, I think we should be told before NuLab rushes to enact new legislation.

Stephen, Ipswich, Suffolk

Eh phobia doesn't just mean fear it can also mean hate, dislike e.c.t just because common usage means fear doesn't mean it means fear.
so homophobia could mean a dislike or hatred of homosexuals.

Also just because the names wrong in your opinion doesn't mean what it describes is not real

C,barrow, Liverpool,

you seem very sure of the meaning of words are you an expert on greek derivations. The use of the term homophobia is a recent one and is a response to people who have diificulty with homosexuality. Having said that , there are people who are fearful of homosexuality. Homophobic is the term used. get over it! some people have fear of the number 13. irrational or otherwise?
Equally, i also know young people who developed some sensitivity to the world around them.- any one who communicates with teenagers knows that!

dave kelly, london,

Whats the big deal with "homophobia"?
ALL bullying is wrong - it damages just the same whether its about sexuality or anything else. I object to a particular focus benefiting a particular minority group. In fact I suggest it would be a convenient feelgood tactic - "look, we're combatting bullying!" - no, you're combatting it when it applies to a very small minority.

Joe, Manchester,

Odd, isn't it, how people with a certain attitude towards homosexuality never fail to dispute the meaning of homophobia? You'd think they were touchy about labelled "fearful" of the gays. Of course, there's no reason for this: any reputable dictionary would define -phobia as including feelings of fear OR dislike OR aversion.

J Green, London,

Forget homophobic bullying, it should be bullying full stop.

CSU, Edinburgh, UK

I do not speak english very well, but I will try to write something about it. I live in Canary Islands and I think that here there are not many problems for adult gays and lesbians. Nevertheles, I think that adults in general, even gays and lesbians, use that kind of words in front of children that really promove homophobic bullying. So, in my opinion, that problem exists not only in school but also in other places.

Angel, Tacoronte (Tenerife), Canary Islands

The Stonewall survey is worthless unless it also gives figures for the number of straight pupils who are called these names. I'd wager a substantial amount of money that it is also two thirds.

For people to call for special treatment of children (and of course adults) who are called "queer" _only_ in cases where the epithet is accurate is itself a distasteful form of discrimination...

These names are and always have been the first (and usually the last) resort of the lazy and unimaginative bully, and it doesn't stop when you leave school. About the only thing of value I learnt at school was how to ignore them. If, in an age where schools signally fail to prepare children for the world of work, we prohibit schools from even teaching children this, then what _is_ the point of school?

Ian Kemmish, Biggleswade, UK

This is going to be like pushing water uphill. Teenagers the world over now use the term "gay" pejoratively - anyone with teenagers knows that. Also the term "homophobia" is incorrect - there is no fear involved, irrational or otherwise.

Arnold Ward, Weybridge, Surrey, UK