Out Spotlight

Today's Out Spotlight once bullied, fought back - not in the classroom but in the courtroom, and became a pioneer for the Safe Schools Movement. His now an activist for GLBT youth and anti-bullying. Today's Out Spotlight is Jamie Nabozny.

Jamie Nabzony was born October 14, 1975 in and raise in Ashland Wisconsin, a small town in northern Wisconsin on the south shore of Lake Superior. His life was changed drastically when he was targeted in middle school for being gay.

His four years of high school Nabozny was subjected to relentless antigay verbal and physical abuse by fellow students in Ashland. Students urinated on him, pretended to rape him during class and when they found him alone kicked him so many times in the stomach that he required surgery. Although he and his parents reported the bullying repeatedly, the school officials at one point told Nabozny that, because he was openly gay, he should expect it. Bullied so much Nabozny attempted suicide several times, dropped out of school and ultimately ran away.

"I was numb most of the time, and I had to be numb to make it through." He left the school, moved to Minnesota with his family, and passed the GED exam.

He wanted to make sure that other students didn’t go through the same kind of nightmare. He and his family sued school and the school district in 1995.

His lawsuit against the school was initially dismissed, Lambda Legal took over his case before a federal appeals court, which in 1996 issued the first judicial opinion in the nation’s history finding that a public school could be held accountable for not stopping antigay abuse. The appellate court, basing its ruling on the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution, allowed the lawsuit to go forward. The jury found the school liable for Nabozny’s injuries; the school district eventually agreed to a nearly $1 million settlement.

Jamie Nabozny was the very first student to successfully sue a school district for its failure to protect a student from anti-gay harassment and his 1995 lawsuit helped pioneer the Safe Schools Movement for GLBT students.

Around the time of the case, one of many studies of gay-identified students in public schools found them nearly seven times more likely to have been threatened or injured with a weapon at school and four times more likely to attempt suicide. After the victory, Lambda Legal launched a groundbreaking educational and litigation campaign in defense of youth that the National Education Association recognized with its Award for Creative Leadership in Civil Rights.

His story is now featured in a documentary and teaching kit produced by the Southern Poverty Law Center. "Bullied: A Student, a School and a Case that Made History," have been distributed to schools nationwide. Narrated by Jane Lynch, it is available free to any school.

He also submitted written testimony to Congress and has lobbied lawmakers about school safety for GLBT youth. Jamie Nabozny was honored for his pioneering efforts by Equality Forum, which recognized him with its 1997 National Role Model Award.

Nabozny continues to live in Minneapolis. He travels the country speaking to diverse audiences about his experience and the importance of safe schools.

"Kids are becoming a lot stronger, and with my case I hope they realize that they’re not alone."