Teen Forums - Teen Chat, Teen Help, Teen Advice & Support

So I'm a sophomore in high school (10th grade), and most of my friends are girls and there's the occasional guy when they have a boyfriend tagging along, etc. I get 'played with' on a daily basis when they give those you know, friendly jokes that are supposed to make the whole group laugh and then move on, etc. Well, they all make fun of me for being gay almost every time I walk up. Now don't get me wrong, I love my friends and I'd be worried if they didn't joke around, but I'm getting tired of it, and I'm starting to feel like they're doing it just to make fun of me. It's like the most funny thing for them, to make fun of how I walk and talk and behave(as though I do it differently just because of my sexuality) and I can't get a sentence out without having someone copying me and then making a big joke out of it. I'm getting really fed up, and I can't help but wonder if this is considered bullying? I've tried talking to them to get them to stop, and at least two of them don't, but they laugh along with everyone else when it happens. Ughh..

I think it's bullying to some degree, I mean, yeah of course joke about it some but not EVERY time. It's bullying but not intentionally I have this problem with my one friend and I'm trying to stop myself from doing it as much. So just talk to them and tell them they need to cut back a lot, they should understand if they're good people/friends.

I would just tell them that it's actually bugging you, and you'd like for them to stop.
I mean, as far as 'is it bullying?' I doubt your friends would be "making fun" of you if they knew it bothered you... Bullying would be more like harassment, which it doesn't sound like they are doing.

I mean, I get the occasional joke, and laugh, but if it's really bugging you, I'd confront them about it.

*Oh, and btw, I DO throw rage fits.
If I get overly aggressive at you, just ignore me.

Overall, if you need help, please feel free to ask me for it.

i would tell them that theyre making you feel uncomfortable. i mean, they're your friends right? you should beable to say stuff and be straight up with them.. dont play games with your friends bro. :') good luck!!

Dude...sorry to say but IMO you really have to reconsider what your standard for friendship is. If a true friend has begun to say something hurtful, is making jokes at a friends expense....is told about it...and continues, or stops saying stuff himself, yet still laughs when others say stuff...I'd seriously question that "friendship". I'd expect my friends to stop doing something that I told them was bothering me, and I'd expect them to step in from that point on when anyone else did those things. That's what i'd expect from my friends, and I have proof that it's what they expect from me.

What you describe is "wrong", especially if it's under the guise of "friendship" ...

Whether it fits the definition of bullying I don't think really matters...you have a right to not be insulted and/or made fun of...especially by people who say they are friends.

Stand up for yourself dude.. if you don't do it with people you consider friends...you'll certainly never do it when the real assholes come along...

I really hope others will come to this thread to offer suggestions and thoughts.

You are not alone dude... you friends HERE, will help you in anyway we can...please keep us posted...and feel free to PM me if you want to.

The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.
Albert Einstein

Talk to them about it, and tell them how its getting excessively mean-spirited. Tell them you don't mind the occasional joke, but make sure to tell them where to draw the line between joking with you and making light of you. In all honesty; people won't stop walking across that line they don't care because they don't know there is one. Your friends will continue to act like that until you tell them their going to far. Things will only get worse if you let it. Tell how you feel about it, and how it makes you uncomfortable.

Maybe they'll listen and back off or they won't. Either way though, you've fixed the problem by telling them where to draw the line. Be assertive when it counts. I thinks this is one of those times.

As other people have stated, talk to them about it. Tell them that you would rather have them stop doing that every time that you walk up to them. If they don't listen to you and they don't consider your request, then I'm not sure how good of friends that they are. If they are your friends, they will at least try to tone it down a little bit and not do it every single time. I do consider it a form of bullying, to be honest. I don't know if it's as bad as other types of bullying but it is bullying none the less. Take a stand against it. Don't let it continue for too long or anything like that. Every time is a little bit too much.

Thanks everyone. I actually sat away from my friends today (on purpose because I actually had to) but a friend came over and was like, OMG DID YOU LEAVE BECAUSE WE WERE JOKING LIKE USUAL? I'M SO SORRY!. I was like. Ummm,,, no actually I left because I had to do something for the SAVE (Students Against Violence Everywhere) club. But please scale back the joking. Then she smiled, and walked back to the table. I was like... Ummm OK?

I hope that this means they'll tone it down a bit.

*Oh, and btw, I DO throw rage fits.
If I get overly aggressive at you, just ignore me.

Overall, if you need help, please feel free to ask me for it.