Harassment depends upon peer pressure . We must teach about heroes who have stood up against the bigotry of their peers. Harassment depends upon being able to dehumanize the target. We can replace children's stereotyped ideas with accurate information about various peoples of color, people with disabilities, people of different faiths and of both genders, and gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. Introducing students to real people is important, too.
Information takes form when an actual human being can be imagined.
In the older grades, we can provide literature by and about historical figures who are believed to have loved same-gender partners. We can discuss modern-day public figures who are openly gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender. We can introduce fiction about preteens and teens who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender or who have sexual minority parents or siblings.