Brave Teenager Stands Up Against A Homophobic Bully At School & These Are The Role Models We Need

Being bullied is extremely scarring, and being mocked for a particular sexual orientation is whole different ball game. Bullying, these days, is not limited to schools. It's out on social media - almost every teen has an account on Snapchat, Instagram or Twitter - in colleges, and even in offices.

For Jordan Steffy, a junior at LaPorte High School in Indiana, it was the last straw when his homophobic bully put out an extremely insensitive post on social media.

Jordan Steffy's bully posted a homophobic message about him on Snapchat, and that's when the latter lost his cool.

This is the fight ? pic.twitter.com/DAsehv9I4m

¡ª Jordan Steffy (@JordanSteffy1) November 9, 2019

Steffy has now gone viral for defending himself against another teenager, who had allegedly bullied him for his homosexuality for years.

"He made an anti-gay post with a picture of me on it saying how he hated gays and a bunch of throwing up emojis all over it," Steffy was quoted as Insider.

¡°I walked up to him and said ¡®Why did you post this?¡¯ He said ¡®It was just a post¡¯."

And I said "Well, it¡¯s not just a post. It¡¯s a post about me, saying how you dislike who I am, and I don¡¯t appreciate that." He went on to say "Okay, but what are you going to do about it?"

I said "I¡¯m not going to deal with this, this is the last time I¡¯m called anything."And then he said "What are you going to do about it, faggot?" And that¡¯s when I was like "No, I¡¯m not doing this."

A video Steffy posted to Twitter shows the two students yelling, before Steffy shoves and hits the boy he says created the anti-gay post. Many on Twitter praised him for sticking up for himself.

One Twitter user wrote, 'Jordan I'm a retired teacher and judge of the juvenile court', one person wrote. 'I don't hold with violence but I do hold with self-defense and I think you did a very very good thing. Maybe this youngster will think twice before trying to build himself up by being an idiot. Good for you!'.

Here's how people expressed their support for Jordan Steffy

#1

Sending love your way. Standing up for ourselves is the hardest thing, sorry you had to endure this. ?

¡ª Alex Oru¨¦ (@Alex_Orue) November 9, 2019

#2

I'm sorry you had to go there, but I love that you stood your ground. Keep being you! Xoxo

¡ª Miss Coco Peru (@themisscocoperu) November 10, 2019

#3

I stand with you. Every single person sitting there in complacency in that classroom should be ASHAMED of themselves

¡ª ?James Leo Jackson? (@MrJamieD) November 9, 2019

#4

When my junior high bully pushed me against the wall early in my freshman year of high school, I saw red and pushed back - not nearly as effectively as you! - and he never bothered me again. I hope the word gets out to give you your space - I wish I had your guts 40 years ago!

¡ª alan h (@buzzalan65) November 9, 2019

After the fight, Steffy was escorted to the principal's office and suspended. He said he was glad he stood up for himself, even though he had to miss a school dance due to his suspension.

According to a BBC report, people being bullied for being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT), is more common than bullying relating to racism in schools across the world.

Bullying seriously affects a students¡¯ academic performance as well as their well-being. While there may be only a handful like Jordan who had the courage to stand up against their bully, for the rest who go through the same, school is a living nightmare. It's high-time schools found a way to sensitise students regarding LGBT, as well as bullying. School should be a safe place, for everyone.