In year 7 at an Albury high school at the time, she only had to look at the way older lesbian students were being treated to know she should keep her mouth shut.

“I remember hearing about this year 9 girl at our school, Hollee, who was being bullied because she was openly gay,” the Wodonga girl said.

“One day she was getting pushed around by a group of kids and then someone punched her in the face.

“When she went to the counsellor’s office he told her it was her fault for coming out.

“A lot of young people are too scared to come out because they know that this is what will happen to them.”

Reshelle, 18, and her girlfriend Sarah Shea, 21, yesterday helped Wodonga Council launch an anti-discrimination banner deploring sexism, racism and homophobia.

The banner, created by Wodonga’s same sex youth group Let Go, states “this is a discrimination free zone” and will be displayed at local youth events.

“We’re hoping the banner will encourage young people to let go of their fears and instead be proud of who they are and for other young people to realise that bullying is not acceptable,” Let Go project worker Aden Hemmerling said.

“I’ve also been visiting local school representative councils, leadership camps and tertiary education centres to talk about discrimination and the effects it has on those involved.”

Reshelle and Sarah said they hoped the banner would stop people from taunting them.

“We’ve had people call out to us saying we’re dikes and dirty lesbians and threatening to smash us if they see us kissing,” Sarah said.

“They don’t realise that asking us to become straight is like forcing someone into an arranged marriage; it’ll take a long time for people to change their minds, but it has to happen because we shouldn’t be made to feel ashamed.”