Individually and as a community we need to protect and provide our transgender and LGBTQ+ youth with safe spaces and environments where they are free to be who they are and identify as they choose. Allowing these youth to identify by the name of their choosing, cost us nothing, but means everything to them. And that is what’s in a name – the health and well-being of transgender youth.
Mental Health in Virginia & LGBT
A recent article from the Richmond Times-Dispatch revealed some disturbing facts when it comes to mental health and youth in Virginia. According to Mental Health America, Virginia was ranked 38th among states, down from the previous ranking of 27th. A major reason for this downgrade in ranking was due to the fact that youth in the state who battle depression are less likely to receive treatment compared to other states.
Major barriers currently exist that prevent youth from receiving mental health treatment, including the fact that Virginia only spends 52% of the national average on community-based mental health care according to Bruce Cruser, Executive Director of Mental Health America of Virginia—who was quoted in the article. Currently, the Governor is exploring a number of efforts to improve access to mental health care in the state. Some of these efforts include an expansion of Medicaid and improving access to care.
Addressing mental health of youth is critically important, especially for those who identify as LGBTQ+ who are twice as likely as their peers to say they have been physically assaulted, kicked or shoved. Having one’s physical well-being at risk can have negative consequences on LGBTQ+ youth education. In fact, the latest school climate snap shot by GLSEN revealed that Virginia schools are not safe for most LGBTQ+ youth. Additionally, this impacts the mental health of LGBTQ+ youth in the following ways:
- Substance Use: Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth are more than twice as likely to experiment with drugs and alcohol.
- Happiness: Only 37% of LGBT youth report being happy, while 67% of non-LGBT youth say they are happy. However, over 80% of LGBT youth believe they will be happy eventually, with nearly half believing that they will need to move away from their current town to find happiness.
- Self-Harm: With each instance of verbal or physical harassment, the risk of self-harm among LGBT youth is 2 ½ times more likely.
- Suicide: Gay, lesbian, and bisexual youth are 4 times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual counterparts.
Mental health is a major issue that cannot be ignored, particularly as it pertains to our youth who are some of the most vulnerable. The article and aforementioned facts, demonstrate just how important it is for the community to be aware of the impact that a lack of mental health awareness and solutions can have on society. Without comprehensive solutions, the future of our youth is at stake.
Safe Space, Inc., encourages Governor Terry McAuliffe and members of the Virginia General Assembly to pay particular attention to LGBTQ+ youth when making critical decisions about how to improve mental health services for Virginia youth.
Blog was originally posted at: http://safespaceva.com/mental-health-in-virginia-lgbt-youth/
We Cannot Wait on Congress to Protect Our LGBT Youth
Originally posted at: http://www.washingtonblade.com/2011/12/09/we-cannot-wait-on-congress-to-protect-our-lgbt-youth/
Last week, a coalition of LGBT organizations and allies sent a letter to the Senate HELP Committee expressing “great concern” and “a lack of support” for the Elementary and Secondary Education Reauthorization Act, due to its lack of LGBT inclusion. These organizations and allies are to be commended for holding members of Congress accountable and pushing for the passage of the Student Non-Discrimination Act (SNDA) and the Safe Schools Improvement Act (SSIA). But it is becoming very clear that SNDA and SSIA face a long uphill political battle that will hopefully result in their passage sooner rather than later.
In the meantime, outside of advocating for their passage, we should push for the creation of Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) in schools all across this country, especially in schools with a predominantly black population. The creation of GSAs will help promote a more inclusive and safer educational environment for LGBT youth across this country until federal legislation is passed. In fact, according to the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), schools that have GSAs positively impact LGBT youth because these schools have fewer homophobic remarks, less victimization, less absenteeism, and greater sense of belonging. Considering that in 2009, 84 percent of LGBT students have been verbally harassed, 40 percent have been physically harassed, and 18 percent have been physically assaulted, it is imperative to tackle LGBT bullying and harassment. Establishing GSAs is an effective way to do that.
Combating LGBT bullying and harassment is especially important in schools with a predominantly black student body because black LGBT students face some of the most hostile treatment in our nation’s schools. Earlier this year, the Center for American Progress released an article that explored the plight of black LGBT youth in America’s schools. This article presented research that showed that black LGBT youth fare better academically and socially in schools with GSAs. Unfortunately, many predominantly black schools do not have GSAs because of the commonly accepted notion that being LGBT is a “white issue” and because the issue is rarely discussed in many black communities.
Yes, it will be a challenge to establish GSAs in schools where LGBT students are seen but rarely talked about in a positive manner. But that is the exact reason we should advocate hard to have them. Regardless if you are a parent, educator, or community member, your support is needed to make these GSAs a reality. LGBT students cannot do the work alone; providing them with assistance and support can be the difference between having a GSA or not and providing a safe environment for education. More importantly, GSAs benefit both LGBT students and non-LGBT students by creating an environment where it is okay for all students to express who they are.
The creation of GSAs will not completely solve the problem of bullying and harassment for LGBT youth; only federal legislation can lay the groundwork for that to be accomplished. Nevertheless, their creation can place schools on the road to not only being more inclusive but to providing a safe educational environment that will help all students. We owe that much to our LGBT youth, to ensure that school does not become a place of dread because of consistent fear of violence and rejection.
So while our elected representatives work out the politics, we can help lead our nation’s schools to being more inclusive to our LGBT youth through the creation of GSAs. Together we create a very powerful voice, one that cannot be ignored and will not go away until equality is given to LGBT youth.
Spirit Day 2011 - Stand Up To Bullying
Today I wear my purple with pride. It's the second annual Spirit Day and I am showing my support for LGBT youth and speaking out against bullying.
I know first hand how difficult it can be to be bullied. There were numerous days where I was afraid to go to school because I didn't know if that day was going to be the day that someone would decide to hit me because I was "different." It was extremely hard at times to stay focused and enjoy my time in high school. I was called gay before I even knew what the word really meant. While I didn't know what it meant, I knew the word carried a negative connotation among my peers. But I could never wrap my mind around why it was such a bad thing. To me it didn't matter if you were a guy who like other guys, all that mattered is that you had a strong enough connection with someone else to make you happy. After all don't we all just want to be happy and loved?
Thankfully, I had a wonderful groups of friends and discovered a love for music by joining the band. Because of this support, I was able to thrive being "different," by being allowed to be me by my friends and family. Unfortunately, some LGBT youth are not able to share this similar support. That is why I wear purple today. In supportive of them, to let people know that bullying is not okay and is not a rite of passage. That it is okay to dare to be who you are. It takes a lot of courage to embrace you in the face of others who want you to conform. I applaud all those LGBT youth who embrace themselves and are out proudly being who they are. I also applaud those LGBT youth who are not yet comfortable coming out, still discovering who they are, and making strides to come out. Together we will create environments that are supportive of you to make your journey easier.
Being different is not as bad as everyone in grade school and high school make it out to be. With out people striving to be different, we would not have the internet, Iphone, twitter, facebook, or many of the advances that we cannot live without today. Today, I stand with millions of Americans and people across the world by wearing my purple and being vocal about how bullying affects all youth, especially LGBT youth. So , I challenge you regardless of whether or not you are wearing purple to be vocal and take a stand against bullying. Whether you are LGBT or straight we can all do our part to speak out against bullying.
Phillies "It Gets Better" Video Released!!
True to their word, the Philadelphia Phillies released their "It Gets Better" video prior to their game this past Friday evening, which happened to be Gay Community Night at Citizens Bank Park (watch the video after the jump).
I can say it gives me great joy to see the Phillies do this video and have it debut on the Phanavision prior to the game. As a life long Phillies Phan, I am proud that the Phillies are showing a commitment to their LGBT fans. This success of the petition I started shows that everyday people like myself can do tremendous things that can have a positive impact.
Thank you Phillies for joining the It Gets Better Campaign and supporting the LGBT community!
Additionally, I am proud to report that the video as well as the story about the petition has been covered by Philadelphia Weekly and Philly.com. Links are below to the stories.
“No disrespect to the gay and transgender community”? Brother, please!
Originally posted:
DeSean Jackson, James Harrison, Kobe Bryant, and Joakim Noah—these names are certainly first synonymous with their sports prowess. Unfortunately, each of these names can be associated with homophobic remarks as well. Were their remarks ways of asserting their masculinity? Some people may say so, but that’s a topic for another time. Were they offensive? Misguided? Absolutely.
The sad part is that in 2011, Black professional athletes still have to use derogatory comments to get under other players’ skin or draw a reaction as if they are playing a game of the dozens to gain credibility on their street. They fail to realize that they are no longer young kids who are still wet behind the ears and don’t really understand that the words they utter carry profound meaning. This is not to say, however, that we should place professional athletes on a pedestal and think they will never make a mistake. Professional athletes are human after all and all humans make mistakes.
As clichéd as it may sound, with fame comes some form of responsibility to be a positive role model, no matter if one wants to be one or not. That is not to say that the person needs to change ultimately what makes them the unique person they are, but they need to be more aware of the impact their words and actions can have. This is particularly true in the Black community, where many youth idolize professional athletes and strive to be the next big star. It is not uncommon to see many Black youth wearing the sneakers their favorite athlete wears, partaking in products they endorse, or modeling their potential sports career after their favorite player. In this day and age, being a professional athlete means being a brand, a person who can appeal across racial and economic boundaries to sell products or be the spokesperson for an organization or charity. Thus it is crazy for an athlete to think they do not have any gay or transgender followers who would be offended by comments that were not meant to be “disrespectful” to the gay and transgender community.
More importantly, Black professional athletes like DeSean Jackson are sending mixed signals when they stand up for a bullied individual in one breath and then make derogatory and offensive comments about a community that suffers from high rates of bullying in another. Fortunately, not all Black professional athletes send mixed messages. Figures like Michael Irving and Grant Hill understand the importance of their words and the weight they carry, and have come out in support of gay and transgender rights. If nothing else, Black professional athletes need to understand that when they use “gay” or “faggot” in an unsavory manner, they will be viewed as homophobic, especially in the gay and transgender community.
These words are particularly harmful for Black gay and transgender youth who are struggling to fight homophobia within the Black community and create a self-identity. That is why Black professional athletes need to think of just how powerful a message they can send by speaking up to protect gay and transgender individuals from homophobia, discrimination, and violence by leading the way to a more inclusive society. Being bold and asserting their voice in a positive manner will be more appreciated than obligatory statements of saying their comments were “not meant to disrespect the gay and transgender community.”
"It Gets Better" Phillies Style
Late last Thursday evening, the Philadelphia Phillies became the seventh professional baseball team to announce they will produce an “It Gets Better” video. The Phillies will join the Giants, Cubs, and Redsox (who have already made videos) and the Twins, Mariners, and Nationals (who have announced they will be making videos).
Bullying is an issue that is near and dear to my heart. As someone who was bullied in grade school and for a good part of high school, I understand the magnitude that words can have. If it were not for the supportive friends and family, I would not have been able to feel comfortable being who I am. That is why I started a change.org petition to get the Phillies to join the other ball clubs. As a lifelong Phillies fan and partial season ticket holder, there is no other organization I would have loved to see speak out against LGBT bullying than the Phillies.
Considering that LGBT youth who face bullying is increasingly likely to drop out of school, become homeless, use drugs, and even attempt suicide, I applaud efforts like “It Gets Better” that strive to make places like schools more inclusive. The unspoken greatness of this campaign is that it allows LGBT youth who are not out or may not feel comfortable coming out know that things do get better and they should not stop being who they are. And for those who are out and are feeling like there is nowhere to go, “It Gets Better” provides a beacon of hope.
Homophobia is very present in the sports world and when organizations take a stand against homophobia that speaks volumes. Seeing the professional athlete you admire telling you that things get better and not to hide what makes you unique is powerful. Through teams like the Phillies, LGBT youth are able to see that even in places where homophobia may be present, an inclusive and welcoming environment can be forged. Having straight allies do make a difference in creating an inclusive and welcoming environment and I am glad the Phillies have once again shown why they are an elite organization who truly cares about the community.
I hope that the momentum does not stop here and that other professional sports teams decide to take a stand against anti-gay bullying and homophobia. But today, I am even more honored to wear my Phillies red because I know that this organization values and respects its LGBT fans, like myself.