Supporting LGBTQ+ Youth
Pride Month is a celebration in June for the people who identify with the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning (LGBTQ+) community. It is a month to take pride in their identities, create awareness of community issues and injustices, and advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. This is also a month for those who are allies to show their support for the LGBTQ+ community.
During Pride month a large awareness campaign is how mental health impacts the LGBTQ+ community. LGBTQ+ youth specifically are more likely to experience rejection, lack of social support, bullying, physical harm, and discrimination for their identities compared to their peers. The external and internal oppression can take a toll on one's mental and emotional health. Each year the Trevor Project conducts a National Suvery on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health, in 2022 the study revealed 45% of LBGTQ+ youth have seriously considered suicide in the past year, including more than half of transgender and nonbinary youth. However caregivers, friends, leaders, and allies can provide LGBTQ+ youth with protective factors to help them build resilience.
Ways to build protective factors:
Learn about the coming-out process, or someone identifying with the LGBTQ+ community. LGBTQ+ youth often have to come out not only to their caregivers but in many other situations. Speak to the youth about their openness with others regarding their identity. Sharing someone’s identity in the LGBTQ+ community without their permission is considered, “outing”. Outing can impact your relationship with the youth as well as their coming-out process. Advocate for the youth by supporting however private or public their coming out process is.
Using affirming practices or validating their identity with all LGBTQ+ youth can increase their feelings of acceptance and social support. Examples of affirming practices are supporting the youths gender expression, or how they behave or dress. When the youth starts dating, create an open environment for the youth to introduce their choice in partners, as well as encouraging healthy romantic relationships. To support those who are transgender or nonbinary it is important to respect pronouns and use their correct name. If others around you are using the wrong name and pronoun just correct them without drawing attention to the person. Moving forward, work on not making assumptions but using neutral pronouns for people you just meet until you know otherwise.
Youth spend a large quantity of their time in schools. Providing affirming spaces, such as clubs, awareness events, and celebrations, can protect LGBTQ+ youth against depression and anxiety symptoms. Schools which provide affirming spaces promote positive youth development for ALL students and increase belongingness for LGBTQ+ youth.
Tips for being an ally?
Reflect on advantages you may have compared to others due to your identity.
Be a listener and a researcher for the communities you want to support.
Speak up but not over.
Realize that you are going to make mistakes, apologize when you do.
For More Information/Resources:
www.hrc.org/resources/lgbtq-youth
Greenville Students, Faculty, and Staff were given the opportunity to place their fingerprints into the word ALLY to seal their dedication in being an ally to the LGBTQ+ community.