Title: Understanding and Supporting Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Youth
1Understanding and Supporting Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual, and Transgender Youth
2Overview
- Developing self-awareness
- Understanding sexual orientation, identity, and
behavior - Key settings for adolescent development
- Coming out
- Coming out as a teen
- Coming out as a family
- Understanding risk and resilience
3Resources
- Manual
- Overview of key topics
- References for further reading
- Resources
- Information on LGBT youth LGBT issues
- For LGBT youth
- For family members
4Learning objectives
- Knowledge
- Definitions / terms
- Developmental settings and processes
- Health risk and resilience
- Skills
- Recognize developmental challenges
- Apply knowledge when evaluating outcomes for LGBT
youth - Values
- Personal awareness of ones values, and the
contributions they make in ones work with youth - LGBT-appropriate (supportive) work with youth
5Personal Attitude Assessment
6Personal Attitude Assessment
- I would be comfortable knowing that my childs
third grade teacher is gay. - If I found out that my daughter or son was
lesbian or gay, I would have difficulty telling
other people. - Im comfortable working with men who wear womens
clothing. - Im comfortable working with women who wear mens
clothing. - I would feel comfortable dating a bisexual person.
7Personal Attitude Assessment
- I should be informed if a co-worker is
transsexual. - I am more comfortable with lesbians than gay men.
- It would not bother me at all if someone thought
I were gay. - If a colleague told me that s/he was lesbian/gay,
Id feel we had much less in common than we had
had previously. - I have had people tell me they were lesbian/gay.
8Personal Attitude Assessment
- Indifference
- Tolerance
- Acceptance
- Affirmation
- Advocacy
9What do we know about LGBT youth?
10Limitations of Research
- Previous studies have focused on
- Youth who self-identify themselves as lesbian,
gay, or bisexual - Youth who report sexual activity with the same
sex - Youth who report attractions to or relationships
with the same sex - There has been virtually no past research on the
risks faced by transgender youth.
11Understanding LGBT Youth
Sexual behavior
Sexual identity
Sexual orientation
12Understanding LGBT YouthDiscussion
13Ethnic and Racial Minority LGBT Youth
- Race and ethnicity influences religion, family
structure, and language. - I can be all aspects of me. I can be Chicano.
- I can be male and I can be queer all at once,
- I dont have to compromise.
- I dont have to censor myself.
- I dont have to edit what I say.
- I can just be myself.
14Ethnic and Racial Minority LGBT Youth
- Ethnic and racial minority LGBT youth are often
faced with the challenge of managing multiple
stigmatized identities. - I think to myself, youre Filipina, you cant
be gay.
15Ecological perspectives Contextualizing risk and
resilience
Environment
Faith
Young Person
School Peers
Family
Youth programs
Media
16LGBT Youth the Internet
- The Internet has opened up information, support,
and resources for LGBT youth. - The Internet has also created new potential
dangers for LGBT youth. - Educate young people about wise and effective
uses of the internet. - Encourage youth to use caution
- Encourage youth to filter the information that
they share with others while online
17Exercise Coming Out
18Coming Out
- And it was really nice to be able to go through
the whole process and it wasnt until I felt
comfortable with myself as a person that I
started coming out. - Coming out is more than self-disclosure of sexual
orientation it is a process of self-acceptance
of homosexuality as a positive aspect of ones
identity.
19Coming Out
- Coming out is typically a stressful experience
for LGBT youth - They may fear rejection from friends or family
members - They may fear physical harm or violence
- They may fear abandonment financial harm
- To maintain family ties, LGBT youth often try to
conceal their sexual identities from their
families
20Coming Out
- Usually, youth come out to a sibling prior to
coming out to parents. - Coming out to parents is often precipitated by
powerful feelings of fear, anxiety, and shame. - Many parents undergo a lengthy grievance and
acceptance process after disclosure.
21Coming Out Developmental Models
- Sensitization
- Identity confusion
- Identity assumption
- Commitment
22Coming Out Developmental Models
- Characteristics of coming out
- It is a process that progresses and unfolds over
time - Stigma and discrimination significantly impact
positive identity development - It includes increasing acceptance of sexual
identity over time - It includes disclosure to others
23Coming Out Family Issues
- Most families experience an adjustment period
during which family relationships may be
strained. - Most families ultimately adjust to having a gay
or lesbian family member. - It is important to help young people manage the
conflict between their desire to come out and the
implications of coming out for their safety and
well being.
24Parental/Family Reactions
Disclosure of Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual Identity
Disbelief Denial Guilt Anger Sadness Mourning of
Heterosexual Life Goals
Reframing
Rejection Ambivalence
Acceptance
25Coming Out as a Family Issue
- Family members experience their own coming out
process. - Family members typically come out to someone
whom they fill emotionally close and secure to
first. - Coming out may also operate as a professional
issue.
26Understanding Risk
- Adolescence is a time of growth and transitions
that can be a potentially stressful for every
teen. - LGBT youth carry the stigma of being regarded as
the other in terms of their sexuality.
27Emotional Health
- Some LGBT youth are vulnerable to emotional and
mental health disorders. - I found that I was starting to be aroused by
people of the same sex and because of this I
started hating myselfat that time I was
determined to turn myself straight.
28Emotional Health
- Mental health concerns of LGBT youth include
- The development of their sexual identities
- Coming out
- Fear of discovery
- Family conflicts
- Conflicts within their relationships
- Substance use or abuse
- Depression
- Anxiety
29Violence
- Boys engaging in same-sex behavior
- threats of physical violence,
- threats or injuries with a weapon at school, and
- fights that resulted in a need for medical
attention - Youth who report same-sex romantic attractions
- extreme forms of violence and
- witness violence
- ? to ½ of LGBT youth are victimized while
attending school
30Violence
- LGBT youth that experience victimization and
alienation may suffer from chronic stress or
become suicidal or inflict self-harm.
31Suicide
- Sexual orientation has been identified as a risk
factor for adolescent suicide. - Sexual minority youth are more than twice as
likely than their heterosexual peers to attempt
suicide. - Suicide attempts among LGBT youth often follow
the awareness of sexual orientation.
32Suicide
- Key risk factors for suicide include
- Hopelessness
- Depression
- Substance abuse
- The recent suicide or attempted suicide of a
close friend or family member - Victimization
33Suicide
- Activities and events that can alleviate some of
the risk factors associated with suicidality
include - Coming out
- Developing and maintaining relationships with
others within the gay and lesbian community - Becoming active in social, political, or
religious groups that support LGBT youth - Developing and maintaining other sources of
social support - Maintaining positive self-esteem
34Substance Use and Abuse
- Alcohol and substance use and abuse are important
health concerns for LGBT adults and youth. - Substance abuse may be most prevalent among
bisexually-identified youth, particularly young
women.
35Substance Use and Abuse
- LGBT youth report using alcohol, narcotics, and
marijuana for many of the same reasons that their
heterosexual peers do - Recreation
- To relieve tension
- To express their independence
- To feel more self-confident
- To feel more powerful or adequate
- To numb feelings of depression
36Substance Use and Abuse
- Unless underlying emotions of shame, stigma,
identity confusion, isolation, stress, and
self-hate are adequately worked through, the
adolescent may continue to experience relapses of
chemical dependence.
37Sexual Risk
- Sexuality is a positive and healthy dimension of
normal adolescent development. - LGBT youth need to be aware of sexual risks and
what they can do to protect themselves. - LGBT youth have limited opportunities for typical
dating and intimacy exploration. - LBGT youth may be more likely to make unhealthy
choices concerning sexual risks, such as HIV,
STDs and pregnancy.
38HIV/AIDS
- Most HIV/AIDS prevention education is
developmentally inappropriate for LGBT youth - Most assume heterosexuality.
- Few HIV/AIDS prevention education courses
address issues of safer sex among lesbian youth. - Most do not spend adequate time fostering LGBT
youths feelings of efficacy in preventing
HIV/AIDS infection. - Most occur as a single isolated curriculum.
39Pregnancy
- It is estimated that about 1 in 3 LGBT youth will
report at least one pregnancy by the time they
reach adulthood. - Several studies have found that LGBT youth are
twice as likely to become pregnant or father a
pregnancy in comparison to their heterosexual
peers. - There is a misconception that lesbians are not at
risk for HIV or pregnancy. - Lesbian and bisexual teens report
- more frequent heterosexual sex
- more incidences of heterosexual sex without the
use contraception
40Sexual Assault Trauma
- Many studies have reported that LGBT adolescents
are at high risk for violence, assault, abuse,
and trauma. - One national study found that 50 of lesbians
ages 17-24 reported having been raped or sexually
assaulted.
41Health Care Needs
- Basic health care concerns of LGBT youth include
- Confidentiality
- Respect
- Well-informed care
- Open-minded
42Resilience
- The strengths that LGBT youth develop as a result
of the added challenges that they face.
43Resilience among LGBT Youth
- Effective self-regulation
- Effective problem solving skills
- Coping skills
- Help-seeking behaviors
- Self-esteem and self-acceptance
- Relationships with caring adults
- Supportive families, peers and/or teachers
- Involvement in the LGBT community
- Support from LGBT peers
- Intrinsic motivation
44Resilience Worksheet
- Caring and support
- High expectations for success
- Opportunities for participation
- Positive bonds
4510 Steps for Creating a Supportive Agency
Environment
- Acknowledge LGBT youth among clients
- Educate your coworkers
- Use gender-neutral language
- Use LGBT words in appropriate context
- Have visible LGBT cues
- Be prepared to change the agency culture
- If a client comes out, acknowledge it and talk
about it - Distinguish between sexual identity and gender
identity - Research the LGBT resources in your community
- If you are LGBT, consider coming out
46Action Planning
47Summary
- Sexual orientation, identity, and behavior
- Key developmental settings
- Coming out
- Risk
- Resilience
- Self-awareness
- Knowledge
- Skills
- Values
48- Indifference
- Tolerance
- Acceptance
- Affirmation
- Advocacy
49LGBT Symbols
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- Lambda symbol of unity among the Greeks
- Pink Triangle used by the Nazis to signify
homosexuals - Rainbow Flag created in 1978 for San Francisco
Pride
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