Open your eyes and ears

For some, it is easier to believe there is not a problem, than to have to face the full onslaught of someone else’s distress.  If someone believes they are not directly impacted by an issue, they choose to close their eyes and ears.  The trouble is, one person’s distress is rarely relevant to just that one person.  We need to take responsibility for every person in society, because their distress could be caused by us, and their distress could, eventually, become our problem.
 
“I go to a Catholic school, where I’ve heard that my counselor has made some racist comments in class. Unless I 110 percent trusted and were close to my counselor, I wouldn’t feel comfortable confiding in them.”
 
This is just one account in the ‘LGBTQ Youth Report’, published last year by the Human Rights Campaign.  The report highlighted the multi-layered difficulties experienced by LGBTQ youth.  I have set out just some of these findings, and if you are at all concerned about living in a healthy society, you will find these disturbing –
 
‘Only 25% of LGBTQ youth have families who show support
for them by getting involved in the larger LGBTQ and ally community.’
 
‘Trans youth are over 2x more likely to be taunted or mocked by family for their
LGBTQ identity than cisgender LGBQ youth.’
 
‘LGBTQ youth of color report hearing family express negativity about
LGBTQ people more frequently than their white peers.’
 
‘Only 27% of LGBTQ youth can “definitely” be themselves in school as an LGBTQ person.’
 
Only 26% of LGBTQ youth report that they always feel safe in the classroom.’
 
‘Seventy-seven percent of LGBTQ youth surveyed report that on average they had felt down or depressed in the past week. Alarmingly, only 41 percent had received psychological or emotional counseling to address these issues in the past 12 months. LGBTQ youth of color
face even greater challenges in accessing counseling services, with large disparities and an average of 37 percent of respondents having received psychological or emotional counseling in the past 12 months.Importantly, youth who had received counseling reported better mental health outcomes.’
 
Who is going to be ‘family’ to the 75% of LGBTQ youth who have no support from their own family, or the ‘trans youth’ who are being ‘taunted or mocked by family for their LGBTQ identity’?  You?  If you are willing to open your eyes and ears, and to help with this societal issue, here are the Human Rights Campaign’s suggestions -
 
‘School Administrators & Teachers

• Establish clear and inclusive policies to support LGBTQ youth
• Provide annual LGBTQ-inclusive training for all school staff
• Be intentional about creating safe spaces for LGBTQ youth
• Be a visible advocate for LGBTQ inclusion and equality
• Provide educational resources for teachers, parents and students’

 
‘Mental Health & Medical Professionals

• Be open to discussing sexual orientation and gender identity
• Seek additional training to increase proficiency in LGBTQ issues
• Be an advocate for LGBTQ youth at all levels of health care
• Provide educational resources for teachers, parents and students’

 
‘Parents & Family Members

• Learn the facts and be informed about issues that impact LGBTQ youth
• Be aware of the LGBTQ inclusion policies that impact LGBTQ youth — in your state,
• city and local school district
• Advocate for LGBTQ inclusive curriculums, programming and clubs
• Watch for signs of bullying
• Get involved with local
• LGBTQ organizations
• Make your home a safe and affirming space for LGBTQ youth — whether or not you
• have openly LGBTQ children’

​Full report available here -  
https://www.hrc.org/resources/2018-lgbtq-youth-report
 
Chris Warren-Dickins LLB MA LPC
Psychotherapist, (Licensed Professional Counselor), Ridgewood NJ 07450
www.exploretransform.com               201-779-6917              chris@exploretransform.com

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