New research findings reported in the October 2011 issue of Educational Researcher highlight differences between lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, or transgender (LBGT) and straight-identified youth in health outcomes and educational equity. University of Illinois scholars Joseph P. Robinson and Dorothy L Espelage, who conducted the research, found that "youths who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning are at a greater risk of suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, victimization by peers, and elevated levels of unexcused absences from school."
For their research, Robinson and Espelage surveyed a large, population-based anonymous sample of more than 13,000 students spanning middle to high school in 30 schools in Dane County, Wisconsin. This sample was unique and more likely reflects "the full spectrum of LQBTQ students," they said, because it included middle school students, not just high school students, and students who identified themselves as transgender. "The sample recruitment methods did not specifically target sexual minority students," they added.
To read the full article from Medical News Today you can visit their website here. You can also find an interview with the authors of the study here and the full published article here (requires subscription to read more than the abstract).
Showing posts with label LGBTIQ youth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label LGBTIQ youth. Show all posts
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Gay teens more likely to engage in risky behaviors: study
ATLANTA | Mon Jun 6, 2011 5:50pm EDT
(Reuters) - Gay, lesbian and bisexual high school students are more likely than heterosexual students to engage in such risky behavior as smoking, drinking alcohol and carrying guns, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found.
"This report should be a wake-up call for families, schools and communities that we need to do a much better job of supporting these young people," said Howell Wechsler, director of the CDC's Division of Adolescent and School Heath.
"We are very concerned that these students face such dramatic disparities for so many different health risks."
The study, which surveyed 156,000 high school students and was released on Monday, is the largest of its kind by the federal government.
Researchers analyzed data from student surveys conducted from 2001-2009 in Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin, and also in the Boston, Chicago, Milwaukee, New York City, San Diego and San Francisco school districts.
When asked if they had driven a car while drinking alcohol within the last 30 days, 15.4 percent of gay and lesbian students responded "yes," compared to 7.8 percent of heterosexual students.
The gap was even greater on whether students had carried a gun at least one day during the previous month. About 12 percent of gay and lesbian students said they had carried a gun, almost four times more than heterosexual students.
There also was a large disparity with cigarette smoking, with 27.8 percent of gay and lesbian students reporting they had smoked more than 10 cigarettes in a day during the previous month compared to 9.1 percent of heterosexual students.
Gay and lesbian students were much more likely to have seriously contemplated suicide, the study found. Nearly 30 percent of those students said they had considered suicide compared to 11.7 percent of heterosexual students.
The study results quantify what advocates say they have long known anecdotally.
Gay, lesbian and bisexual youths are often driven to risky behavior because they are rejected by their families and other support groups, said Laura McGinnis, spokeswoman for the Trevor Project, a national organization that provides crisis counseling and suicide prevention programs for youths.
"We've known this for years but the research hasn't been there to back it up," she said.
She said the new data should help increase the awareness of policymakers and lead to more training for school staff members.
Wechsler said efforts to promote adolescent health and safety should take into account the "additional stressors these youth experience because of their sexual orientation, such as stigma, discrimination, and victimization."
(Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Jerry Norton
(Reuters) - Gay, lesbian and bisexual high school students are more likely than heterosexual students to engage in such risky behavior as smoking, drinking alcohol and carrying guns, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found.
"This report should be a wake-up call for families, schools and communities that we need to do a much better job of supporting these young people," said Howell Wechsler, director of the CDC's Division of Adolescent and School Heath.
"We are very concerned that these students face such dramatic disparities for so many different health risks."
The study, which surveyed 156,000 high school students and was released on Monday, is the largest of its kind by the federal government.
Researchers analyzed data from student surveys conducted from 2001-2009 in Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin, and also in the Boston, Chicago, Milwaukee, New York City, San Diego and San Francisco school districts.
When asked if they had driven a car while drinking alcohol within the last 30 days, 15.4 percent of gay and lesbian students responded "yes," compared to 7.8 percent of heterosexual students.
The gap was even greater on whether students had carried a gun at least one day during the previous month. About 12 percent of gay and lesbian students said they had carried a gun, almost four times more than heterosexual students.
There also was a large disparity with cigarette smoking, with 27.8 percent of gay and lesbian students reporting they had smoked more than 10 cigarettes in a day during the previous month compared to 9.1 percent of heterosexual students.
Gay and lesbian students were much more likely to have seriously contemplated suicide, the study found. Nearly 30 percent of those students said they had considered suicide compared to 11.7 percent of heterosexual students.
The study results quantify what advocates say they have long known anecdotally.
Gay, lesbian and bisexual youths are often driven to risky behavior because they are rejected by their families and other support groups, said Laura McGinnis, spokeswoman for the Trevor Project, a national organization that provides crisis counseling and suicide prevention programs for youths.
"We've known this for years but the research hasn't been there to back it up," she said.
She said the new data should help increase the awareness of policymakers and lead to more training for school staff members.
Wechsler said efforts to promote adolescent health and safety should take into account the "additional stressors these youth experience because of their sexual orientation, such as stigma, discrimination, and victimization."
(Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Jerry Norton
Friday, June 3, 2011
Larkin Street Stories (Episode 2) : Confronting Hate Speech
In Episode 2 of Larkin Street Stories, Toby offers tips on how to create a safe and welcoming space for LBGTQ youth. During staff meeting, Toby and the Larkin Street staff discuss how to handle hate speech when it occurs between youth. After work, Toby spends time in the park with her daughter and reflects on keeping healthy boundaries between work and family time.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
We Say Gay: Tennessee kids fight bill that would prohibit discussing homosexuality in school
Cory Doctorow at 5:34 AM Thursday, Apr 28, 2011 Posted at Boing-boing, one of my favorite sites, http://www.boingboing.net/2011/04/28/we-say-gay-tennessee.html/ & reposted at http://keystothecloset.blogspot.com/
Mary Robinette Kowal sez, "Tennessee is trying to pass bill SB0049. The "Don't Say Gay" bill would prohibit speaking about homosexuality at middle schools and elementary schools, while talking about heterosexuality would be fine ('(2) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, no public elementary or middle school shall provide any instruction or material that discusses sexual orientation other than heterosexuality.') Kids at my nephew's high school protesting it. The bill goes to vote tomorrow."
We say gay for the students who won't be able to. This site is dedicated to fight against the Tennessee state bill SB0049 (Don't say gay bill), which would make it a misdemeanor to talk about homosexuality in grades bellow 9th. That is an obvious insult to our first amendment rights to free speech as well as it is a major blow to those young people who are shunned by their own parents for being gay and soon will not be able to talk to their school about it.
On this site we have collected some facts about the bill. We check and update the site daily or as updates about the bill come in. If you would like to sign the petition against this bill or help the fight just email me at wesaygay@gmail.com
We Say Gay (Thanks, MaryRobinette!)
Mary Robinette Kowal sez, "Tennessee is trying to pass bill SB0049. The "Don't Say Gay" bill would prohibit speaking about homosexuality at middle schools and elementary schools, while talking about heterosexuality would be fine ('(2) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, no public elementary or middle school shall provide any instruction or material that discusses sexual orientation other than heterosexuality.') Kids at my nephew's high school protesting it. The bill goes to vote tomorrow."
We say gay for the students who won't be able to. This site is dedicated to fight against the Tennessee state bill SB0049 (Don't say gay bill), which would make it a misdemeanor to talk about homosexuality in grades bellow 9th. That is an obvious insult to our first amendment rights to free speech as well as it is a major blow to those young people who are shunned by their own parents for being gay and soon will not be able to talk to their school about it.
On this site we have collected some facts about the bill. We check and update the site daily or as updates about the bill come in. If you would like to sign the petition against this bill or help the fight just email me at wesaygay@gmail.com
We Say Gay (Thanks, MaryRobinette!)
Friday, April 22, 2011
Support May Help Curb Suicide Among Gay Youths
Study finds marked benefit from student groups and anti-bullying policies in schools
Posted: April 18, 2011 By Amanda Gardner, HealthDay Reporter
MONDAY, April 18 (HealthDay News) -- Gay youths are much less likely to attempt suicide when they live in communities where they feel they have some support, either through gay/lesbian groups at school or simply because more same-sex couples live in the area, new research has found.
According to a report published online April 18 in Pediatrics, lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) youths who live in a nonsupportive social environment are five times more likely than their "straight" peers to try to kill themselves.
"While there are a small number of prior studies that have demonstrated that school climate makes a difference for LGB students, this study is important because it extends our understanding to the broader surroundings of the community in which students and schools are situated," said Stephen T. Russell, a professor and director of the Frances McClelland Institute for Children, Youth and Families at the University of Arizona in Tucson.
"The study shows that the population density of same-sex couples ... is a strong and stable measure of the community/school climate and that this has a direct influence on the well-being of LGB youth," added Russell, who was not involved in the study.
According to the study's author, Mark L. Hatzenbuehler, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation scholar at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health in New York City, "previous studies showed that gay youth are more likely to attempt suicide."
Real-life experience has backed up that statement. In a one-month period last fall, the media reported on four incidents in which LGB youth committed suicide after being bullied because of their sexual orientation.
In addition, a survey conducted by the New York-based Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network found that nearly nine of every 10 gay, lesbian bisexual or transgendered middle and high school students said they were physically or verbally bullied in 2009.
To help counter this, syndicated sex columnist Dan Savage, who is gay, launched the "It Gets Better" campaign last September. Its YouTube site features successful gay adults from all walks of life talking about their experiences with bullying -- and how they came through it.
Hatzenbuehler's study was "one of the first to examine the role of environment" in bullying and suicides, instead of focusing on such individual risk factors as depression, which previous studies had done, he said.
The study also did not rely on the teens' own perceptions of their social environment but instead developed a set of five more objective factors to characterize the environment. They were:
• The proportion of same-sex couples living in the county
• The proportion of registered Democrats living in the county.
Hatzenbuehler said that earlier studies had indicated that political
ideology was associated with attitudes toward sexuality.
• Whether the school had a gay-straight alliance
• Whether the student handbook specified anti-bullying policies
• Whether the handbook included anti-discrimination policies based on sexual orientation
Hatzenbuehler surveyed almost 32,000 11th-grade students in 34 counties in Oregon, 4.4 percent of whom were LGB. He found that almost 22 percent of LGB youth had attempted suicide in the past year, compared with only 4.2 percent in the heterosexual population.
But living in a more supportive environment reduced that risk by 20 percent. A supportive environment was also linked with a 9 percent lower risk for attempted suicide among heterosexual teens.
"This is a road map for how we can begin to reduce suicide attempts among LGB youth," Hatzenbuehler said. "There are three relatively straightforward things we can do. If we allow gay/lesbian alliances in schools and include anti-discrimination and anti-bullying policies in student handbooks, we can really reduce suicide attempts."
"Attempting suicide is not something inherent to being gay," he said.
More information: Mental Health American has more on bullying and gay youths. Copyright © 2011 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted at http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/brain-and-behavior/articles/2011/04/18/support-may-help-curb-suicide-among-gay-youths
Reposted at http://keystothecloset.blogspot.com
Posted: April 18, 2011 By Amanda Gardner, HealthDay Reporter
MONDAY, April 18 (HealthDay News) -- Gay youths are much less likely to attempt suicide when they live in communities where they feel they have some support, either through gay/lesbian groups at school or simply because more same-sex couples live in the area, new research has found.
According to a report published online April 18 in Pediatrics, lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) youths who live in a nonsupportive social environment are five times more likely than their "straight" peers to try to kill themselves.
"While there are a small number of prior studies that have demonstrated that school climate makes a difference for LGB students, this study is important because it extends our understanding to the broader surroundings of the community in which students and schools are situated," said Stephen T. Russell, a professor and director of the Frances McClelland Institute for Children, Youth and Families at the University of Arizona in Tucson.
"The study shows that the population density of same-sex couples ... is a strong and stable measure of the community/school climate and that this has a direct influence on the well-being of LGB youth," added Russell, who was not involved in the study.
According to the study's author, Mark L. Hatzenbuehler, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation scholar at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health in New York City, "previous studies showed that gay youth are more likely to attempt suicide."
Real-life experience has backed up that statement. In a one-month period last fall, the media reported on four incidents in which LGB youth committed suicide after being bullied because of their sexual orientation.
In addition, a survey conducted by the New York-based Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network found that nearly nine of every 10 gay, lesbian bisexual or transgendered middle and high school students said they were physically or verbally bullied in 2009.
To help counter this, syndicated sex columnist Dan Savage, who is gay, launched the "It Gets Better" campaign last September. Its YouTube site features successful gay adults from all walks of life talking about their experiences with bullying -- and how they came through it.
Hatzenbuehler's study was "one of the first to examine the role of environment" in bullying and suicides, instead of focusing on such individual risk factors as depression, which previous studies had done, he said.
The study also did not rely on the teens' own perceptions of their social environment but instead developed a set of five more objective factors to characterize the environment. They were:
• The proportion of same-sex couples living in the county
• The proportion of registered Democrats living in the county.
Hatzenbuehler said that earlier studies had indicated that political
ideology was associated with attitudes toward sexuality.
• Whether the school had a gay-straight alliance
• Whether the student handbook specified anti-bullying policies
• Whether the handbook included anti-discrimination policies based on sexual orientation
Hatzenbuehler surveyed almost 32,000 11th-grade students in 34 counties in Oregon, 4.4 percent of whom were LGB. He found that almost 22 percent of LGB youth had attempted suicide in the past year, compared with only 4.2 percent in the heterosexual population.
But living in a more supportive environment reduced that risk by 20 percent. A supportive environment was also linked with a 9 percent lower risk for attempted suicide among heterosexual teens.
"This is a road map for how we can begin to reduce suicide attempts among LGB youth," Hatzenbuehler said. "There are three relatively straightforward things we can do. If we allow gay/lesbian alliances in schools and include anti-discrimination and anti-bullying policies in student handbooks, we can really reduce suicide attempts."
"Attempting suicide is not something inherent to being gay," he said.
More information: Mental Health American has more on bullying and gay youths. Copyright © 2011 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted at http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/brain-and-behavior/articles/2011/04/18/support-may-help-curb-suicide-among-gay-youths
Reposted at http://keystothecloset.blogspot.com
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Surviving Crime and Violence: Street Youth and Victimization in Toronto
There is a new report about homeless youth as victims of crime by Stephen Gaetz, Bill O'Grady and Kristy Buccierei. Surviving the Streets.JFCY.September16.2010.pdf (998.1kB) I have posted it here as it has relevance to the conditions for LGBTIQ youth in transition.
Stephen Gaetz talks about street youth as victims of crime. Watch the video
Any parent would be outraged if their child was exposed to violence and crime. Any community would consider this to be unacceptable. Should we be concerned about the risks that young people who are homeless face? In our report, “Surviving Crime and Violence”, we explore the relationship between youth homelessness and criminal victimization. Our research highlights the degree to which the lives of young people who are homeless are characterized by high levels of crime and violence.
This report, prepared for Justice for Children and Youth, was led by Stephen Gaetz (York University ) and Bill O’Grady (University of Guelph Toronto
The findings of this research reveal that street youth are victimized frequently, in large part due to the vulnerabilities that young people face when they are homeless. Particularly concerning are the findings which indicate that interventions to this victimization are not being effectively addressed by the criminal justice and shelter systems or by other professionals involved in the lives of street youth. We suggest that if the levels of violence and other forms of crime found in this study were being experienced by any other group of youth inCanada
This report, prepared for Justice for Children and Youth, was led by Stephen Gaetz (
The findings of this research reveal that street youth are victimized frequently, in large part due to the vulnerabilities that young people face when they are homeless. Particularly concerning are the findings which indicate that interventions to this victimization are not being effectively addressed by the criminal justice and shelter systems or by other professionals involved in the lives of street youth. We suggest that if the levels of violence and other forms of crime found in this study were being experienced by any other group of youth in
Stephen Gaetz talks about street youth as victims of crime. Watch the video
Reposted at http://keystothecloset.blogspot.com/. Originally posted at http://www.homelesshub.ca/Library/View.aspx?id=48609&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1
Friday, April 1, 2011
"It Gets Better Book launch and Community Discussion
"It Gets Better" book release for central Ohio advocates and educators, on Thur. April 14, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Stonewall Columbus The book, by Dan Savage and Terry Miller has become a rallying point for LGBTIQ allies. Contributor Dwayne Stewart will be featured at the community discussion, "How do we make it better for LGBTIQ Youth in Columbus Schools today?"
Make your own "It Gets Better" video at the Wexner Center Booth, For more info contact info@kycohio.org and RSVP by Tues. April 12, at 8 p.m.
For more information on the It Gets Better Project, see itgetsbetterproject.com
Posted at http://keystothecloset.blogspot.com/
Make your own "It Gets Better" video at the Wexner Center Booth, For more info contact info@kycohio.org and RSVP by Tues. April 12, at 8 p.m.
For more information on the It Gets Better Project, see itgetsbetterproject.com
Posted at http://keystothecloset.blogspot.com/
2011 YOUTH POETRY SCHOLARSHIP
This is a brief posting at keystothecloset.blogspot.com. For important detailed information contact Dare to Care at the address below.
First Prize: $1000; Second Prize: $ 500; Third Prize: $ 250 ELIGIBILITY: All entrants must be residents of Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage, or Summit counties and aged between 14 and 18 years of age by the date of submission. Immediate family members of The Lesbian Gay Bisexual Trangender (LGBT) Center of Greater Cleveland and the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Cleveland Steering Committee, Sub-Committees, and their Board of Directors, are ineligible to enter.
THE CONTEST: The Dare to Care Poetry prize honors the lives of youth and young adults who have suffered the effects of hate as a result of their sexual identity, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. The only stipulation for the poem’s con-tent is that it should have a defy hate theme and address the consequences of bigotry, specifically homophobia, and/or transpho-bia and the negativity they engender in our culture, lives, and hearts. Homophobia and transphobia describe the irrational fear of lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender people that expresses itself in anti-LGBT emotions, thoughts, and actions.
POEM: Poems must be original work and free of plagiarism or copyrighted material. Failure to use original material will result in disqualification. Poems must be titled, previously unpublished, and either typed, (double-spaced, 12 font) in black ink on 8.5 x 11 paper, (or standard Microsoft Word template), or legibly hand written.. Do not use italic or bolded print. Colored ink, colored pa-per, graphics or images will not be accepted. Poems should not exceed 50 lines in length. Poems that are longer than 50 lines will not be included in the competition, so please count the lines carefully.
ENTRY IDENTIFICATION: Please download and print (or copy) the required application form (available after December 1st 2010 – http://cleveland.hrc.org/). The title of your poem, but not your name, should appear in the header at the top of each sub-mission page and on the application form. Mail-in submissions should be sent to: Dare to Care Poetry Competition P.O. Box 451174 Westlake, OH 44145. On-line applications and submissions are available @ http://www.hrc.org/daretocarepoetry/ or by emailing: daretocarepoetry@aol.com.
DEADLINE: The deadline for all entries is midnight April 15th, 2011. The LGBT Center and the HRC Cleveland Steering Com-mittee is not responsible for lost, late, misdirected or delayed entries, whether caused by mail/other delivery systems or human error which may occur in the processing of entries to this contest; or any problems/technical malfunctions of any computer equip-ment or software by either the applicant, The LGBT Center or the HRC Cleveland Steering Committee.
First Prize: $1000; Second Prize: $ 500; Third Prize: $ 250 ELIGIBILITY: All entrants must be residents of Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage, or Summit counties and aged between 14 and 18 years of age by the date of submission. Immediate family members of The Lesbian Gay Bisexual Trangender (LGBT) Center of Greater Cleveland and the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Cleveland Steering Committee, Sub-Committees, and their Board of Directors, are ineligible to enter.
THE CONTEST: The Dare to Care Poetry prize honors the lives of youth and young adults who have suffered the effects of hate as a result of their sexual identity, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. The only stipulation for the poem’s con-tent is that it should have a defy hate theme and address the consequences of bigotry, specifically homophobia, and/or transpho-bia and the negativity they engender in our culture, lives, and hearts. Homophobia and transphobia describe the irrational fear of lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender people that expresses itself in anti-LGBT emotions, thoughts, and actions.
POEM: Poems must be original work and free of plagiarism or copyrighted material. Failure to use original material will result in disqualification. Poems must be titled, previously unpublished, and either typed, (double-spaced, 12 font) in black ink on 8.5 x 11 paper, (or standard Microsoft Word template), or legibly hand written.. Do not use italic or bolded print. Colored ink, colored pa-per, graphics or images will not be accepted. Poems should not exceed 50 lines in length. Poems that are longer than 50 lines will not be included in the competition, so please count the lines carefully.
ENTRY IDENTIFICATION: Please download and print (or copy) the required application form (available after December 1st 2010 – http://cleveland.hrc.org/). The title of your poem, but not your name, should appear in the header at the top of each sub-mission page and on the application form. Mail-in submissions should be sent to: Dare to Care Poetry Competition P.O. Box 451174 Westlake, OH 44145. On-line applications and submissions are available @ http://www.hrc.org/daretocarepoetry/ or by emailing: daretocarepoetry@aol.com.
DEADLINE: The deadline for all entries is midnight April 15th, 2011. The LGBT Center and the HRC Cleveland Steering Com-mittee is not responsible for lost, late, misdirected or delayed entries, whether caused by mail/other delivery systems or human error which may occur in the processing of entries to this contest; or any problems/technical malfunctions of any computer equip-ment or software by either the applicant, The LGBT Center or the HRC Cleveland Steering Committee.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
LGBT Health Awareness Week
Posted on alert from National Youth Advocacy Coalition [nyac@nyacyouth.org] and reposted at http://keystothecloset.blogspot.com/
LGBT Health Awareness Week aims to bring attention to the devastating cycle of discrimination and health disparities that affects the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. Because LGBT people are regularly discriminated against in employment, relationship recognition and insurance coverage, they are more likely to get sick and less likely to be able to afford vital health care than their straight and non-transgender neighbors. In support of LGBT Health Awareness Week and LGBTQ youth, NYAC encourages you to be active in taking care of you in order to have a strong youth movement. Here are some links for more youth information:
Friday, March 25, 2011
Upcoming Free Webinar on Cyberbullying and Suicide
MARCH 29—CYBERBULLYING AND SUICIDE: What Schools Must Do to Protect Students and Districts:
This national webinar will address the true magnitude and toll of bullying and use of the Internet to taunt children all day, every day and everywhere; legal consequences for school districts and legal recourse for parents; how the anonymity that the Internet offers can cloak perpetrators’ identity and enhance the vitriol of their taunting; and what schools, parents and communities must do to keep children safe in the virtual world. The webinar is Tuesday, March 29th, 2011, from 3:00 pm-4:30 pm, EDT. This webinar is free of charge and is sponsored by the Wyoming Department of Health and Wyoming Department of Education. To register, visit https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/724520755.
Reposted at keystothecloset.blogspot.com
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Coming Out About Smoking
Coming Out About Smoking: A Report from the National LGBTQ Young Adult Tobacco Project
Reduction of tobacco use among youth and young adults in the United States
As a national organization dedicated to serving LGBTQ youth and youth service providers, NYAC was uniquely position to take the lead in conducting one of the first national studies of tobacco use in this population. The overall objectives of the project were to address gaps in the extant literature about tobacco use among LGBTQ youth including characteristics of smokers compared to non-smokers, smoking related behaviors of current smokers, attitudes about tobacco use among smokers and non-smokers and barriers and facilitators to smoking cessation. The project was also aimed at building a network of community-based organizations committed to tobacco control and prevention among LGBTQ young adults. The results of the project have important implications for future research on tobacco use among young adults and the development of culturally appropriate prevention, treatment and public policy initiatives aimed at reducing tobacco use disparities based on sexual and gender identities.
From http://wiki.nyacyouth.org/w/Coming_Out_About_Smoking published on http://keystothecloset.blogspot.com/
Friday, February 18, 2011
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual Youths Punished More Severely For Same Offense
A gay, lesbian or bisexual adolescent is punished more severely at school and by the criminal-justice system compared to heterosexual people of the same age for the same offenses, researchers from Yale University
Non-heterosexual young people are already at a higher risk of being bullied, abused within their families and succumbing to addiction, the researchers explain. Kathryn E. W. Himmelstein, BA, and Hannah Brückner, PhD set out to find out whether they were also victims of unfair criminal-justice and school sanctions.
They examined the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health which tracked a representative sample of young people in 1994-1995 from grades 7 to the end of 12. They also gathered information on a 2001-2002 follow-up.
Their definition of non-heterosexuality included people attracted to those of the same sex, same-sex romantic relationships, or LGB (lesbian, gay or bisexual) identification.
The investigators focused on six outcomes:
Non-heterosexual young people are already at a higher risk of being bullied, abused within their families and succumbing to addiction, the researchers explain. Kathryn E. W. Himmelstein, BA, and Hannah Brückner, PhD set out to find out whether they were also victims of unfair criminal-justice and school sanctions.
They examined the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health which tracked a representative sample of young people in 1994-1995 from grades 7 to the end of 12. They also gathered information on a 2001-2002 follow-up.
Their definition of non-heterosexuality included people attracted to those of the same sex, same-sex romantic relationships, or LGB (lesbian, gay or bisexual) identification.
The investigators focused on six outcomes:
· Adult arrests
· Adult convictions
· Being stopped by the police
· Expulsion from school
· Juvenile arrests
· Juvenile convictions
They found that non-heterosexual individuals had a significantly and consistently higher risk of being punished. Teenagers who are attracted to people of the same sex were found to have a 41% higher risk of being expelled from school, and a 42% greater chance of being convicted for a crime as an adult, compared to heterosexual individuals.
Non-heterosexual teenagers have a 38% higher risk of being stopped by the police.
It was already widely known that children bully non-heterosexual children. This study reveals how adults treat non-heterosexual children.
The authors stress (again) that the higher risk of punishment is not reflected in a greater participation of illegal actions or behaviors by non-heterosexual teenagers.
The authors concluded:
Non-heterosexual teenagers have a 38% higher risk of being stopped by the police.
It was already widely known that children bully non-heterosexual children. This study reveals how adults treat non-heterosexual children.
The authors stress (again) that the higher risk of punishment is not reflected in a greater participation of illegal actions or behaviors by non-heterosexual teenagers.
The authors concluded:
"Non-heterosexual youth suffer disproportionate educational and criminal-justice punishments that are not explained by greater engagement in illegal or transgressive behaviors. Understanding and addressing these disparities might reduce school expulsions, arrests, and incarceration and their dire social and health consequences."
"Criminal-Justice and School Sanctions Against Nonheterosexual Youth: A National Longitudinal Study"
Kathryn E. W. Himmelstein, BA, Hannah Brückner, PhD
PEDIATRICS (doi:10.1542/peds.2009-2306)
Written by Christian Nordqvist
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today
Kathryn E. W. Himmelstein, BA, Hannah Brückner, PhD
PEDIATRICS (doi:10.1542/peds.2009-2306)
Written by Christian Nordqvist
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/210398.php
Friday, January 21, 2011
Family Acceptance Project
There is a new report from the family project that you may find helpful in educating your community about LGBTIQ Youth and suicides. See their website at http://familyproject.sfsu.edu/home
"The Family Acceptance Project™ is the only community research, intervention, education and policy initiative that works to decrease major health and related risks for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth, such as suicide, substance abuse, HIV and homelessness – in the context of their families. We use a research-based, culturally grounded approach to help ethnically, socially and religiously diverse families decrease rejection and increase support for their LGBT children.
Our team is putting research into practice by developing the first evidence-based family model of wellness, prevention and care to strengthen families and promote positive development and healthy futures for LGBT children and youth. Once developed, we will disseminate our model across the U.S. and to groups we work with in other countries."
"The Family Acceptance Project™ is the only community research, intervention, education and policy initiative that works to decrease major health and related risks for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth, such as suicide, substance abuse, HIV and homelessness – in the context of their families. We use a research-based, culturally grounded approach to help ethnically, socially and religiously diverse families decrease rejection and increase support for their LGBT children.
Our team is putting research into practice by developing the first evidence-based family model of wellness, prevention and care to strengthen families and promote positive development and healthy futures for LGBT children and youth. Once developed, we will disseminate our model across the U.S. and to groups we work with in other countries."
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Free Webinar on LGBTIQ Youth Dating Violence
What is Youth Dating Violence & How Does it Impact LGBTQ Youth?
Join us at 2pm EDT on Wednesday, January 19th for an in-depth look at youth dating violence, a type of intimate partner violence. NYAC is honored to welcome Melinda Coles, MSW, Director of Community Education for the DC Rape Crisis Center. By the end of this 1-hour session, participants will be able to define youth dating violence, learn about its prevalence in LGBTQ youth relationships and debunk commonly held myths that surround it. Participants will learn to identify warning signs that youth in abusive relationships may exhibit and will learn ways to create environments that are not only welcoming to LGBTQ youth, but that promote awareness about youth dating violence. This webinar is appropriate for almost any audience as it will feature important take-aways for agencies working with youth in various capacities including education, health care, social support and more. Please contact Shannon Murphy, Program Manager, if you have questions about whether this webinar is for you. Email Shannon at shannon@nyacyouth.org or call her at (202) 319-7596 x24.
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