LGBTQ - I Wanna Know

The adolescent and teen years are almost universally awkward (for kids and parents alike!). Imagine coping with the normal ups and downs of teen life, and adding to the mix the challenges of being a youth who questions their sexual orientation. On top of the usual combination of hormones, peer-pressure, and overall angst, add on the unique struggles faced by gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth.

Supporting LGBTQ youth:

Many gay youth report feeling unsafe in their school due to their sexual orientation, with a majority reporting verbal harassment and many also subjected to violence. Perhaps most painful of all, is when gay youth are rejected by their own families. Imagine having to go from an unaccepting school environment to a household that’s equally unfriendly. Gay youth make up a disproportionately high number of homeless teens. These kids often don’t have a “home” or a safe place to go when coping with harassment and abuse, and may even be forced from their homes by families who can’t, or won’t, accept them.

But this isn’t always the case! Many gay youth find support among family and friends. For those who don’t though, there are places you can turn for support. One place to start is YouthResource, a website for LGBTQ youth which offers a database of peer education groups, campus groups, gay-straight alliances, and community-based youth groups in your area, as well as a list of national hotlines and other resources.

What does LGBTQ mean?

The letters LGBTQ (or GLBTQ) are often used as an abbreviated way of referring to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals, as well as those who identify as queer.

More information on the LGBTQ acronym:

LGBQ stand for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer. These are all sexualities.

Lesbian generally refers to a person who identifies as female who is attracted to another person who identifies as female.

Gay generally refers to a person who identifies as male who is attracted to another person who identifies as male.

Bisexual refers to a person of any gender who is attracted to both male and female identified individuals.

Queer refers to an individual who is not exclusively attracted to a person of the opposite sex, but does not subscribe to restrictive labeling. Those who identify as queer (or sometimes genderqueer) have non-binary identities, meaning they don't identify with either the male or female gender.

The T in LGBTQ stands for transgender. This is a gender identity rather than a sexuality. It is important to remember that gender is not automatically connected to sexuality.

Transgender generally refers to individuals whose gender identity does not match the sex they were assigned at birth.

Is sexual orientation a choice?

No, human beings cannot choose to be either gay (homosexual) or straight (heterosexual). Sexual orientation emerges in most people in the early teen years without any sexual experience. We do get to act on our feelings, but psychologists do not consider sexual orientation to be a conscious choice.

Many people feel attracted to people of the same sex. This can lead someone to wonder whether or not they are gay. Deciding you are gay often happens gradually, it may not be something you can initially put a name to, and it can feel very confusing.

I kept telling myself sooner or later I’d start finding girls attractive. I tried dating girls to, you know, get things started. I hated it though. I felt so fake. The older I got, the more I realized I really was attracted to guys, not girls! I finally had to admit to myself I was gay. It was really quite a shock when it hit me–a shock, but a relief too.