Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation
Resources for LGBTQ Youth
There are queer and trans teens across the country—we just need to find each other!
It’s totally normal to feel confused, depressed, or angry about being different and the negative ways other people often respond to difference. It’s important to find peers and adults who can understand and relate. Some schools have gay/straight alliances and promote a Day of Silence (dayofsilence.org) to bring attention to anti-LGBTQ name-calling, bullying, and harassment. Check out the videos at the It Gets Better Project (itgetsbetter.org). You’ll hear from people who have been there that life as a LGBTQ person usually improves greatly over time.
Many cities have an LGBTQ center that offers free or sliding-scale counseling, support groups, and social services. Some larger cities have centers specifically for queer or trans youth. Here are some additional resources:
Excerpted from the 2011 edition of Our Bodies, Ourselves. © 2011, Boston Women's Health Book Collective.
- Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network offers support for GLBT teachers and gay/ straight alliances in schools: glsen.org
- GLBT Youth Talkline is a free and confidential hotline offering peer counseling, information, and local resources. The hotline is open Monday– Friday, 5–9 pm PST (1-800-246-7743): glnh.org
- Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays is a resource for youth as well as for families. PFLAG has been working hard to become trans-educated and ready to provide support around issues: pflag.org
- Trevor Project is a 24/7 suicide hotline for gay and questioning youth (1-866-488- 7386): thetrevorproject.org
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