Tag: Intolerance

Why are Open-mindedness, Tolerance, and Diversity Under Threat?

by inmanb17cedcb09, posted in Bi+/LGBTQ Issues, Current Events, Social Issues

5-1-24
   It’s the 21st century, and one would hope that open-mindedness and tolerance would be improving, that perhaps there would be a glimmer of hope on the horizon of a better, more supportive world in our future. But alas, that is not what is happening. Instead, much of the Republican Party is now pushing policies that are based on ignorance, bigotry, and blatant prejudice. They are trying to take us backwards. What happened to kindness, tolerance, and understanding? What happened to celebrating diversity? What happened?
   For a while, it seemed like the United States was moving in a positive direction in this area, such as when same gender marriage was made the law of the land. But unfortunately, hardcore, right wing extremists are pushing back with policies that are based on ignorance, fear, and horrendous bigotry. They want a world where their narrow-minded vision of how they want everyone to be is forced upon the entire population, even when the majority does not agree. I mean look at what’s happening in states such as Florida, Arkansas, Tennessee, Texas, and others where vicious anti-LGBTQ laws are being passed and female reproductive rights are being severely restricted or abolished. Most people in the United States support a woman’s right to choose and back things like same gender marriage, but the far right extremists don’t care. And what’s even more dangerous is how so many other people, who deep down may realize what the far right is doing is wrong, are going along with it.
   It’s sad, tragic, and dangerous. The rights of millions of Americans are literally at stake, as is democratic values for all Americans.
   Again, I ask: why is this happening?  I think fear, ignorance, closed-minded thinking, and prejudice in many ways are feeding this. People are often afraid of things they don’t understand or when they feel their way of life is being threatened. A significant number of cisgender, straight individuals don’t get the LGBTQ community and often have intolerant views with regards to it. Quite a few even see being queer as a sin. Speaking of religion, many of these far right extremists see abortion as a sin as well and are actively trying to legislate their personal beliefs upon everyone else despite the fact most people support a woman’s right to choose. Then consider how conservative,  straight, white individuals, especially men, who have had dominant control over American government and society for hundreds of years, fear that their authority is slipping away as diversity and open mindedness are encouraged. Many of these individuals have a serious lack of understanding of what it’s like for people who are queer or for a poor young woman who finds herself with an unexpected pregnancy. This frequently leads to intolerance and prejudice, and let’s be frank, there are some who do have some understanding of these issues but don’t care due to blatant bigotry and desire for control. And what makes this even worse is how there are many Republicans, or individuals who often vote for Republicans, who realize the actions of these far right extremists are wrong but still go along with it.
   So what do we do about it?
   Speak up and speak out, at least those of us who are able to do so. We need to make our voices heard and try to educate people. I realize that hardcore MAGA enthusiasts are not going to listen to us anytime soon, but there are some moderate Republicans as well as Swing voters who might. We at least have to try. Remind them that some of their friends and relatives are LGBTQ or have contemplated having an abortion. Bring home the fact that we are people too and deserve the same rights as everyone else. And another thing we need to do: is vote! Vote like our futures depend on it because in many ways, they do. And be smart with your vote. We need to vote as many Republicans out of office for the foreseeable future as possible, and in terms of the 2024 presidential election, whether people like it or not, the next president will be Biden or Trump. So let’s get out there and vote for Biden in order to make sure Trump doesn’t get back in. Voting for a third party candidate or staying home is helping Donald Trump. That is cold, hard reality everyone.
   Let’s do our part in battling for a better, more open-minded future.
  

Why is Intolerance Permeating Society so Badly?

by inmanb17cedcb09, posted in Bi+/LGBTQ Issues, Current Events, Social Issues

3-19-24
   Why is there so much intolerance, prejudice, and hate these days? Why? In terms of open-mindedness, tolerance, acceptance, and decency, unfortunately, it seems like society has gone backwards of late, and in addition to that being sad, it’s hurtful, dangerous, and can cause lives to be lost needlessly and tragically through attacks and suicides.
   People often fear what they don’t understand which in turn can feed intolerance, prejudice, and hate. Instead of learning about the subject of their fear and opening their minds, many people gravitate towards automatic assumptions, distrust, outdated views, false information, and narrow-mindedness. Making matters worse is how much of the population these days only seeks out information from places, sites, or people who share their ideas instead of utilizing a variety of different sources and viewpoints. They nestle themselves into an isolated, close-minded environment that will reinforce what they want to hear.
   Added to this cauldron of toxicity is how numerous political leaders (such as Donald Trump), organizations (such as some churches or news outlets), and others are exploiting, and at times even encouraging, people’s fears and intolerances in order to gain support in their quest for ever more power. When people who already have prejudiced views hear political leaders, ministers, or other organizations they respect spewing off hate, it emboldens these individuals to be more open about their own bigotry and even worsen it. And the greater the power these leaders or organizations have, the stronger their negative influences become.
   Want an example? Think about how Republican politicians are pushing anti-LGBTQ legislation around the country. It’s not a coincidence that upticks in violence aimed at LGBTQ people are also being seen, especially in states where such legislation has become law. Since Republican leaders are showing their prejudices against the LGBTQ Community with their rhetoric and actions, everyday people feel more emboldened to do so as well.
   These are scary times indeed. So what do we do about it?
   Living by example is one thing we can do, exhibiting kindness, decency, open-mindedness, and tolerance in our everyday lives. Speaking out and making our voices heard is also extremely important these days. We can do this in day to day interactions with people as well as by utilizing social media and websites. We need to stand against intolerance and bigotry while promoting open-mindedness, tolerance, and decency instead. We should educate others on issues they don’t understand and encourage them to seek out a variety of different sources for information as opposed to only listening to those that tell them what they want to hear. For news, they should should check out sources such as CNN, USA Today, the Washington Post, the Associated Press, the New York Times, NPR, the BBC, and others. Not just watch Fox News. We must vote against politicians who are promoting hate and elect in leaders who stand for decency and open-mindedness instead. We can also avoid organizations and businesses that push intolerance and patronize the ones promoting kindness instead. This can also hit them where it hurts: their pocketbooks!
   I’m not saying it will be easy, but we can battle against the wave of intolerance, prejudice, and hate infecting society today. It’s up to us.

Why Do Some People Find Romance While Others Don’t?

by inmanb17cedcb09, posted in Bi+/LGBTQ Issues, Social Issues, Uncategorized

   Why do some people find love and romance while others don’t?
   Have you ever wondered about that? I certainly have, especially considering I’m one of those who’s never found it. So of course, I’d like to know why. But I think it’s safe to say that I’m not the only one who ponders this question.
   There’s a whole myriad of reasons why some people connect with amazing chemistry while others don’t. And let’s be honest: entire books could be written on the subject and still probably not scratch the surface. But I’m going to give you a few of my thoughts on the subject.
   So let’s dive right in! 
   Multiple factors such as personality, interests, outlooks, prospects for the future, people’s pasts, and more come into play with regards to whether connection occurs or not. Sometimes, people who are very similar fall in love and connect while other times, it’s two individuals who seem like total opposites. There are those who want a relationship that’s adventurous and passionate while others want one that feels more safe and reliable. Often, it’s a combination of things that people are hoping to find. Many times, the reasons why two people don’t happen to connect are understandable, reasonable, and a part normal life. These can include factors such as interests being too different, having little to nothing in common, lack of physical attraction, personalities clashing, and so on. These things happen. It can be really, really hard to find someone with whom you have true, romantic connection.
   But there are situations where the reasons why one individual refuses to go out with another are more questionable and problematic such as when they’re based on ignorance, prejudice, and intolerance. People often fear or are at least very uncomfortable with things they see as too different and/or don’t understand. This in turn can then lead to their having instant, knee jerk reactions where they automatically refuse to even consider getting to know someone. They don’t give the person the slightest chance. This is clearly very hurtful to the individual being subjected to this kind of treatment, but it also means that the person being narrow-minded may be missing out on something potentially wonderful. Examples of individuals who face this sort of intolerance far too often include people who are bisexual+, transgender, genderfluid, nonbinary, shy, dress differently, or are seen as too different for some other reason. The result is that many people feel unnecessarily isolated and lonely.
   So what can we do about it? Think about how society would be so much better if more people would open their minds and expand their horizons. Instead of automatically rejecting someone they initially see as different, they’d be open to educating themselves and getting to know the individual instead. Perhaps something beautiful would result, or maybe they could become good friends. And sure, while there’s always a possibility that nothing would come of it, people won’t know unless they open their minds and give it a chance.

Republicans are Viciously Attacking LGBTQ Rights and Women’s Reproductive Rights

by inmanb17cedcb09, posted in Bi+/LGBTQ Issues, Current Events, Social Issues

6-13-23
   The dark path the Republican Party is going down keeps getting more and more twisted and dangerous. It’s truly horrifying what is going on because much of the Republican Party is openly pushing legislation that is actively taking away rights from millions of Americans and is based on
blatantly prejudiced, ignorant, intolerant, and even authoritarian positions. A significant number of Republicans are trying to impose their individual views that are often closely tied to their personal religious opinions upon the rest of the population, even when the majority of Americans disagree with them.
   Consider abortion rights. Polls have shown that most Americans support a woman’s right to choose. A 2022 survey by the Pew Research Center found that 61% of American adults believed abortion should be legal in all or most cases while 37% thought it should be illegal in all or most cases. In Florida, those numbers were 56% in favor and 39% against. Yet Republicans around the country are ignoring the American majority and are pushing legislation to severely restrict or ban the procedure. Let’s get back to Florida. A recent state law there bans abortion after 6 weeks. Thing is: most women don’t even know they’re pregnant at 6 weeks, so for them, this is a ban.
   Around the United States, Republicans are also pushing legislation that is blatantly prejudiced targeting the LGBTQ community. Don’t say gay laws are being promoted by Republicans around the nation, and Florida has even extended its don’t say gay law up through 12th grade. Republicans don’t seem to care that these horrible laws increase the suffering of LGBTQ youth (a group that was already facing far too much intolerance and prejudice) and will certainly increase LGBTQ youth suicide rates. Republicans are also passing laws banning gender affirming care for minors despite the fact that every major American medical association supports such care. Studies have shown that gender affirming care for minors improves quality of life and decreases suicide rates. Plus, this type of care is not done lightly and is a process. The parents are involved along with the minor, and counseling is a major component. When medical treatment is deemed necessary, it typically involves puberty blockers and potentially hormone therapy. Surgery is very rare in individuals under 18. Now, consider the following statistics that were compiled (before the current wave of anti-LGBTQ legislation) by the Trevor Project in a 2021 survey of almost 35,000 LGBTQ youth (ages of 13 to 24). 42% of LGBTQ youth had seriously considered suicide in the past year, and for Transgender/Nonbinary youth, that number was 52%. 72% of LGBTQ young people reported symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder in the previous two weeks, and only 1 in 3 indicated that they lived in an LGBTQ affirming home. During the previous 12 months, 48% said that they wanted professional counseling but had not received it, and LGBTQ youth who had been subjected to conversion therapy were more than twice as likely to attempt suicide when compared to those who had not been subjected to the barbaric practice. Think about these numbers. Really think about them. LGBTQ youth need support and understanding. But it’s blatantly obvious that the anti-LGBTQ laws being pushed by Republicans will seriously increase the suffering and alienation LGBTQ youth will have to face. This in turn will mean higher suicide rates of LGBTQ minors.
   The ongoing wave of anti-LGBTQ sentiment and policy being promoted by the Republican Party is based on ignorance, intolerance, and blatant prejudice. It is worsening the quality of life of LGBTQ people and will undoubtedly increase suicide rights. This is why we all need to stand against the bigotry being openly pushed by the Republican Party. It’s important for people to speak out when they can in order to make it clear that such horrendous prejudice will not be tolerated. Trying to spend our money in places and businesses that are pro-LGBTQ and avoiding those that are anti-LGBTQ is another tactic we can utilize. When considering going on vacation, instead of going to a place like Florida (which is passing anti-LGBTQ bills and abortion restrictions into law), consider going to a state like California instead.
   And VOTE! Vote against Republicans that are pushing these and other bigoted, intolerant laws. Vote them out of office and put in elected officials who protect things like LGBTQ rights, women’s reproductive rights, educational institutions, and more.

JK Rowling’s Transphobic Comments And Positions Hurt Many People

by inmanb17cedcb09, posted in Bi+/LGBTQ Issues, Social Issues

9-26-22
   I think it’s way past time to move on from Harry Potter because JK Rowling’s numerous transphobic comments have been, and continue to be, extremely hurtful to the transgender community. And the thing that makes it worse is that she continues to double down on her transphobic positions instead of opening her mind and trying to become more supportive to the transgender community.
   Transgender people are hurting these days because of intolerant, ignorant, and prejudiced attitudes coming from so much of society. According to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), 29% of transgender adults live in poverty in the United States, and 22% are lacking health care insurance. 54% have been the victims of domestic violence, yet only 30% of women’s shelters are willing to house transgender women. 47% of transgender people have been sexually assaulted, and during the years 2014 and 2015, 1 in 10 were physically assaulted.
   So it’s clear that the transgender community needs support and understanding from society. This is why JK Rowling’s ongoing transphobic comments and positions are so deeply hurtful and damaging. There are examples of celebrities who have made troubling, intolerant comments who later made genuine efforts to educate themselves, open their minds, recognize what they had said was hurtful, and try to become supportive allies. But Rowling has not done this. Instead, she has doubled down on her transphobic comments and positions despite the fact that doing so hurts innocent people.
   So it’s time that we put Harry Potter in the past because I don’t think JK Rowling deserves any more of our money. Like it or not, supporting Harry Potter (such as buying the books, movies, or other merchandise) is also supporting JK Rowling because she created the series and is still intricately connected with the franchise. She has become extremely wealthy from Harry Potter, so much so that her current net worth is estimated at around 1 billion dollars. She doesn’t need any more money, and frankly, because of her ongoing transphobic behavior, I don’t think she deserves any more. A clear way to send a message to someone like JK Rowling is to stop supporting the thing that has made them wealthy and famous, and in this case, that is Harry Potter. I’m not going to buy her books or watch her movies. I don’t want her to get a penny of my money. We can also make our voices heard with companies that profit from Harry Potter such as HBO. There have been rumors that HBO is considering a Harry Potter series. We should contact HBO and tell them we are categorically against such a move due to JK Rowling’s transphobic behavior. As a matter of fact, I’ve already sent HBO several messages about this. Remember, when you speak up, be thoughtful and considerate in what you say and be sure you can back up your positions with facts. Don’t spew out hurtful, personal attacks because doing so is wrong and also backfires since people will tune you out and ignore you.
   Together, we can make a difference in creating positive change. So let’s make that happen.

https://www.hrc.org/resources/understanding-the-transgender-community

Still Too Many People Facing Intolerance And Lack Of Understanding

by inmanb17cedcb09, posted in Bi+/LGBTQ Issues, Social Issues

   I’m bisexual+ and genderfluid, and as such, I’ve learned from first hand experience how much intolerance, prejudice, and lack of understanding there is against individuals who are bisexual+, genderfluid, genderqueer, nonbinary, transgender, asexual, intersex, and so on (BTNIA for short) from both inside and outside the LGBTQ Community. Unfortunately, experiencing intolerance from cisgender, straight people is not a surprise despite the fact it’s the 21st century. But having to deal with it from fellow members of the LGBTQ Community can be even more painful since we wanted to believe that we’d at least find acceptance from other LGBTQs. But acceptance even here is not always the case. And let me tell you, it really hurts and can adversely affect innocent people’s lives.
   Why is there still so much intolerance against BTNIA individuals? Lack of understanding is a big factor I would say. People often fear, are intolerant towards, and shun what they see as too different and don’t understand. They are more likely to listen to unfair stereotypes and jump to premature conclusions that they then base future behavior on. This is compounded by the problem of how so many individuals only seek out people, groups, information sites, etc that agree with them and shun or ignore those that don’t. This sort of behavior reinforces close-mindedness and ends up seriously hurting innocent people (in this case, BTNIA individuals) who are seen as too different.
   The result is many of us who are BTNIA feel isolated and alone without a sense of community, and trust me when I say that this can be brutally hard. Human beings are social creatures as a species, so feeling like we don’t belong anywhere usually goes against our nature. A great number of BTNIA people suffer in the closet as a consequence, afraid of what might happen if their secret was discovered. Others who are out often find dating extremely difficult (sometimes near impossible) so that it’s common to find BTNIA individuals grappling with the very strong likelihood that we’ll never find someone special and that we’ll always be alone. Establishing close, genuine friendships can be terribly difficult too since we are often seen as at least a bit too different.
   It’s way past time for people to open their minds and educate themselves. To push outside their comfort zones and learn about other people who are different from themselves. They should seek out information from a variety of different sources, not just from those that agree with them. And they need to stop automatically believing stereotypes that are frequently unfair and not true for many BTNIA individuals.
   If more people would open their minds, it would help BTNIA individuals live happier, more fulfilling lives, and it would also help those individuals who are opening their minds to live better lives themselves.

Too Many Movies Use Unfair, Negative Tropes About Bisexual+ Individuals

by inmanb17cedcb09, posted in Bi+/LGBTQ Issues, Social Issues

   I’m bisexual+ and genderfluid. And you know what: I’m sick of unfair, negative stereotypes that are still so pervasive these days. It’s got to stop.
   I was watching a movie about 2 female best friends, one straight and one gay, who are extremely close and in each other’s lives all the time. Texting, hanging out, laughing, telling each other everything, you get the picture. Their relationship changes when the straight one gets in a serious relationship with a man. She doesn’t have as much time for her best friend. So far, good story with a very relatable plot and sympathetic characters. Things change with time, especially when people get into serious, long term relationships. It affects other relationships in both people’s lives.
   My problem with the movie comes when the gay friend is dumped by a woman (whom she’s been dating). The girlfriend in question is leaving her for a man and because of this, she is treated as confused, possibly a cheater, etc. The gay friend tells her straight friend that she’ll be more careful in the future to date women who are more sure of their being gay (I’m paraphrasing, but that was the message). I stopped watching it at this point because it’s unfair, negative tropes like this that contribute to the ignorance and intolerance so many people hold with regards to bi+ individuals. Bisexual+ people can be just as faithful as anyone else. But too many straight and gay people think of us bi+ as a bunch of confused, lying cheaters. And that’s not fair. Straight and gay individuals can be lying cheaters, but people don’t automatically assume that all of them are, whereas, far too many people assume such unfair notions when they realize a person is bi+. It’s not right. It’s why so many bi+ suffer in the closet, afraid of what will happen if their secret sexuality is discovered. It’s also why many of us bi+ find dating brutally hard. It’s a significant factor in why I’m still alone with dates being extremely rare (and going nowhere when they occur).
   Things need to change. People need to open their minds. Bisexual+ people are not a bunch of confused, lying cheaters. Are there some who cheat? Sure there are, just like there are straight and gay individuals who cheat. But that does not mean the entire community is a bunch of cheaters. Bisexual+ people can be just as faithful as anyone else. It’s time society accepts that.

Troubling Times

by inmanb17cedcb09, posted in Bi+/LGBTQ Issues, Current Events, Social Issues

May 1, 2022
   Damn, things seem really frustrating, disheartening, confusing, and downright scary these days. On the international news front, we’re witnessing terrible, heart-wrenching examples of death, suffering, and carnage being wrought by Vladimir Putin’s vicious, bloody, unwarranted invasion of Ukraine.  On the domestic side here in the United States, bitter divisions in politics and society have gotten so bad that it often seems virtually impossible to get anything done. Despite it being the 21st century, we’re seeing far too much intolerance, prejudice, ignorance, and hate throughout the nation, and what’s even more disturbing is how many social conservatives are pushing for policies that actually worsen these problems.
   Think about it. In numerous states, there are social conservatives trying to pass laws that knowingly hurt the LGBTQ (Queer) Community, a community that was already suffering. A 2021 survey conducted by the Trevor Project of nearly 35,000 LGBTQ youth (ages 13 to 24) found that 42% had seriously considered suicide during the previous 12 months. That number rose to 52% for Transgender youth. Only one in three indicated that they lived in an LGBTQ affirming home. Yet despite evidence such as this, numerous Republicans are working hard to pass laws that would clearly hurt Queer kids instead of helping them. And what’s worse is that these laws will almost certainly increase LGBTQ suicide rates.
   There’s also been a move by many conservative Republicans to make a big deal about critical race theory and wanting to ban it from being discussed in schools. Well for one thing, it’s clear most of these individuals don’t even know (or don’t care) what critical race theory actually is because it’s a theory that is dealt with at the post graduate education level and not K through 12. But it seems that many Republicans are using the attack on this term to go after general discussions about race relations in American history classes. This effort by conservatives is extremely dangerous because in order to learn from past mistakes, people need to look at American history honestly (warts and all), and that clearly has to include race relations. There’s a lot of truth to the old adage: those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it. The brutal reality is that racism and other forms of prejudice (like that which is aimed at the LGBTQ Community) are still widely prevalent today, and as a result, it’s that much more important to include honest, frank discussions about such issues in school.
   So the thing is: we need to speak up and educate others about what is going on and what we can do to try to make things better. People should stand up for open-mindedness, tolerance, and be honest about America’s history and current situation, not stick their heads in sand ignoring the problems. We should all strive to make things better.

Anti-LGBTQ Legislation Harms People And Increases Suicide Rates

by inmanb17cedcb09, posted in Bi+/LGBTQ Issues, Current Events, Social Issues

April 10, 2022
   The LGBTQ Community still faces ignorance, intolerance, and prejudice despite the fact that it’s the 21st century. And what’s more troubling is how social conservatives in states around the country are trying to pass legislation that is deeply harmful to many Queer people, especially Queer youth. And that makes it so much worse.
   There are numerous “Don’t Say Gay” and anti-Transgender type bills and laws being pushed by conservative Republicans in state legislatures around the country such as in Florida, Tennessee, Kansas, Alabama, Ohio, and Indiana. What makes these bills so destructive and abhorrent is how they target an already suffering community, that being LGBTQ youth. To prove my point, here are some statistics compiled by The Trevor Project, a national organization which provides support for LGBTQ young people in crisis who may be considering suicide. In 2021, they conducted a nationwide survey of close to 35,000 LGBTQ young people (aged 13 to 24), and here are some key numbers that they found. 42% of LGBTQ youth had seriously considered suicide in the past year, and for Transgender/Nonbinary youth, that number was 52%. 72% of LGBTQ young people reported symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder in the previous two weeks, and only 1 in 3 indicated that they lived in an LGBTQ affirming home. In the past year, 48% said that they wanted professional counseling but had not received it, and LGBTQ youth who had been subjected to conversion therapy were more than twice as likely to attempt suicide when compared to those who had not been subjected to the barbaric practice.
   Think about those numbers for a minute. I mean really think about them. They are tragic and scary. LGBTQ young people need understanding, tolerance, love, and support, but these laws provide anything but that. Instead, “Don’t Say Gay” and numerous anti-Transgender legislation being pushed around the country promote intolerance, misinformation, and downright prejudice. They make Queer kids think that there’s something wrong with them which in turn fills them with confusion and guilt. These bills also increase the likelihood that LGBTQ young people will be bullied and mistreated by other students, and they limit the ability of school staff from being able to reach out and help LGBTQ students when they are in need. And since many Queer minors live in homes that are not LGBTQ affirming, it is not uncommon for them to want to turn to school counselors or teachers for help. But with these bills, Queer students who are in need will be less likely to do this for fear of backlash and intolerance, plus many teachers and counselors will be afraid of getting into trouble if they try to help. Also remember how 52% Transgender/Nonbinary youth considered suicide in the 2021 survey. Anti-Transgender laws that limit or even prevent the ability of doctors to provide health care (such as temporary puberty blockers that are reversible and proven to help Transgender youth) will increase that suicide rate. Anti-LGBTQ legislation such as these result in LGBTQ young people having to endure greater suffering than they already do which in turn increases their suicide rate.
   It’s time for everyone to educate themselves and open their minds. Let go of intolerance and prejudice. Try to imagine what it’s like for other people and strive to provide support and acceptance to others, especially when they are in need.
   So please join me in speaking out against these destructive, intolerant bills and laws so that we can work towards making this a better, more accepting society for all.

https://www.thetrevorproject.org/survey-2021/?section=Introduction

The “Don’t Say Gay” Bills In Florida Are Dangerous For LGBTQ Youth

by inmanb17cedcb09, posted in Current Events, Social Issues

Feb 12, 2022
   In the state of Florida, there are two education related bills (Senate Bill 1834 and House Bill 1557) being considered that would be seriously detrimental to LGBTQ youth to the point that if passed into law, their suicide rate would almost certainly increase. You may be wondering how I can make such a bold statement. Well, I can because it’s based on facts that I will explain.
   The Trevor Project is a national organization which provides support for LGBTQ young people in crisis who may be considering suicide. In 2021, they conducted a nationwide survey of close to 35,000 LGBTQ young people (aged 13 to 24), and here are some key numbers that they found. 42% of LGBTQ youth had seriously considered suicide in the past year, and for transgender/nonbinary youth, that number was 52%. 72% of LGBTQ young people reported symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder in the previous two weeks, and only one in three indicated that they lived in an LGBTQ affirming home. In the past year, 48% said that they wanted professional counseling but had not received it, and LGBTQ youth who had been subjected to conversion therapy were more than twice as likely to attempt suicide when compared to those who had not been subjected to the barbaric practice.
   Think about those numbers. I mean really think about them. And here’s another one to consider: of minors who have experienced homelessness, around 40% identify as LGBTQ. These statistics are scary and prove how far society still needs to go in terms of LGBTQ acceptance, understanding, and rights.
   Now, let’s go back to the two bills I mentioned that critics are calling the “Don’t Say Gay” bills. They are dangerous because they place serious limitations on schools’ abilities to discuss and deal with LGBTQ issues. In their current form, they say, “A school district may not encourage classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in primary grade levels or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students.” The latter part of this in particular is quite vague and could easily be abused so that older students would likely be affected as well. The result would be teachers being afraid to discuss LGBTQ history and issues which in turn would make LGBTQ students feel even more isolated, marginalized, and confused.
   Another extremely disturbing part of the bills say, “critical decisions affecting a student’s mental, emotional, or physical health or well-being” must be told to the parents. What this essentially means is that unless they can prove doing so would lead to harm (something that would be extremely difficult to do), school faculty would be required to out LGBTQ students to their parents whether the students were ready for this or not. Why is this important you may wonder? Well, go back to the numbers above, in particular the part where only one in three youth say they live in an LGBTQ affirming home. The fact is: many minors have parents who are very prejudiced against the LGBTQ Community, and because of this, many students are more likely to come out to a school counselor or teacher before they are ready to tell their prejudiced parents. If these bills become law, this important outlet for these students will be taken away.
   The cold hard reality is that these bills, if passed into law, would certainly worsen situations for many LGBTQ youth (especially their mental health) as they became more isolated, marginalized, closeted, confused, and frightened. Instead of being able to seek out and receive support when they need it, too many would end up suffering in silence, afraid of anyone discovering their secret. This in turn would worsen quality of life and undoubtedly lead to increased suicide rates.
   So I hope you will join me in spreading the word in opposing these bills as well as other anti-LGBTQ bills being pushed in states around the country because lives are literally at stake

https://www.thetrevorproject.org/survey-2021/?section=Introduction