Make like Comfortable for LGBTQ Teenagers

Needless to say the interactions and engagements (of adults) with LGBTQ teens should be free of discrimination. However, it is equally important to not be 'extra nice' to them either. By being extra nice one ends up telling them indirectly that there is something wrong in them which inspires sympathy. This is a big mistake and goes again the tenets of inclusion. If you subtly encourage friendships between a heterosexual teenager and a homosexual teenager, you really will be achieving a lot in the right direction

Teenage is anyway a very difficult and impressionable time. And this time is doubly difficult for LGBTQ adolescents. Let's face it again- growing up as a child who identifies as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender can be incredibly difficult. This is partly because LGBTQ teens or children have little to no representation in media. Hence, watching television or movies where the protagonists are always heterosexual is not easy for children/adolescents and it develops an unfortunately erroneous sense of being wrong. In order to ensure that youth from the LGBTQ+ community feel accepted and cherished, we must take a closer look at some of the real challenges faced by LGBTQ teens.

Lack of support at school

It is a grim reality that teachers and professors do not openly support LGBTQ students and often encourage them to stay silent about their sexuality. Due to this fact, other students who are led by example of their teachers tend to shun LGBTQ students. The children then face harassment and bullying in schools and colleges often by their own classmates or peers.

Family rejection

Statistics show that over 50% of youngsters who come out as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender face a negative reaction from their family. While some parents openly berate their wards, others ask them to keep mum or explore conversion therapy that can cause lasting psychological damage to the individual. Young children and adolescents hesitate coming out as LGBTQ because they fear rejection from their parents and their community.

Homelessness

Homelessness shows the ugly side of family rejection, as some parents ask LGBTQ teens to leave their homes without any career or educational prospects. This leads to them being displaced especially because their financial support is severed. Such a situation increases the risk of depression, suicidal thoughts and even substance abuse in some LGBTQ youth. Others test HIV positive as a result of engaging in unprotected sex.

While support from parents is critical, social support is just as important for a youth to feel accepted in one's own community irrespective of what their sexual orientation or sexual identity is. Therefore, do not hesitate to reach out to LGBTQ teens you know in your community just to reassure them of your support and love.

Providing support can be challenging at times. One clear way of doing this is by treating the teenager very normally just the way you treat other heterosexual teenagers. "Needless to say the interactions and engagements (of adults) with LGBTQ teens should be free of discrimination. However, it is equally important to not be 'extra nice' to them either," reveals Madhu Kundra a psychologist. "By being extra nice one ends up telling them indirectly that there is something wrong in them which inspires sympathy. This is a big mistake and goes again the tenets of inclusion" she states.

Another way of building a supportive ecosystem for them is to orient other youngsters and teenagers with the realities of the LGBTQ community. "If subtly you encourage friendships between a heterosexual teenager and a homosexual teenager, you really will be achieving a lot in the right direction," says Madhu and adds, "Maybe in your capacity as an adult you can get together with a few other adults in your immediate neighbourhood and plan an activity or event where the LGBTQ youth can easily and comfortably engage with other teenagers. I mean there are a million events that do not require one to disclose their gender identity. For instance there are garbage recycling drives and so forth. These events give a great opportunity for the sexual minority teenager/s to mingle with a larger group of people (most of whom are heterosexuals) and be acknowledged for the person/s that he or she is. While this may sound very basic there is wisdom to it. Research studies and experiences have already shown that when a LGBTQ person is genuinely liked for who he or she is then people (sometimes even the most conservative and close minded) are less likely to shun him/her for the gender orientation."

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