Not Alone
I read a great article in The New York Times today (thanks to my bf for forwarding it along) about how the recent PrideWorks conference in New York helped GLBT teenagers realize that they weren't alone. For some background on PrideWorks, it is an annual conference "designed to teach safety and respect for all, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity or expression," according to a press release. For the roughly 300 teenagers that attended, it was a chance to see that they weren't the only GLBT youths around.
The article in the NY Times focuses on three teenagers, each whom had been bullied in school or felt isolated from their peers. The conference allowed them to meet other teenagers just like them, and made them feel, at least for one day, that they were just normal kids. As someone who attended two similar conferences in my college years, I can only imagine the impact it had on those who attended. If the opportunity had been available when I was in high school, I would have gone in a heartbeat, and maybe would have come out earlier on in life, instead of staying in the "closet" until I was in college.
It's hard to explain what I felt when I went to the two GLBT conferences. The experiences were a bit surreal, to be around a majority of people like me for the first and only times in my life. For just a day at a time I was able to let my guard down, and not worry about how I was being perceived by those around me. They were both liberating experiences, in addition to being educational. The two I attended focused on making colleges and universities safer and more inclusive for GLBT students, and the knowledge I gained was very helpful.
I think the article, and my own experiences, highlight the need for letting GLBT kids know that they're not alone, and that they're just as valuable as anyone else. In many ways people are doing a better job of this these days than even 5 or 10 years ago. Overall, popular culture is more accepting of gays and lesbians than ever before. There are GLBT celebrities, characters on TV, politicians, and sports stars. Having positive role models is a boon to youth, and in the case of GLBT kids it is really the first time where they don't have to look hard for good role models in the public sphere. There is still a lot of work to be done on the ground level, however.
GLBT kids need to know that they're accepted and valued in their communities and in their schools. There are still youths today who are kicked out of their homes simply for who they are, and ridiculed at school because they may be different from most of their peers. In spite of this there are signs of change, such as the rise of Gay Straight Alliances and the growth of the Day of Silence, a day where GLBT students and their supporters take a vow of silence in a showing of solidarity against homophobia. I'm hopeful that 10 or 20 years down the road, a large majority of students, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, will feel safe at school and more comfortable with themselves. Every conference, show of support, and kind word is a step in the right direction.
