Stonewall Gazette

Written by Christian Hill

For the LGBT community, marriage equality is a huge win and further establishes that we are worthy of the same rights as everyone else. However, in my own reality, marriage has not been on the top of my list of priorities.

Working at Camden Area Health Education Center with LGBT youth, primarily YMSM (young men who have sex with men) of color, I witness them struggle to cope with abusive partners daily. The thing I hear over and over is: “I want to leave him, but I have nowhere else to go.” It is disheartening to know that these young people have to endure life-threatening situations just to have a place to sleep at night.

I myself have fallen victim to interpersonal violence and, until this moment, have never really spoken about it. At the age of 18 I found myself living with a guy I had only known for about six months, cutting classes, eventually dropping out of college, and abusing alcohol and marijuana daily.  During the first six months I didn’t notice, but this guy was already luring me with controlling mechanisms, and I naively thought he only wanted the best for me. It began with him telling me how much he wanted to see me and talk to me, so I’d always make myself available, either on the phone or in person at his house. As the relationship progressed, his feelings of “missing me” became manipulations, forcing me to be available at all times or suffer accusations of infidelity and being a “whore.” READ MORE

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Written by Karin Larsen

Two weeks ago the Vancouver Canucks made a colourful and powerful statement when a number of players took to the ice during the pregame warm-up in Boston with rainbow Pride tape adorning their sticks. They will repeat the gesture at home versus Detroit Feb. 28. The show of LGBT solidarity and inclusively is part of a campaign by the NHL and You Can Play - an organization that fights homophobia in sports.

High profile anti-homophobia and anti-bullying messages are increasingly part of a public dialogue around sports, but a new study out of the University of British Columbia indicates the message isn't getting through just yet. "These kinds of initiatives do take time to translate from raising awareness to changing hearts and minds to actually creating social-behavioural change," said senior author Elizabeth Saewyc. The study found that over a 15 year period between 1998 and 2013 there was a significant decline in lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) teens' participation in sports in British Columbia. It also found that LGB youth were half as likely to play sports as straight youth.

Saewyc believes one reason may be that LGB youth aren't made to feel welcome in high school and community sports. "To what extent are the community leagues and youth leagues and coaches not just tolerant [but] explicitly and clearly welcoming to LGBTQ youth? Because when a teen is part of a stigmatized group and they're struggling with sorting that out for themselves, they're not necessarily going to take risks in places where they don't see overt signs of a welcoming, inclusive and safe place to be," she said. Saewyc points out there's still very few openly gay professional athletes which deprives gay youth of a badly-needed role models. And, while there are more openly lesbian athletes, female sport receives comparatively little media coverage. READ MORE

Written by Eliza Byard This piece is adapted from the preface of GLSEN’s National School Climate Survey. Eliza Byard is the Executive Director of GLSEN.

GLSEN released the newest edition of our National School Climate Survey, at a time of tremendous uncertainty. This report documents continued progress in improving the lives of LGBTQ students across the United States, continued increases in the availability of LGBTQ-affirming supports, and further reductions in rates of harassment and assault faced by LGBTQ youth.

That being said, not all of the news is good. Overall rates of homophobic and transphobic harassment are still higher than anyone should be willing to accept. Institutional discrimination against LGBTQ people is widespread, with the majority of the students surveyed having faced such discrimination personally. Perhaps most troubling are the findings regarding adult behaviors in school. Reports of homophobic and transphobic remarks made by teachers increased in 2015, and reports of teacher intervention in response to anti-LGBTQ remarks were down.

Moreover, at this time of transition in our nation’s leadership, our challenge may well be greater than simply continuing to press to bring life-changing benefits to more schools across the United States. Today, we face the prospect of hostile official action at the federal level to abolish the governmental functions dedicated to advancing justice in K-12 education and to promote harmful and discredited practices, such as attempts to “cure” students of being LGBTQ. We are experiencing a deeply troubling wave of bias violence in schools nationwide in the wake of a divisive election, with no indication that the incoming administration is concerned about the trend. READ MORE

Posted by Shane Smith, Editor, Stonewall Gazette

Eating disorder behaviors such as purging, fasting and using pills to lose or control weight seems to be declining for most youth, yet are on the rise for those who are gay, lesbian and bisexual. The findings are from a new study by researchers at the University of B.C., who analyzed data from U.S. youth aged 12 to 18 from 1999 to 2013. The study, which was published online in the International Journal of Eating Disorders, found that gay boys were five times more likely to use diet pills compared to their heterosexual counterparts. There is research suggesting that interventions and other programs to promote healthy eating are not reaching lesbian, gay and bisexual youth in the same way they are reaching straight youth. MORE

Suicide is now the second leading cause of death among teenagers, according to a recent report from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), which updates guidelines to pediatricians for helping teens manage risk factors for suicide. In 2007, suicide was the third leading cause of death among teens. Suicide risk factors listed include a history of physical or sexual abuse, mood disorders, drug and alcohol use, self-harm, being LGBT, and bullying, including cyberbullying. READ MORE

RELATED

• Suicide Is Now The Leading Cause of Death for Utah Youth (Ages 11 to 17), Is Anti-LGBT Mormon Church Partly To Blame?
• Teen Suicide is the Second-leading Cause of Preventable Death in British Columbia: Most at risk are gay teens, aboriginal youth and teenage boys

A new $35.7 million public education campaign has been launched by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to help reduce and prevent tobacco use among LGBT youth. The This Free Life campaign, which is the largest LGBT-specific campaign conducted by the FDA targets the more than 800,000 young LGBT people who are currently hooked on the habit. With tens of thousands of LGBT people dying as a result of tobacco use, the FDA is specifically targeting "social" smokers between the ages of 18 & 24 in an attempt to prevent tobacco-related disease in the future. READ MORE

St. Andrew's Cathedral in Glasgow, seat of the Archbishop of Glasgow (pictured at right)

The Catholic Church in Scotland has indicated that they will help in the fight to curb homophobia in the classroom. Time for Inclusive Education (TIE), a campaign for LGBT-inclusive education in Scottish schools, has said that the Catholic Church in Scotland is willing to help them in their mission. TIE have been working to introduce teacher training in schools across Scotland to tackle homophobia in the classroom. READ MORE

The Fraser Valley Youth Society hosted its fourth annual Fraser Valley Pride celebration in Abbotsford, BC on July 16, 2016. | Derek Bedry/Daily Xtra

Recently, LGBT youth in the bible belt area of British Columbia, Canada, spoke with Daily Xtra about what it’s really like to be gay in Fraser Valley schools.

Daily Xtra reports:

When Michael Chutskoff started kindergarten in Abbotsford 14 years ago, he promised his school he wouldn’t be gay. “My school was very anti-gay,” he says. Abbotsford’s Mennonite Educational Institute (MEI) had a covenant that included committing to sexual morality, refraining from homosexuality, and practicing celibacy until marriage, Chutskoff says.

At the time, MEI, which runs schools from preschool through Grade 12 at its four Abbotsford campuses, was all Chutskoff knew.

“It was really hard to hear your teachers say being gay is a choice, you’re going to hell and you can’t speak out,” he says. READ MORE

Meet David, a 23-year-old bisexual man who was homeless by the age of 16. With the help of Covenant House and RainCity HEAT shelters he has been able to rebuild his life. "He was homeless on and off for six years until RainCity gave him a room in January and then helped him secure a market apartment in April. That was made possible with the help of a rent subsidy from B.C. Housing, under RainCity’s LGBTQ2S youth housing project."


Dara Parker, executive director of Qmunity, discovers homophobic graffiti scrawled on the building. "The fact that someone would violate a place designated as an LGBTQ sanctuary, in a neighbourhood known for being inclusive, in a city where people assume it’s easy to come out, in 2015, is frightening. Homophobia has not disappeared."


Hannes van der Merwe and Lonnie Delisle share their love story. "He found Delisle on Facebook and told him of his journey. Their reconnection was powerful and instantaneous. On opposite sides of the globe, the two had undergone remarkably parallel evolutions. Things moved quickly, thanks partly to Skype. Delisle flew to South Africa for Christmas and their love was affirmed. Van der Merwe moved to Canada in 2012 and they were married later the same year."


Myles Sauer reports on the UVSS Board of Directors meeting. "Emotions were running high in the SUB Upper Lounge on Aug. 10, as the UVSS Board of Directors discussed a referendum that would ask students for approval of a fee increase for UVic Pride."

Chronic stress caused by difficult social situations can be attributed to higher rates of binge drinking by lesbian and gay adolescents compared to their heterosexual peers, a study says. The research was presented Saturday at the Pediatric Academic Societies annual meeting in Vancouver, BC. The authors of this study analyzed responses from 1,232 youths ages 12-18 years who took part in an online survey conducted by OutProud: The National Coalition for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Youth. The survey asked questions about sexual minority experiences and included more than 260 variables. It represents the only known research to explore the relationship between binge drinking and a variety of minority stress experiences, such as homophobia and gay-related victimization, in a large national sample of lesbian and gay adolescents.

"Although other studies of adolescents commonly report on sexuality or sexual identity, these general population studies do not typically assess nuanced experiences of stress among sexual minority adolescents," said lead author Sheree M. Schrager, director of research in the Division of Hospital Medicine at the Saban Research Institute of Children's Hospital Los Angeles. Schrager added that "studies like this one can potentially lead to tailored treatment approaches based on the unique experiences of lesbian and gay adolescents."

Killinik high school students and sisters: Tetra Otokiak and Mia Otokiak. They took part in Rainbow Day at their school May 1. (Photo Credit: Killinik)

"If you consider yourself a member or an ally of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered and queer community — and you happen to be in Cambridge Bay today — put on some colourful clothing and head down to Kiilinik high school. That’s where staff and students are celebrating the school’s second annual Rainbow Day, a gathering aimed at promoting awareness and inclusion. Kiilinik’s May 1 Rainbow Day also coincides with Canada’s National Day to End Bullying," reports Nunatsiaq News.

For student Kelsey Barton, 18, it’s a small gesture that means a great deal to someone who calls herself one of the few openly gay people in the community. “When I first moved here two years ago, I got a lot of weird looks,” Barton said. “Some people seemed a bit put out. But it’s definitely gotten better over time.” Barton said the first Rainbow Day helped open an important discussion at Kiilinik school and throughout the larger community. Read More

Openly gay national volleyball player, Chris Voth Photo by Joe Bryska Winnipeg Free Press

[Winnipeg, Manitoba] Chris Voth had it all. Except the truth. It was hovering there. Sometimes Voth felt it, but mostly he focused on just trying to fit in. Do what other boys did. Think like other boys did. Act like other boys did. The truth is, he was always like other boys. Just not the ones he first thought. "It was tough," Chris says. "I've kind of been living that life for about five years. It was pretty much sport that kept me going, teammates and friends I had through sport. The first person I told was a teammate in second-year university and I got to the point where most of my close friends knew but no family members. You imagine the worst so it took a while before I was ready to jump off the cliff and take the plunge with family." Last fall, Chris came out to his family in a letter to his parents. Then he was gone for four months of training in Gatineau. When he came home to spend Christmas with his parents, there were talks and tears. The first time Chris ventured into the LGBT community, it was through sport. He attended the Goldenboy Volleyball League's drop-in night at Gordon Bell High School with a friend. It is part of Out There Sports in Winnipeg -- an LGBT organization founded in 2002 that runs competitive and recreational sports leagues and other activities. He dressed casual so he could blend in."The first thing that happened was a couple of people came over and said, 'Hi' and then, 'Hey, aren't you Chris Voth?' he says, laughing. "Most of them just thought I was there supporting my friend, which I was, but I was there for me, too." While Chris was later comfortable enough to reveal he is gay, Out There Sports volunteer Thomas Novak says a comfortable atmosphere is what it is all about. "The main social opportunity, before this, for LGBT people, was the bar. So this is a viable alternative to the bar but also a chance to get together in a safe atmosphere and have fun," says Novak, who has been involved since 2003. "Every one of our groups is open to non-LGBT people as long as they are comfortable with us. But no one asks." It motivated Chris to run his own beach volleyball tournament called Pride Without Prejudice for the past two summers, with all proceeds going to Pride Winnipeg.

Read more at Winnipeg Free Press

Students and staff from Kiilinik high school in Cambridge Bay show their support for diversity May 1 at the school's first "Rainbow Day." Photo Credit: KIILINIK))

Nunatsiaq News reports:
Nunavut, Canada] Kiilinik High School in Cambridge Bay held its first “Rainbow Day” on May 1, which the Kitikmeot School Operation’s executive director Jonathan Bird called “a very proactive approach and important conversation we need to have with youth in our communities.” The day was planned to show support for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer students at the school as well as those in the western Nunavut town of 1,500 who are part of the LGBTQ community. The rainbow, long used as a sign of diversity, inclusiveness, hope and yearning, has since the 1970s become a symbol of pride and diversity, with the different colors symbolizing diversity in the gay community. “We created this initiative as a response to the conversations happening in our school about sexual identity,” said Anne Daniel, vice-principal of Kiilinik high school. Kiilinik’s May 1 Rainbow Day also coincided with Canada’s National Day to End Bullying. READ MORE

"The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board will ask students and their parents probing questions about home life, religious affiliation and sexual orientation as part of a census to be conducted this month. The board will survey the parents of students from junior kindergarten to Grade 6, while students in Grades 7 to 12 will be asked to complete the survey on their own. The board says it's an effort to better serve its diverse student population, but some fear the questions go too far, especially for students in Grade 7," reports Matthew Pearson. "Barrie Hammond, the board's director of education, said the results will help the board make better decisions about programs, services and resource allocation. The survey comes after extensive consultation with board committees, the parent council association and aboriginal, immigrant and faith communities, he added. Both surveys touch on a wide range of issues, including academic abilities, bullying, extracurricular activities, cultural backgrounds and language, and religious affiliation. They ask respondents to identify the adult caregivers students live with most of the time, and provide a number of possible responses, including two fathers, two mothers and half the time each with mother and father. Not surprisingly, the survey for older students includes questions about plans after high school. But it also asks about gender -- and includes transgender as one possible response -- and sexual orientation. Students are asked to identify their sexual orientation from a range of possible options, one of which is prefer not to disclose. The survey is confidential, but it's not anonymous." READ MORE

"About 90 per cent of Canadian gay men said they were bullied in high school, according to a new survey released Monday. It is one of the first waves of surveys to deal exclusively with homophobic bullying in high schools in Canada, although larger national reports have been done on the issue since at least 2003," reports Jenni Dunning. "91 per cent of Canadian men said they were bullied in high school, compared to 77 per cent for U.S. men. Of all these men, 97 per cent who grew up in rural communities were harassed or bullied in high school, the survey found. Also, 34 per cent of Canadian men said they tried to commit suicide as a youth, compared to 31 per cent of U.S. men." READ MORE

"It was a sea of purple as hundreds of people filled Emery Barnes Park for a special vigil held to fight prejudice against gay teens. The organizers say recent suicides by gay teens that swept the United States in the last month urged them to raise awareness about this growing problem," reports news1130.com. "People lit candles in silence as representatives from Qmunity and Vancouver Pride Society took to the stage to talk about ways to help gay teens deal with bullying. Thousands of people around the world joined Wear Purple campaign today in memory of those whose lives have been lost to homophobic bullying. Purple symbolizes spirit on the rainbow flag, a symbol for LGBT Pride.

If you are being bullied and need help, please visit the websites and/or call the telephone numbers below:

In Canada:Queer B.C.
Queer Ontario
Bullying Canada
In Canada please call the Kids Help Phone (800-668-6868)

In the U.S.A.The Trevor Project
or phone: 866 - 488 - 7386 (U.S. residents ONLY)

"When it comes to healthcare, LGBT youth is particularly at risk. This period of social, emotional and physical development can be even more challenging for lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) youth. These youth deal with all the same issues as their straight counterparts, but they have the added burden of being "different" in a way that many of their peers, family and friends may not understand or accept. The danger is that LGBT youth may not seek (or find) the support they need," reports Diana Friedman. "LGBT youth may feel uncomfortable disclosing their sexual orientation or sexual status to their healthcare provider, or may worry that anything said to a healthcare provider could get disclosed to their parents (either directly or through insurance claims). Nurses, whether in a primary care, hospital or community health clinic setting, can play a vital role in reaching out to the young LGBT population. By not assuming that all teenage patients are straight and have the same sexual health and reproductive concerns, nurses can play a big role in drawing LGBT youth into the healthcare system. Asking questions that are inclusive of different sexual orientations is a good place to start." READ MORE

Congratulations to Ryan Clayton, Jacob Schroeder, Taylor Basso and Julie Browne on receiving their LOUD award.

"The LOUD Foundation, which provides scholarships to future leaders of the GLBT community, announced the four recipients for 2010: Ryan Clayton, Jacob Schroeder, Taylor Basso and Julie Browne," reports GayVancouver.net. "LOUD was founded by the Gay and Lesbian Business Association with the mission to invest in the future leaders of the GLBT community. According to the LOUD spokesperson, the four scholarships this year were awarded to students who demonstrated vision, leadership and compassion with a direct impact on the GLBT community." READ MORE

"Today is Pink Shirt Day in BC. Created a few years ago by local radio host Christy Clark, it is a time to stand up and speak out against bullying," writes Miss 604. "The pink shirts symbolize the story of a boy in BC who was bullied for wearing a pink t-shirt to school one day. In solidarity, and to raise awareness about all forms of bullying, this has become a campaign symbol."
READ MORE

"LGB young adults who reported higher levels of family rejection during adolescence were 8.4 times more likely to report having attempted suicide."

David Ellison reports:
A study called "Family Rejection as a Predictor of Negative Health Outcomes in White and Latino Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Young Adults" appeared in the January 2009 issue of the prestigious journal Pediatrics. It documented the relationship between how parents respond to the news that their child is gay, lesbian, or bisexual, and the later physical, emotional and social risks that child faces.

This study was the first to bring to light the power parents have to affect the lives of their LGB children — either to protect them from a hostile society, or to set them up to be its tormented victims.

Specifically, "LGB young adults who reported higher levels of family rejection during adolescence were 8.4 times more likely to report having attempted suicide, 5.9 times more likely to report illegal drug use, and 3.4 times more likely to report having engaged in unprotected sexual intercourse, compared with peers from families with no or low levels of family rejection." READ MORE

The Trevor Project:
The Trevor Project is the leading national organization focused on crisis and suicide prevention efforts among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth. LEARN MORE