Comments on: Coming out early: the fight to help LGBT youth

By: Ladycop

Ladycop — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 00:02:39 +0000

Eye/Heart opening article…we need to do more for our Gay Youth. I was really lucky to have really open parents…but a lot of kids out their need our support.

By: Facebook User

Facebook User — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 23:31:04 +0000

So, here we have a long (and otherwise excellent) article about the problems of homeless “gay” youth, which uses a young trans woman as its only example and yet only mentions that she is transgender, NOT gay, once, thus erasing the identity of trans youth and the unique problems that they face, and the proud identity of this young girl as transgender. Gay and trans are *not* the same thing, although gay and trans youth face some of the same problems. The fact that the public conflates the two and, like this young girl’s mother, assumes she must be gay if she is trans, is no excuse for a publication supposedly written for the LGBT community to ignore the unique identity and problems of trans youth. Frankly, I am disgusted that 365gay.com can’t do better than this.

By: SteveMD2

SteveMD2 — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 05:18:06 +0000

“I know what this is like, I came out to my mom and ant because I felt it was time to at the age of 16, (1995), I was still in high school then, need leis to say she told me I’m not and she wonted me to have kids so she can be a grandma, she cried and cried and ignored me for a long time until she was over it (1999 or 2000) after that we never real talked about it she just told me it was stupid and it was in the past and we should leave it there.” Quote

A common result. Initial horror, what did I “do wrong”, bang head on wall, cry,etc. etc

You need to have friends as a back up to accept you, and support you especially if the worst happens.

But over time, if you can pry mom away from the clutches of the church, she will come around. PFLAG.ORG is a great group if there is a chapter near you.

Much of what you said is of course just embarrassment on your mom’s part. Embarrassment, from a life in the sales biz, is one of the greatest motivators of behavior. You need to over time get your mom to understand her emotions, as the final chapter in getting her “out of the closet” that so often happens when the kids come out.

Sri about your DAd, couldn’t tell if he has left the scene for other places or this life. But I guess it doesn’t matter.

By: mr_e38

mr_e38 — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 22:20:42 +0000

I know what this is like, I came out to my mom and ant because I felt it was time to at the age of 16, (1995), I was still in high school then, need leis to say she told me I’m not and she wonted me to have kids so she can be a grandma, she cried and cried and ignored me for a long time until she was over it (1999 or 2000) after that we never real talked about it she just told me it was stupid and it was in the past and we should leave it there. I never told my dad, he’s not around any more nor do I talk to him.

By: jessieka

jessieka — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 21:40:04 +0000

Do we not have an obligation & oputunity to be a safety net for our youth? Has not the our response to the pandemic proven we can rally when needed.
Here is a chance to keep the youngest amoung us healthy + hiv negative?
We need shelters to get them off the street & away from the tradgic chioce of putting themselfs in mortal danger either from murder,rape & hiv exposer.With high risk behavior such as drugs & unprotected sex. I know way to many of us have indured the same!
SO WHEN DOES THAT END????
I dream of the day were every child has a roof to sleep under & feel safe & loved!a very tall order.Yet we all can band together With all the apartment buidings facing forcloser cant we use that to are advantage? Or am I the only one who layes awake at night thinking of this crisis?????

By: Al Jersey

Al Jersey — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 17:59:08 +0000

Here are some links, google for lgbt youth centers in your area. Every little help is adding up…

http://www.givethemhopenow.org/

http://www.aliforneycenter.org/

http://www.safeschoolscoalition.org/RG-homeless.html -

By: Yukkuri

Yukkuri — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 17:35:46 +0000

I’m curious myself as one of the luckier gay teens. I want to help others like me, I’m not sure how to go about doing it!

By: Matt

Matt — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 17:21:40 +0000

This was a great article, but missing one big piece – how do we get involved? How about a list of groups with contact info? You make the point in the article about the gay community needing to get involved. It would have been great to see some options at the end on how to do that.

By: Twisted Pride

Twisted Pride — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 16:05:19 +0000

Although still difficult to come out, I am happy to see teens have a better support network than we did when we were that age.

By: JonnyBoy

JonnyBoy — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 15:26:57 +0000

This is exactly the type of article that begs to be read. Thank you, Cory!