Youth who identify as LGBTQ are very likely to be bullied, teased or rejected because of their status, according to a recent report by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC).
HRC and the University of Connecticut conducted a survey of more 12,000 LGBTQ youth from all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Researchers found that 73 percent of LGBTQ youth experienced verbal threats based on their known or perceived orientation, and that 43 percent were bullied on school grounds in the past 12 months.
For many of these youth, such damage occurs in the home as well. Two-thirds of respondents said they heard their family members make negative comments about LGBTQ people; for just those youth who are not “out” to their families, it jumps to 78 percent.
HRC conducted a similar survey in 2012, and in this report noted the “tremendous strides toward equality and inclusion in the workplace, in healthcare, in public opinion and under the law.”
But as the survey responses indicate, said HRC, “the cards remain stacked against LGBTQ-identified youth in terms of acceptance and support from their families, their mental health and safety in schools.”
LGBTQ youth are overrepresented in the foster care and juvenile justice systems, and are more likely to experience homelessness.
Click here to access the full report.