Today is Spirit Day

Spirit Day is an active stance against bullying, especially towards LGBT youth. This day started in 2010 and it's spread far and wide since then.

So show your support by wearing purple, which symbolizes 'spirit' on the rainbow flag.

New Metro Campaign targets LGBT Youth of Color

An on-going project, targeting LGBT youth of color in Brooklyn, has a new initiative.

It's called, CAMBA's Project Accept LGBT Youth and here's their latest project:

For many lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth in Central Brooklyn, being rejected by parents or family members can lead to risky and dangerous behavior. Project Accept LGBT Youth (ALY), a CAMBA HIV prevention initiative, is working to change this by encouraging parents, guardians and families to accept these young people. Funded by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene through Public Health Solutions, Project ALY is mounting a multi-pronged effort to change parents’ attitudes. The goal of this effort is to build awareness, overcome biases, strengthen families and help young people gain self-esteem and self-worth – lowering their risk of future health or mental health problems, including HIV infection and substance abuse.

The current initiative includes a recently launched social marketing campaign, which comprises the bus and bus shelter ads, and Facebook and Twitter posts, combined with community outreach. Interested parents and family members are encouraged to attend small-group meetings to discuss their attitudes and concerns. In a novel approach, Project ALY enlists supportive parents of LGBT youth, who share their stories and become role models for others who are not yet as accepting. “Parents and family members who struggle with acceptance will come to understand the harmful effects that disapproval and rejection can have on LGBT youth,” said Lisa Koffler, CAMBA Program Manager for Prevention Services. “This will help break the silence, remove stigma and motivate change throughout the community,” said Koffler.

Read more about CAMBA here

High Five Initiative will bring Professional Athletes into LGBT Youth Together

The You Can Play project has something new to ofter LGBT youth. They have started the "High Five Initiative," which has professional athletes working closely with LGBT youth organizations.

This new project kicks off with former NFL players Troy Vincent and Dwight Hollier visiting the Hetrick-Martin Institute, a LGBT youth center.

The High Five Initiative will hopefully grow in the upcoming year, attracting current and former NFL players, as well as pro-sports leagues.

This is a great idea, I hope it works.

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The Harsh Reality about our LGBT Youth

New research reveals some tough matters besetting many of our LGBT youth. Here are a few pieces:

• Gay, transgender, and gender nonconforming youth are significantly over-represented in the juvenile justice system—approximately 300,000 gay and transgender youth are arrested and/or detained each year, of which more than 60 percent are black or Latino. Though gay and transgender youth represent just 5 percent to 7 percent of the nation’s overall youth population, they compose 13 percent to 15 percent of those currently in the juvenile justice system.

•  Research shows that gay and transgender youth entering into the juvenile justice system are twice as likely to have experienced family conflict, child abuse, and homelessness as other youth. 

•  Programs designed to keep children and youth off the streets, such as foster care, health centers, and other youth-serving institutions, are often ill-prepared or unsafe for gay and transgender youth due to institutional prejudice, lack of provider and foster-parent training, and discrimination against gay and transgender youth by adults and peers. As a result, many youth run away from these placements, actions that could also land them in the custody of the juvenile justice system.

•  Out of despair and a need for survival, homeless gay and transgender youth are more likely to resort to criminal behaviors, such as drug sales, theft, or “survival sex,” which put them at risk of arrest and detainment.

Please go here to read more of the research.

New Infogaphic: Preventing the Tragedy of LGBT Youth Homelessness

This was sent by Brian Pesner, the Community Manager for the Master of Social Work program at USC.

Here's the premise

Although homelessness affects many people, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth make up a disproportionate segment of that population. While 1.7 million adolescents experience at least one episode of homelessness a year, between 20-to-40 percent of that population identify as LGBT. 

In 2009, President Barack Obama declared June as LGBT Pride Month. The objective of this infographic, created in partnership with the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, Human Rights Campaign and the University of Southern California’s School of Social Work, is to highlight some of the unique challenges that lead to LGBT youth homelessness, in addition to some of the mental health problems that affect the population. While we still have a long way to go, several homelessness non-profits, federal agencies and LGBT advocacy organizations, such as the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the Human Rights Campaign, are working together to provide solutions to this tragedy.

Please check out this Infographic after the jump

New Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin discusses the Harassment of LGBT Teens - WATCH

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

In Miami: A look into the LGBT Homeless Youth

This is sad to watch. Also, this was one of the main topics at Creating Change last month.

More at Think Progress

New Trailer: Breaking The Silence

New Documentary Series 'FADE IN' addresses Homeless LGBT Youth

A new online documentary will focus on individual stories of homeless LGBT youth.

Here's a synopsis

Fade In is a webisodic documentary series featuring inspiring stories from homeless LGBTQ youth. These 3-5 minute clips are not only designed to bring awareness to the fact that 35-40% of runaway or homeless youth in New York identify as being LGBTQ, but also to provide and promote a positive light forward for teens struggling with their identities due to personal, social, and familial factors. Each segment will be based around a different virtue (e.g. beauty, acceptance, compassion, faith) and will feature up to three youths discussing an uplifting story that relates to said virtue. Through smiles and laughter, tears and heartbreak, these touching stories shine a light on the truths of those forced to live in darkness. 

Watch the 1st clip

For more info, please go here

Obama Administration will address Homeless Gay Teens

ACF Commissioner Bryan Samuels

The Obama Administration is getting into the heart of the matter with homeless LGBT youth.  ACF Commissioner Bryan Samuels took the lead by creating a memo about homeless LGBT youth and how child welfare agencies can effectively care for these teens. Those efforts moved onward and upward to the Obama Administration:

The feds are intent on making up for lost time -- and not with memos. The Obama administration is spending millions on a pilot program in L.A. County aimed at assisting LGBTQ youth in the child-welfare system, Samuels said.

Congress has taken up the issue as well. On May 3, Rep. Pete Stark (D-Calif.) reintroduced legislation that would ban discrimination of gay parents in adoption and foster care placements. Rep. Illeana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) signed on as the first Republican co-sponsor of the bill at the end of the month.

"My home state of Florida had discriminatory laws in place that were preventing caring parents from adoption," she said in a statement. "This Federal bill is a step in the right direction so that the proper match between responsible parent and needy child can take place regardless of the parent's sexual orientation."

In mid-May, Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) introduced the Reconnecting Youth to Prevent Homelessness Act. More than 40 organizations and nonprofits signed on in support of the legislation.

Tucked into the bill, which calls for stronger supports for state wards, is a provision that HHS must create a five-year pilot program aimed at preventing families from rejecting gay children. The accompanying press release highlighted this angle. "There are common sense reforms we can implement to help make things better for LGBT youth," Kerry wrote.

This will take some time to be at a strong place, but these efforts are way better than several years ago.

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VIDEO: Stories from the Wanda Alston House - A Home for LGBT homeless youth

I stumbled on this story from my one of my search engines. The Wanda Alston House is a home for homeless LGBT youth between ages of 16 and 24. They can stay there for about 18 months while they work and go to school. This place sponsored by the Transgender Health Empowerment, a nonprofit organization.

The clip below focuses on Sarah Feliciano, a young transgender woman who is trying to find her way


For more info on the Wanda Alston House, go here

In California: A New Bill may Teach students about LGBT Contributions in History

Sen. Mark D. Leno of San Francisco has introduced SB 48, a bill that will require CA schools to teach about LGBT contributions in history. So far, folks are torn about bill going forward.

Here more of the issue:

If implemented, the measure, which would revise social science textbooks, could have effects beyond California. The state is a major purchaser of educational texts, and publishers often produce books tailored to California that other states use as well.

The proposal would require that social science texts and other instruction include "a study of the role and contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans … to the economic, political and social development of California and the United States of America, with particular emphasis on portraying the role of these groups in contemporary society."

Sen. Leno stated:

"In light of the ongoing and ever-threatening phenomenon of bullying and the tragic result of suicides, it seems to me that better informed students might be more welcoming in their approach to differences among their classmates," Leno said in an interview. "Students would better understand that we are talking about a civil rights movement."

Some gay high school students said they welcomed Leno's effort, which they said would make them feel less isolated. It would show that non-heterosexuals "have contributed to the U.S. in significant ways," said a 17-year-old at Bell High School.

And you can imagine that the Repubs are just up in arms about this. But, screw them! The test run of the bill passed 6-3 last week.

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Sexy He-Man Art Show for LGBT Charity

A new and sexy art show is coming soon. Using one of our favorite childhood heroes (and to some of us, fantasies), 'Skeletor Saves' promise to be a hit while raising money for charity.

Here's more info:

Skeletor Saves is a collective charity show with work from top artists based on He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, benefiting The Ali Forney Center.


Sponsored by Slick It Up and Aaron Cobbett and curated by Brian Moylan, Bradford Shellhammer, and David Mason.

Check out the pics:

go here for more

Spelman student JeShawna Wholley wins the 2011 Campus Pride Voice & Action National Leadership Award

 I found this story to be wonderful and inspiring. Here's the scoop from Darian's Blog

The city of Atlanta along with Spelman College and Atlanta's LGBT community has reason to be proud of JeShawna Wholley. Wholley was recently awarded the 2011 Campus Pride Voice & Action National Leadership Award for her tireless efforts to make Spelman College and neighboring institutions Morehouse College and Clark Atlanta University a more inclusive environment for SGL students.

Her efforts earned her an invitation to The White House to meet President Obama during a reception commemorating the 40th anniversary of Stonewall.

Wholley recently completed her tenure as president of Afrekete, Spelman College's on-campus LGBT organization and was instrumental in creating Spelman and Morehouse's first PRIDE Week. The week’s culminating event themed, WERK: The Appropriate Dress Drag Show, aimed to create an awareness pertaining to the discriminatory nature of the Appropriate Attire Policy imposed by Morehouse College in 2009 as reported frequently on loldarian.com.

Wholley's most extraordinary act resulted from a mix-up during “National Coming Out Day” in which campus officials at Spelman removed decorative items in recognition of the day. JeShawna immediately contacted the college’s President, Provost and Director of Student Activities which in turn created a new student advisory position for LGBT inclusion, a forum for faculty, staff, and students to discuss cultural sensitivity and an honorary “National Coming Out Day” celebration funded by the school due to the campus oversight on the official date.

Congrats, JeShawna! We hope to see more from you.

WATCH Hillary Clinton speaks to LGBT Community

Project LifeVest seeks to aid LGBT Youth at Risk

Gay Teen, Derrick Martin, The Trevor Project and other LGBT groups have created Project LifeVest, an outreach to LGBT youth.

Here's their mission statement:

Our mission is simple: "To be a helping hand, a life vest, to as many LGBTQ teens and adults as possible. We will carry out this mission through the establishment of safe places in as many cities as possible; through opening a call center with a qualified and well-educated and experienced team of counselors who can give advice and guidance where needed; through finding qualified and screened families who can, if the need arises, host rejected teens while they finish schooling or find a new place."

We are LifeVest, and we are here to help.

Please check out their site for more info.

via Wicked Gay Blog and JMG

The Horrible Truth about LGBT Youth in Prisons

An article in The Nation has got me all upset.

Our LGBT youth are facing serious prison abuse. Here are some pieces from the article (some this reflects on Krystal, a transgendered girl in prison) :

Often, queer youth face as much hostility from prison guards as they do from peers. When a youth faces bullying or violence from another kid, staff can be reluctant to intervene. "The staff views it as [the kid] deserves it, or he's asking for it—so they don't intervene or they'll egg it on," Ware says. They view it as "good for the kid—gotta teach him and have it beat out of him. Then when the gay kid finally breaks, then he faces the disciplinary consequences."

Guards are often bullies themselves. Krystal reports that staff called her "a disgrace to mankind," a "punk" or "fucking faggot" on a daily basis and threatened her, saying, "I'll beat your fucking ass." When staff called Krystal "faggot" or other names, sometimes she talked back. "Sometimes I would even say, I'm proud to be that," Krystal says. She would receive more tickets for talking back.

There are even reports of staff members sending youths to attack other kids. "When it happened, it was something all the youth knew," Krystal says. "Basically, someone would be left out there in the open." This is not unique to Louisiana. A 16-year-old gay man in Los Angeles interviewed in 2008 reported that staff members used other youth to intimidate him. Another child in the California system reported that "a female staff member set up a bisexual youth and let straight guys into his room to beat him up. I woke up and saw blood on the walls and on the ground."

LGBT kids are often targeted for sexual assault. A 2009 Department of Justice report shows that across the country, LGBT youth are twelve times more likely than straight youth to report being sexually assaulted by a fellow inmate. In Louisiana alone, 10 percent of all youth—gay and straight—reported abuse by a staff member. Krystal reports that she was propositioned twice by guards when she was 14. When she refused, she was verbally abused and called a "bitch."

An LGBT youth's problems with the law frequently begin at home. "LGBT youth are more likely to be arrested than straight youth because they're more likely to be pushed out of their homes," says Dr. Beyer. And "family rejection is a direct pipeline to the juvenile justice system," says San Francisco State University researcher Caitlin Ryan of the Family Acceptance Project. While only 3-10 percent of Americans are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, LGBT youth make up 15 percent of the prison population. Indeed, one-quarter of all LGBT youth are kicked out of their homes or run away. Compared to their heterosexual peers, incarcerated LGBT youth are twice as likely to report abuse at the hands of family members, homelessness or state-ordered foster placement. A shocking estimated 20-40 percent of homeless youth identify as LGBT.

Courts and law enforcement officials often fail to recognize the factors that drive LGBT youth into the system. Of a 16-year-old client who was a runaway, Picou says, "Everybody refused to allow him to be in a group home or foster care home. He was in super-custody like he's a terrorist. Nobody asked him why he ran away or whether he was prostituting to stay alive." And while a toxic home life leads LGBT youth to live on the street, an unwelcoming school system leads many to avoid school altogether, leading to truancy.

When I think about the reasons why many of young LGBT folks are in jail, it hurts. Some of them were kicked out of their homes and had to do, what they had to do to survive. Then, they are arrested, only to deal with more mess... It's a lot to take in.

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