In an age of liberty and freedom, minorities are still under oppression and discrimination. LGBT youth are facing discrimination from their peers and even from the education system and staff. This article aims to understand and spread information about the reality that LGBT teens face.

Would their cis-gendered heterosexual peers show sympathy and understanding? And how can we all work together to solve this issue? We gain better insight into how LGBT teens are affected. If a clearer understanding is achieved, we will be able to further achieve societal and humanistic progress. In the U.S., a study found that transgender youths experience mental health diagnoses at higher rates than their peers and are more likely to report abuse.

Furthermore, data from the 2015 Youth Risk Behavior Survey states that roughly 1 in 10 LGBT teens were threatened and/or injured with a weapon at school, while 34% of LGBT youth experience bullying. According to the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), after conducting a survey on 2,500 students and teachers in the U.S., they found that teachers and staff were less comfortable intervening with the bullying of gender identities and sexual orientations than with bullying based on race, ability, and or religion.

Also, the same research shows that 83 percent of teachers and staff in education systems felt the need to provide safe environments for LGBT students, only half took action. It shows how the education system fails to provide a safe space for minorities and, in this case, LGBT youth.

References:
Greytak, E. A., Kosciw, J. G., Villenas, C., & Giga, N. M. (2016). From teasing to torment: School climate revisited. A survey of U.S. secondary school students and teachers. Distributed by ERIC Clearinghouse.

Becerra-Culqui, et al (2018, May 1). The mental health of transgender and gender-nonconforming youth compared with their peers. American Academy of Pediatrics. Retrieved September 20, 2021, from https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/141/5/e20173845.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2017, June 21). LGBT Youth. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved September 20, 2021, from https://www.cdc.gov/lgbthealth/youth.htm.

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