LGBTQ Youth Mental Health Liz Cannon, Ph.D. Amney Harper, Ph.D. University of Wisconsin Oshkosh

Introduction Who is in the room? Why is this topic important? How do you support youth in today’s climate? Liz and Amney

Sex, Gender, and Sexuality Assigned Sex Gender Gender Role Gender Identity Sexual/ Affectional Orientation Sexuality Male Masculine Man Cisgender Heterosexual Allosexual Female Feminine Woman Transgender Lesbian/Gay Asexual Intersex Androgynous Third Gender/ Androgyne Non-binary/ Genderqueer Bisexual/ Pansexual/ Polysexual Demisexual/ Gray(a)sexual Amney LGBTTTQQIAAPP+

Pronouns: preferred vs. mandatory Most common pronouns used by trans and genderqueer people are He, him, his; she, hers, hers; they, them; theirs (singular); ze, hir, hirs; ze, zir, zirs, and xe, xem, xyr, xyrs Best practice: Use what the person tells you not what you think their pronouns should be. Liz

Coming out Not a one-time event Up to the person (can put student in danger by disclosing) Honor name, pronouns, and label Heterosexist and Cissexist- assumptions Being a safe person to come out to Intersecting Identities and Differences in Support Network can shift the experience Potential Barriers Grief and Loss with family, peer support, membership in dominant culture Isolation, membership in minority, and experiences of invisibility Liz

Development Models for Development Understanding of self Coming out Environment (stressors and support) Community identity and/or integration Developmental tasks of identity formation often supersede other developmental tasks Development can be stalled or delayed when identity development pieces take the forefront LGBTQ people have the capacity for resilience and developing fully functioning, mentally healthy lives Amney

Experiences of Oppression Homophobia/Homoprejudice Biphobia/Biprejudice Transphobia/Transprejudice Acephobia/Aceprejudice Heterosexism/Cissexism Minority Stress Model (Meyer, 2003) Microaggressions and Macroaggressions Everyday Oppression Impact on Mental Health Specific populations that are more impacted: bi/pan/poly, trans/nonbinary, intersecting oppressions (e.g. QPOC) Amney

The 2013 National School Climate Survey: The experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth in our nation’s schools. GLSEN

Percentage of LGBTQ Students Who Experienced Harassment/Assault at School Liz

Presence of Gay-Straight Alliances and Feelings of Safety and Missing School Liz

Discrimination at School 55.5% of LGBT students reported personally experiencing any LGBT related discriminatory policies or practices at school (see below), and almost two thirds (65.2%) said other students had experienced these policies and practices at school. 28.2% of students reported being disciplined for public displays of affection that were not disciplined among non-LGBT students. 18.1% of students were prevented from attending a dance or function with someone of the same gender. 17.8% of students were restricted from forming or promoting a GSA. 17.5% of students were prohibited from discussing or writing about LGBT topics in school assignments. Amney

Discrimination at School Continued 15.5% of students were prevented from wearing clothing or items supporting LGBT issues 9.2% of students reported being disciplined for simply identifying as LGBT. 42.2% of transgender students had been prevented from using their preferred name (10.8% of LGBT students overall); 59.2% of transgender students had been required to use a bathroom or locker room of their legal sex (18.7% of students overall); and 31.6% of transgender students had been prevented from wearing clothes considered inappropriate based on their legal sex (19.2% of students overall). Amney

Effects of Victimization and Discrimination More likely to miss school Lower GPA Less likely to pursue post-secondary education Higher levels of depression Lower self-esteem Liz

Suicidality Risk LGB youth who are homeless and runaway, living in foster care, and/or involved in the juvenile justice system are at a higher risk for suicidal behavior than their LGB peers. [1] LGB youth are 4 times more likely, and questioning youth are 3 times more likely, to attempt suicide as their heterosexual peers. [2] Suicidal ideation is present in nearly half of young transgender people, and one quarter report having made a suicide attempt. [2] LGB youth who come from highly rejecting families are 8.4 times as likely to have attempted suicide as LGB peers who reported no or low levels of family rejection. [2] Each episode of LGBT victimization, such as physical or verbal harassment or abuse, increases the likelihood of self-harming behavior by 2.5 times on average. [2] Amney

Suicidality Risk Continued The risk of attempting suicide for lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth was 20% greater in social environments unsupportive of LGBTQ persons compared to LGBTQ supportive environments. [3] More than 50% of Transgender youth will have had at least one suicide attempt by their 20th birthday. [4] More than 30% of LGBTQ youth report at least one suicide attempt within the last year. [4]   Amney

Risk Factors: College Campus Pride Report on LGBT Youth Bullying, Harassment, Suicide (2010): One quarter (23%) of LGBQ staff, faculty, and students reported experiencing harassment (defined as any conduct that has interfered with your ability to work or learn). Almost all identified sexual identity as the basis of the harassment (83%). An even greater percentage of transgender students, faculty, & staff reported experiencing harassment (39%) with 87% identifying their gender identity/expression as the basis for the harassment. The form of the harassment experiences by transgender people was more overt and blatant. One-third of LGBQ (33%) and transgender (38%) students, faculty, and staff have seriously considered leaving their institution due to the challenging climate. More than half of all faculty, students, & staff hide their sexual identity (43%) or gender identity (63%) to avoid intimidation. More than a third of all transgender students, faculty, & staff(43%) and13% of LGBQ respondents feared for their physical safety. This finding was more salient for LGBQ students and for LGBQ and/or Transgender People of Color. Liz

So what can I do? Educate yourself about the LGBTQ community and appropriate language Create a (classroom) climate where all identities are valued and respected Address anti-LGBTQ remarks, expressions, or incidents as soon as they happen Infuse LGBTQ curriculum into (classroom) materials and programming Create an environment where all are engaged in discussions of their multiple identities and where LGBTQ people do not have to choose one identity over another Use inclusive language like parent/caregiver(s) vs. mom and dad, partner or spouse vs. husband/wife, you all or folks instead of ladies and gentlemen, etc. Honor the labels LGBTQ people use Support GSA formation and LGBTQ activities Advocate for LGBTQ inclusive policies in your school or institution Be a safe person Liz

Wrap-up Questions/Comments? What are you encountering in your setting?

Reference Kosciw, J. G., Greytak, E. A., Palmer, N. A., & Boesen, M. J. (2014). The 2013 National School Climate Survey: The experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth in our nation’s schools. New York: GLSEN [1] SPRC. (2008). Suicide Risk and Prevention for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Youth. Retrieved from http://www.sprc.org/sites/sprc.org/files/library/SPRC_LGBT_Youth.pdf [2] The Trevor Project. (2015). Facts about suicide. Retrieved from http://www.thetrevorproject.org/pages/facts-about-suicide  [3] Higa, D., Hoppe, M. J., Lindhorst, T., Mincer, S., Beadnell, B., Morrison, D. M., & Wells, E. A. (2012). Negative and positive factors associated with the well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth. Youth & Society, 46(5), 665.   [4] Youth Suicide Prevention Program . (2011). Statistics about youth suicide. Retrieved from http://www.yspp.org/about_suicide/statistics.htm

Reference Meyer (2003) Minority Stress Model Britain’s Open University (2012). Retrieved online from http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2012/02/428048/uk-study- examines-unique-challenges-for-bisexual-community/ Campus Pride Index Report (2010). http://www.outinjersey.net/index.php?option=com_content&view =article&id=948:campus-pride-demands-national-action-to- address-lgbt-youth-bullying-harassment-a-suicide&catid=1:latest- news&Itemid=50