CONDEMNING SITUATION
(In response to Dan Garry’s Oct. 26 column “It Gets Better project misses big picture.”)
It is obvious Mr. Garry has no substantive knowledge of the unique ways homophobia and heterosexism manifest in our schools, our churches, our families and our social circles. Further, judging by this piece, one could reasonably conclude that Mr. Garry has no substantive knowledge of the current services available to LGBTQ youth (or lack thereof) whatsoever.
According to a report by the Gay and Lesbian Task Force, 20 to 40 percent of all homeless youth self-identify as LGBTQ. According to the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, nearly 90 percent of LGBTQ youth are bullied or harassed in their schools. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth are at a risk of suicide that is four times higher than their straight peers.
[…]
Would it be appropriate to condemn the NAACP for addressing issues of racism that affect all of society, but African-Americans in a unique way? No. Would it be appropriate to condemn domestic violence shelters for addressing an issue that affects all of society, but women and children in a unique way? No. Would it be appropriate to condemn members of a faith community for rallying around a cause [that] specifically affects members of their faith in ways unique from others? No. […]
Yes, suicide affects people of all demographics, but it affects LGBTQ youth in a unique and devastating way […] condemning a suicide-prevention movement that specifically targets members of a community that are four times more likely to end their lives than other youth is as ill-considered as it is offensive.
Joshua Judd
Undergraduate
