Where is Your Humanity? Start here.

 The state of Alabama has had a lot of attention surrounding the LGBTQ community over the last year or two.  From the affirmation of gay marriage by the Supreme Court and the subsequent denial of Roy Moore to follow that law  to the election of Doug Jones over Moore, to the silencing of LGBT students in schools, to the racist and homophobic rap distributed on social media, the conversation has been heated and the opinions condemning.  But there has been one thing missing from the conversation – HUMANITY.  People are so sure they know what is right.  They are so sure the have the moral high ground, that many times, the fact that you are discussing the lives of humans – and many who are young humans - is lost in the chaos.  I want to tell the stories of these HUMANS.  And in particular, the stories of these YOUNG HUMANS. 

In our area of the country, there are many, many LGBT youth who have chosen not to come out to their families or friends due to fear.  There are many who struggle and feel alone and isolated.  There are many who do come out only to realize those fears as reality.  And there are those who come out to supportive families who still walk in fear at school, in the community and most offensively, at church, where love should be the answer to us all. Every. Single. Time.

So I am beginning this as a series of anonymous stories of Humans who grew up in Alabama.  Their understanding of themselves and their communities. Their fears, their  hopes and their dreams.  It is anonymous because these are my children.  They are your children.  They are all ours.  And do you know if they are yours?  Are you a safe space for your children, your family, your friends?  Or are you someone to fear?  These are their stories.  I hope that by reading them, you will see a little bit more HUMANITY in them and learn to love not hate.  Period.
​
First, lets look at some statistics.  Please look at the statistics.  And while you do, imagine these numbers apply to your children.  Imagine how it must feel to see these numbers about a child you love.  Imagine. Feel. And then love.
Stay tuned for the first in this series.  And please help me show others our HUMANITY.
​

These are the statistics LGBT Youth and Their Parents Face Each and Every Day.  Think about that:

Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among young people ages 10 to 24.

LGB youth seriously contemplate suicide at almost three times the rate of heterosexual youth.

LGB youth are almost five times as likely to have attempted suicide compared to heterosexual youth.

Of all the suicide attempts made by youth, LGB youth suicide attempts were almost five times as likely to require medical treatment than those of heterosexual youth.

Suicide attempts by LGB youth and questioning youth are 4 to 6 times more likely to result in injury, poisoning, or overdose that requires treatment from a doctor or nurse, compared to their straight peers.

In a national study, 40% of transgender adults reported having made a suicide attempt. 92% of these individuals reported having attempted suicide before the age of 25.

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.

1 out of 6 students nationwide (grades 9–12) seriously considered suicide in the past year. 

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.

Statistics from the Trevor Project
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dr. Mark Hatzenbuehler’s study regarding social environment and suicide attempts in LGBT Youth:
Dr. Mark Hatzenbuehler’s research serves to highlight what we have seen for more than a decade: Non-accepting community, school and familial environments are associated with an elevated risk for suicide attempts among LGBTQ youth.

At the 24/7 Trevor Lifeline, more than 70 percent of the thousands of calls originate in the southern and central regions of the United States, where there are traditionally fewer legal protections, in- and out-of-school support services and accepting environments for LGBTQ young people.

States with disproportionately high call volume [to the Trevor Lifeline] include: Nebraska, Indiana, Alabama, Kentucky, Tennessee and Mississippi to name a few. 

Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeffrey-fishberger-md/gay-suicide_b_851107.html

​