| Just
the Facts from MAGY: What the statistics show and the experts say about GLBTQ Youth |
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| The following data and quotes are meant to help those outside the GLBTQ community better understand the youth and the need for an organization such as MAGY. MAGY would be happy to speak to any group concerning how to better help and understand GLBTQ youth. Please contact us for more info and take a look at our Books page for other resources. | |
| STATISTICS | "Gay youth need recognition, understanding, and validation to succeed in a challenging and often inhospitable world."1 "There are approximately seven million gay teens in America."12 |
| AGE
OF AWARENESS Many gay men and lesbians sensed something "different" about themselves as early as age four or five. A study of 202 gay and lesbian youth who attended a drop in center in Chicago found that youth recalled their first same-sex attraction slightly before their tenth birthday.2 |
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| 3,500,000 GLBTQ Teens with Anxiety & Depression | |
| SUBSTANCE
ABUSE Nearly 60% of gay and bisexual male teens have drug and alcohol problems.4 And more than half of lesbian and gay youth report periods of extreme anxiety and depression.8 |
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| 2,800,000 Gay Male Teens with Substance Abuse | |
| ISOLATION 80% of lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth report severe isolation. They experience social isolation (having no one to talk to), emotional isolation (feeling distanced from family and peers because of their sexual identity), and cognitive isolation (lack of access to good information about sexual orientation and homosexuality.)3 |
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| 5,600,000 GLBTQ Teens Suffering from Isolation | |
| VIOLENCE In a study of lesbian and gay youth in New York City, 41% reported suffering violence from their families, peers, or strangers. Of the violent incidents, 46% were directly gay-related and primarily perpetrated by family members.9 |
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| 2,870,000 GLBTQ Teens Suffering from Violence | |
| SUICIDE The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services found lesbian and gay youth are 2 to 3 times more likely to attempt suicide than other youth and account for 30% of all completed teen suicides.10 Nearly 25% of surveyed gay, lesbian, or bisexual youths have reported attempts at suicide by the mean age of 15.5 years.11 |
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| 2,100,000 GLBTQ Teens Attempting Suicide | |
| HOMELESSNESS
AND FAMILY REJECTION Approximately one in every four (26%) of gay youth are forced to leave home because of conflicts with their families over their sexual identities.4 According to the National Network of Youth and Runaway Services, gay, lesbian, and bisexual youth make up 20% to 40% of homeless youth in urban areas.5 |
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| 1,820,000 GLBTQ Homeless Teens | |
| HARASSMENT
IN SCHOOLS Almost 60% of gay males and 30% of lesbians are verbally or physically attacked in junior high, senior high, or college.6 28% of gay youth drop out of school because of harassment based on sexual orientation.7 |
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| 1,960,000 GLBTQ School Dropouts | |
| EXPERTS | The following are the policy statements and recommendations of the American Medical Association (AMA), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), The American Psychiatric Association and the American Psychological Association (APA), and the National Association of Social Workers (NASW). |
| "Homosexuality is not a choice, mental illness, or emotional problem. How a particular sexual orientation develops in any individual is not well understood by scientists. Various theories have proposed differing sources for sexual orientation, including genetic or inborn hormonal factors." (APA, Psychology and You, 1993.) | |
| "Homosexuals do not choose homosexuality any more than heterosexuals choose heterosexuality. Both 'just know' or 'are aware' of their sexual orientation from an early age. Reversing their sexual orientation is difficult. Although psychiatrists differ in their approach to homosexuality, most consider it a normal variation of sexual behavior." (AMA, Family Medical Guide, 1994) | |
| "The etiology of homosexuality remains unclear, but the current literature and the vast majority of scholars in the field state that one's sexual orientation is not a choice, that is, individuals no more choose to be homosexual than heterosexual." (AAP, Policy Reference Guide, 1996.) | |
| "Therapy directed specifically at changing sexual orientation is contraindicated, since it can provoke guilt and anxiety while having little or no potential for achieving changes in orientation." (AAP, Policy Reference Guide, 1996.) | |
| "The psychosocial problems of gay and lesbian adolescents are primarily the result of societal stigma. hostility, hatred, and isolation. The gravity of these stresses is underscored by current data that document that gay youths account for 30% of all completed suicides." (AAP, Policy Reference Guide, 1996.) | |
| "Homosexual orientation is not a voluntary choice, is highly resistant to change, and does not affect a person's ability to contribute to society." (NASW and the Tennessee NASW chapter amicus curiae legal brief, Campbell vs. Sundquist, NASW News, Jan., 1996.) | |
| "Same-gender sexual orientation should be afforded the same respect and rights as other-gender orientation." (NASW policy statement, 1996.) | |
| "Protection against violence and discrimination directed towards the gay community is very important." (APA, Psychology and You, 1993.) | |
| "Scientific evidence does not show that conversion therapy works, and indeed it can do more harm than good." Self esteem is lowered and a sense of inferiority may be instilled in the gay person undergoing this therapy. (APA, Psychology and You, 1993.) | |
| Homosexuality is a part of nature that has existed in the human population and animal kingdom since recorded history. Recent studies show that 10% of the world's population is probably gay or lesbian. (Masters and Johnson, 1990.) | |
Statistic
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