Political issues and how they affect our youth

LGBT equality is a political topic that has gotten a lot of attention in the media lately. The marriage equality debate continues in California. Another issue that is catching headlines is the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy in the US military. GENDA (the Gender Expression Non-discrimination Act) is a bill that would prohibit discrimination in the New York State based on gender identity and expression. Another example is DASA (The Dignity for All Students Act), which has finally passed after about ten years of trying. How do these political issues affect young people? Many of our participants here at Pride for Youth have expressed strong feelings about these issues. Some have taken active measures to have their voices heard. They make trips up to Albany to talk with their legislators, take part in rallies and petitions, send letters, make phone calls and of course spread the word to their peers about what’s going on and what they can do to help. Others are fearful to voice their opinions due to being outed and having their families or peers find out. When it comes to the issue of marriage equality, many young people are outraged that it is not legal for them to get married. You might ask why this affects them when they are not even old enough to get married. The answer is simple: they do not feel equal, or they feel “less than”. We are raised in a society where marriage and gender roles are taught to us so rigidly defined from infancy on, even in the most open minded of households. When a child grows to adolescence and realizes their sexual orientation or gender identity doesn’t meet the rigid formula our community has made for them there are many psychological problems that arise. When they find out that it is illegal for them to marry, the message that there is something wrong with them is starkly reinforced. The repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell was recently voted down by Congress. Think about the young person that may want to join the military. Maybe this teenager is “out of the closet”. This youth faces the decision to either not join the military or to crawl back into the closet just to have the opportunity to be a part of serving our country. This kind of decision can be detrimental to a young person’s mental well being. Now how about the youth that’s still closeted. He or she could feel as though they need to hide themselves even further just to serve their country. The debate over LGBT’s being accepted in society has other types of impact for youth as well. Think about the dinner conversations that happen in not so accepting households. These issues come up in conversation. When parents and/or siblings at that dinner table voice their anti-LGBT opinions, how does that LGBT teen at the table—closeted or not—feel? When LGBT rights are debated in school—should LGBT’s be allowed to marry, adopt children, be protected by non-discrimination laws?—what impact does that have on students who are trying to build a sense of pride in who they are? A phenomenon that happens with any sort of minority political progress is backlash. People who feel threatened by LGBT’s become louder, angrier and sometimes violent. This can make young people feel scared and powerless. But it is important that we teach them that it doesn’t have to be this way. Civic/political participation is a key strategy for youth empowerment. At the most basic level, it can take the form of registering to vote. Youth can also get involved in LGBT political organizations and/or campaigns to elect politicians who will advance LGBT equality. For those who are not ready to take those steps, they may need a safe place where they can talk about how political issues are affecting them—a hotline, a youth center or a counselor’s office. When it comes to the fight for LGBT equality, young people can be an incredible resource, and we should also remember that they need our support to cope with the disappointment, alienation and fear stirred up by high profile political fights.