nancy mullen, msw executive director, youth outlook andrea drott, msed youth leadership coordinator
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Nancy Mullen, MSWExecutive Director, Youth Outlook
Andrea Drott, MSEdYouth Leadership Coordinator
Not-for-profit agency providing supportive, social, educational and recreational services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender variant, queer and questioning (LGBTQ) youth since 1998 in DuPage, Kane, Whiteside and DeKalb Counties of IL
Youth Outlook is the only not-for-profit that is dedicated solely to LGBT youth in our service area
www.youth-outlook.org
Direct service to LGBT youth:Drop-in Centers
Youth Leadership
Indirect service to LGBT youth:Community Education
Youth Outlook, 2011
Erikson—Adolescence as the crisis state: The search for identity must be resolved in order to successfully transition to the next stage
Ryan and Futterman– “During adolescence, males and females begin to consolidate adult identity.”
www.youth-outlook.org
Identity Formation
Personalit
y
Gender Identity
Sex Roles
Sexual Orientation
4 Factors Compose the Sense of Self
(Ryan and Futterman, 1998)www.youth-outlook.org
Individual traits of a person, can be considered collectively
▼ Sensitivity ▼ Intellectually gifted▼ Impatient▼ Sense of humor▼ Easily bored or distractible▼ Shy▼ Aggressive
www.youth-outlook.org
One’s sense of being male or female
Thought to be established by about age 3
www.youth-outlook.org
Expectations of and beliefs about female and male behavior, usually established between ages 3 and 7
▼ Clothing ▼ Toys▼ Sports▼ Educational pursuits▼ Career choices▼ Relationship roles
www.youth-outlook.org
▼ Sexual attractions and behaviors, thought to be established by early childhood
▼ Most children and youth are assumed to be heterosexual.
www.youth-outlook.org
The average age that gay and lesbian youth “come out” = 13
The average age that gay and lesbian youth begin self-identifying = 5 to 7 years old
Center for American ProgressThe Federal Response to Gay and Transgender Homeless Youth
June, 2010
www.youth-outlook.org
▼You know what makes you YOU +▼you are female +▼your insides match your outsides +▼you accept what moms and dads do +
▼you know who you are attracted to +▼you know what to do with that attraction =
www.youth-outlook.org
www.youth-outlook.org
Early
Adole
scen
ce
Middle
Adoles
cence
Late
Adolescenc
e
confusion
compari
son
toleran
ce
accepta
nce
pride
synthe
sis
▼6 stages in Looking at Gay and Lesbian Life (Blumenfeld and Raymond, 1988)
▼4 stages in Gay and Lesbian Youth Care & Counseling (Ryan and Futterman, 1998)
www.youth-outlook.org
1. Identity Confusion2. Identity Comparison3. Identity Tolerance4. Identity Acceptance5. Identity Pride6. Identity Synthesis
From Vivienne Cass’ work
1. Sensitization2. Identity Confusion3. Identity Assumption4. Commitment
From RR Troiden
www.youth-outlook.org
What’s happening with our youth?
www.youth-outlook.org
Younger adolescents
Highly publicized and gruesome reports of LGBT youth suicide
“Other-ing”
www.youth-outlook.org
Youth Outlook, 2011www.youth-outlook.org
The average age that gay and lesbian youth “come out” = 13
The average age that gay and lesbian youth begin self-identifying = 5 to 7 years old
Center for American ProgressThe Federal Response to Gay and Transgender Homeless Youth
June, 2010
www.youth-outlook.org
Youth coming out at younger ages have, based on developmental models, less time for cognitive abilities to develop
Fewer, less developed coping skills to handle harassment and maintain intact self-identity
Potential for homelessness, mood disorders and risk-taking behaviors
www.youth-outlook.org
Youth Outlook, 2011www.youth-outlook.org
Billy Lucas
Seth Welsh
Asher Brown
Tyler Clementi
Raymond Chase
www.youth-outlook.org
Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the US but it is the 3rd leading cause of death among youth and young adults, ages 10 to 24.
www.youth-outlook.org
Centers for Disease Control, 2010
Suicide is a complex behavior impacted by individual, social and family structures.
There are RISK FACTORS but no identified causes.
www.youth-outlook.org
Previous attempt(s) Firearm ownership Isolation Hopelessness Impulsivity and recklessness Family discord and dysfunction
www.youth-outlook.org
LGB Youth are 1.5 to 3 times more likely to report suicidal ideation than heterosexual youth
LGB youth are 1.5 to 7 times more likely to have attempted
LGB youth from highly rejecting families are up to 8 times more likely to attempt
www.youth-outlook.org
Higher death rates have not been established.
www.youth-outlook.org
www.youth-outlook.org
Are you a good witch or a bad
witch?
www.youth-outlook.org
Physical AnatomyGender Identity
Gender PresentationOrientation
www.youth-outlook.org
Courtesy of Deb Wilke, Courtesy of Deb Wilke, LCPCLCPC
Compassionate CounselingCompassionate Counseling
Bolingbrook, ILBolingbrook, IL
www.youth-outlook.org
Physical AnatomyPhysical Anatomy
♂♂ ♀♀People who People who are intersexedare intersexed
www.youth-outlook.org
Gender IdentityGender Identity
♂♂ ♀♀People who are People who are transgendertransgender
www.youth-outlook.org
Gender PresentationGender Presentation
♂♂ ♀♀AndrogynAndrogynyy
www.youth-outlook.org
Sexual OrientationSexual Orientation
HeterosexuHeterosexualal
HomosexualHomosexualBisexual,Bisexual,
Asexual,Asexual,
PansexuPansexualal
What do we know about timing and the development of the
brain when things really begin “heating up” for LGBT youth?
www.youth-outlook.org
Youth Outlook, 2011www.youth-outlook.org
Historically, LGBT people have been…
CriminalizedPathologizedDemonized
www.youth-outlook.org
All kids, not just the gay ones, are growing up in a world that seems
very happy to publicly ridicule, shame and reject LGBT people.
All kids are absorbing the message that this is ok.
www.youth-outlook.org
84.6% of LGBT students report being verbally harassed
40% report being physically harassed
18.8% report being physically assaulted
GLSEN 2009 National School Climate Surveywww.youth-outlook.org
61% report feeling unsafe in school because of their orientation
39.9% feel unsafe because of their gender expression
www.youth-outlook.org
29% of LGBT students missed class at least once
30% missed at least one day in the last month
www.youth-outlook.org
Center for American Progress, June 2010
www.youth-outlook.org
Complex-two youth experiencing the same stressor do not respond the same way
Synergistic-the effect of a single factor increases with additional factors
Dynamic-the effect changes over time
www.youth-outlook.org
Orientation Gender variance Gender expression variance Victimization Lack of support Family problems Suicide attempts of friends
www.youth-outlook.org
Homelessness Substance use Isolation Psychiatric disorders Abuse is repetitive
and severe Fewer protective
factors
Gender nonconformity1
Internal conflict about sexual orientation2
Time of coming out3
Early coming out4
Low family connectedness5
1. Fitzpatrick et al. 2005; Remafedi et al. 1991
2. Savin-Williams 1990 3. D’Augelli et al. 2001 4. Remafedi 1991
Youth Outlook, 2011
Lack of adult caring5 Unsafe school5 Family rejection6
Victimization7
Stigma and discrimination8
5. Eisenberg & Resnick, 2006 6. Ryan et al., 2009 7. Bontempo & D’Augelli 2002; Russell & Joyner 2001
8. Meyer 1995
www.youth-outlook.org
More risk factors or more severe ones: Unsafe school Rejection/abuse within family Victimization Previous attempt(s) Exposure to suicide loss
Specific to or mostly relevant to LGBT youth: Gay-related stress and minority stress Gender nonconformity Internal conflict regarding sexual orientation
Youth Outlook, 2011www.youth-outlook.org
Increasing the protective factors is found to be more effective than reducing the
risk factors.Archives, Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine 153 (6)
www.youth-outlook.org
Mission◦Youth Outlook is committed to creating a
safe, supportive, and respectful environment for youth, whether they identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender-variant, questioning or queer. Youth Outlook’s programs facilitate ongoing personal growth, and the development of a positive identity for the people we serve.
Vision◦Youth Transforming the Future!
Four+ Locations
Ages 14-18 and 16-20
Social, recreational, educational
Structure
LGBT specific
Non-LGBT specific
Youth Outlook to-go
www.youth-outlook.org
Benefits to Youth Outlook
◦Ownership
◦Peer to peer
◦New Ideas
Benefits to Youth Involved
◦Leadership skills
◦Helping Behaviors
◦Mentor opportunities
Recruitment
◦Application◦Interview
Training
◦Youth Outlook◦Communication◦Group Dynamics
Assist in Drop-in centers
Outreach
Fundraising
Additional Events
“It gave me the confidence and the experience that I feel that I needed.”
~22 year old, bisexual, transman
School Gay Straight Alliance
In-service
Help others
Share stories
“It gave me a sense of who I wanted to be, and what I wanted to be.”
~24 year old, bisexual, transman
Utilizing opinion leaders as a source of education for peers.
HIV prevention Bystander programs
“It gave me something to do, something to care about, something to stay alive
for.”~24 year old, bisexual, transman
The individual student must be considered as a whole person.
Each student is a unique person and must be treated as such.
The student's total environment is educational and must be used to help the student achieve full developmental potential.
The major responsibility for a student's personal and social development rests with the student and his/her personal resources.
The individual student must be considered as a whole person.
“LGBT people are everywhere and they could be anyone. They aren’t this separate group of
people.” ~ 23 year old, gay man
Each student is a unique person and must be treated as such.
“Give students the opportunity to be who they are, don’t make them fit into boxes
that work better for you.”~24 year old, bisexual, transman
The student's total environment is educational and must be used to help the student achieve full developmental potential.
“[Youth Outlook was responsible for] planting the seeds to the long process of
accepting myself.” ~23 year old, queer, woman
The major responsibility for a student's personal and social development rests with the student and their personal resources.
“It was the only long term source of stability in my life that even when I strayed I knew that I could go back whenever I wanted/needed and
my presence would be welcomed and celebrated.”
~23 year old, queer, woman
Higher rate of family acceptance as protective factor
High vs. Low Acceptance of LGBT children◦Ethnicity◦Immigration status◦Occupation status◦Religious affiliation
“I didn’t plan on having much of a future while I was in high school until Youth Outlook.”
~24 year old, bisexual, transman
Family Acceptance in Adolescence ◦Young adult positive health outcomes
◦Protective factor for negative health outcomes
“Having my mom there from the beginning on my side is probably what
kept me around.”~22 year old, bisexual, transman
“I very much feel that Youth Outlook saved my life in that I don’t think I would have made it all the way through high school with as depressed as I was, without finding that niche. I don’t think I would have been able to stop self-injuring without the support of the friends that I had made at Youth Outlook, or the staff that showed genuine concern without reprimanding me as my parents did- while their concern was genuine, accompanied by threats and anger [it] means nothing.”
~24 year old, bisexual, transman
“If it wasn’t for Youth Outlook I wouldn’t be the person I am today, they have changed me in ways that I can’t even begin to describe, but in ways that I will forever be grateful. And I wish that more people can be able to experience that.”
~21 year old, pansexual, gender neutral
Recommendations for Practice◦ Ask LGB adolescents about family reactions to
their sexual orientation and gender expression and refer to LGB community support programs for supportive counseling as needed.
◦ Identify LGB support programs in the community and online resources to educate parents about how to help their LGB children. Parents need access to positive parental role models to help decrease rejection and increase family support for their LGB children.
Advise parents that negative reactions to their adolescent’s LGB identity may negatively influence their child’s health and mental health
Recommend that parents and caregivers modify highly rejecting behaviors that have the most negative influence on health concerns, such as suicidality.
Expand anticipatory guidance to include information on the need for support and the link between family rejection and negative health problems in LGB young people.
PFLAG◦ National non-profit organization with over 200,000
members and supporters and over 350 affiliates in the United States.
University Resources◦ Consortium of Higher Education Lesbian Gay
Bisexual Transgender Resource Professionals! Our goals are to support colleagues and develop curriculum to enhance this work; to seek climate improvement on campuses; and to advocate for policy change, program development, and establishment of LGBT Office/Centers.
“It would be nice to go to a doctor who is at least aware of what transgender is. If I’m coughing up a lung, I don’t want to have to give a lesson.”
~22 year old, bisexual, transman
“Youth Outlook would be a breath of fresh air in my week. There for me throughout my coming out process. Everyone being very supportive.”
~22 year old, gay, man
“Most importantly it let me know that I wasn't alone.”
~24 year old, queer, man
“I come from a background of bigotry and bi-polar disorder, just being in attendance brought just the sense of belonging that I know has kept others and myself from self-destruction.”
~24 year old, queer, woman
“People fear what they don’t understand. But instead we should
replace fear with knowledge. Just learn.”
~21 year old, pansexual, gender neutral
Thank you!Contact information:
Nancy Mullennancy.mullen@youth-outlook.org
Andrea Drottandrea.drott@youth-outlook.org
www.youth-outlook.org
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