LGBT youth vulnerability is the increased social vulnerability that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth face compared to their heterosexual and cisgender peers. Due to this increased vulnerability, there are notable differences in the mental and physical health risks tied to the social interactions of LGBT youth compared to the social interactions of heterosexual youth. Youth of the LGBT community experience greater encounters with not only health risks, but also violence, due to their sexual orientation, self-identification, and lack of support from institutions in society.
Health studies
LGBT youth face a variety of stressors that affect their mental health. Due to society’s tendency to discriminate against non-heterosexual sexual orientations and identities, members of the LGBT community are 3 times more likely to face mental health disorders. For instance, the constant fear of not being accepted after coming out to one’s community can lead to an anxiety disorder, depression, PTSD, suicidal thoughts, or substance abuse. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness LGBT teens, in particular, “are 6 times more likely to experience symptoms of depression” than their heterosexual peers as they are just beginning to navigate how to come out to friends, family, and other associates, while still developing into an adult. Because of the crucial development stages youth experience before adolescence, it is more likely for mental disorder to be expressed if a stressor is presented. It was reported in 2012 that within the year, 10% of youth in America demonstrated a mood disorder, 25% presentes an anxiety disorder, and 8.3% presented a substance use disorder. Also, the third leading cause of death for the 10-14 age group is suicide and the second leading cause for those 15-24. Out of these statistics, youth of the LGBT community are three times more likely to experience and report suicidality. Some studies that have been conducted are not completely inclusive of the entire LGBT community because of its rapid growth and expansion. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted a 2015 Youth Risk and Behavior Survey ,that surveyed approximately 1,285,000 LGB youth out of 16,067,000 students total in grades 9-12 nationwide and was able to provide evidence of greater physical and mental vulnerabilities among the youth of the LGBT community. The survey found that 10% of LGB students were threatened with a weapon on school property, 34% were bullied at school, and 18% experienced physical dating violence. Another 18% of LGB students had been forced to have sexual intercourse at some point. These results were successful in pointing out these vulnerabilities of LGB students, however, about 514,000 students included in the survey were not sure of their “sexual identity.” Another survey conducted by the Human Rights Campaign titled, “Growing Up LGBT in America,” acknowledges the vulnerabilities faced by about 10,000 LGBT youth from the age of 13 to 17. This survey found that 4 out of 10 youth felt that their neighborhoods weren’t accepting of the LGBT community. On top of this 73% of youth surveyed admitted to being more honest about their identity online and 26% identified their largest “problems” as being related to being out and accepted at home and/or school. The contrast this survey makes to 22% of non LGBT youth who identified their largest “problems” as relating to academics displays the different mindsets that are present in the two groups, thus representing the different mental effects LGBT youth experience.
Media
Online platforms have become a way to communicate common, and uncommon, standpoints globally. Hashtags and campaigns are present methods of spreading the word about public issues and topics. As the LGBT community uses online platforms to interact with society and run campaigns that advocate for the community, it embraces vulnerability in order to overcome it. National Coming Out Day takes place on October 11 and is a day for LGBT individuals to willingly disclose their sexual orientation or identity. This can take place in many ways that include, but are not limited, to social media announcements and coming out to close family members. Because of current technology platforms that allow for social networking, much of National Coming Out Day can be observed on sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Youtube. The Human Rights Campaign has conducted a survey tracking the impact of National Coming Out Day nationwide. 91% of LGBT youth who participated in the survey came out to close friends and reported more overall happiness as they continued to live in their communities and interact with friends, family, and classmates. A similar initiative taken online in the LGBT community is International Transgender Day of Visibility. This day takes place on March 31 and recognizes transgender individuals in an effort to empower those who identify as transgender in the LGBT community. Rachel Crandell founded this day in 2009 and it has since fought against “cissexism” and “transphobia.” Initiatives like National Coming Out Day and the InternationalTransgender Day of Visibility are public reminders of the potential social media holds in educating the masses and raising awareness of the LGBT community.
