The Challenges of Lesbian and Gay Youth
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“The unprecedented growth of the gay community in recent history has transformed our culture and consciousness, creating radically new possibilities for people to ‘come out’ and live more openly as homosexuals”(Herdt 2). Before the 1969 Stonewall riot in New York, homosexuality was a taboo subject. Research concerning homosexuality emphasized the etiology, treatment, and psychological adjustment of homosexuals. Times have changed since 1969. Homosexuals have gained great attention in arts, entertainment, media, and politics. Yesterday’s research on homosexuality has expanded to include trying to understand the different experiences and situations of homosexuals (Ben-Ari 89-90).
Despite the transition, little consideration has been given to understanding the growing population of gay adolescents. 25% of American families are likely to have a gay child (Hidalgo 24); In the United States, three million adolescents are estimated to be homosexual. Yet, American society still ignores gay adolescents. Majority of children are raised in heterosexual families, taught in heterosexual establishments, and put in heterosexual peer groups. Gay adolescents often feel forced by parents to pass as “heterosexually normal” (Herdt 2). As a result, homosexual teens hide their sexual orientation and feelings, especially from their parents. Limited research conducted on gay young adults on disclosure to parents generally suggests that disclosure is a time of familial crisis and emotional distress. Very few researchers argue that disclosure to parents results in happiness, bringing parents and children closer (Ben-Ari 90).
The debate over homosexuality as nature or nurture dominates most topics about homosexuality. People often confuse the nature/nurture issue with the development of gay identity. In fact, the nature/nurture argument plays a small, insignificant role concerning gay youths (Walling 11). Homosexual identity is the view of the self as homosexual in association with romantic and sexual situations (Troiden 46) Many researchers have either discussed or created several models or theories concerning the development of homosexual identity. However, the most prominent is Troiden’s sociological four-stage model of homosexual identity formation. Dr. Richard R. Troiden desc...
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...Being kicked out from the home is another consequence of rejection by parents (Mallon, Wagon 83). Urban and rural Associate researchers discovered that many young male prostitutes are homosexual, and they are products of their families’ inability to accept their son’s homosexuality (Coleman 136).
It would be wrong to say that only negative outcomes occur when a child tells his parents he is gay. Many children feel that in order to establish an honest relationship with their parents then they must “come clean” to them. Ben-Ari’s research points out those adolescents who want to be open and honest with their parents receive that after disclosure. Parents are usually accepting after time their child’s sexual preference (107)
Conclusion
This paper has effort to generally show youths growing up gay. A number of issues have been presented involving gay identity formation, parental interaction, and disclosure. Homosexuality is a very controversial subject. By no mean does this paper try to say that it is “totally correct.” However, the paper does examine logical theoretical ideas of what gay adolescents endure, using and combining research and reports of other gay studies.
The media considers the1969 Stonewall Riots in New York City the spark of the modern gay rights movement. This occurred after the police raided the Stonewall bar, a popular gay bar in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village. Allyn argues that the new energy and militancy generated by the riot played a crucial role in creating the gay liberation movement. Arguably, the Stonewall Riots have come to resemble the pivotal moment in gay rights history largely because it provided ways for the gay community to resist the social norms. In fact, the riots increased public awareness of gay rights activism (Allyn 157). Gay life after the Stonewall riots, however, was just as varied and complex as it was before. In the following era, ho...
Andrew Sullivan, author of, What is a Homosexual, portrays his experience growing up; trapped in his own identity. He paints a detailed portrait of the hardships caused by being homosexual. He explains the struggle of self-concealment, and how doing so is vital for social acceptation. The ability to hide one’s true feelings make it easier to be “invisible” as Sullivan puts it. “The experience of growing up profoundly different in emotional and psychological makeup inevitably alters a person’s self-perception.”(Sullivan)This statement marks one of the many reasons for this concealment. The main idea of this passage is to reflect on those hardships, and too understand true self-conscious difference. Being different can cause identity problems, especially in adolescents.
"Black Like Me" written by John Howard Griffin. Based on a white man who becomes black. Griffin wanted to know how life was for African American in the south. However, he was white and so that he would not be accepted by the Negroes. For that reason, Griffin darkened his skin and live as a Negro in the southern states in the 1950s. The central theme in the book was the white racism that he faced as African American. The author told us his experience as a Negro, and how he was a victim of the white racism. Also, the author highlighted the theme of how black people are courteous and warm with each other even with a stranger like Griffin. The author told us when he was looking for a place to sleep, a poor Negro offered the floor of his house,
LaSala, Michael C. "Lesbians, Gay Men, and Their Parents: Family Therapy for the Coming-Out Crisis." Family Process 39.1 (2000): 67-81. Academic Search Premier. Web. 7 May 2014.
Mercer, L. R. & Berger, R. M. (1989). Social service needs of lesbian and gay adolescents. Adolescent Sexuality: New Challenges for Social Workers. Haworth Press.
It allows for customers who would otherwise defect to cheaper coffee mediums stay on board with Starbucks due to the promise of free and discounted products for patronage. The Starbucks mobile app keeps track of all purchases and ensures rewards are granted at the allotted time. It also tracks spending patterns in order to ensure the customer finds products it can afford and would like. Inflation or economic fluctuations will happen without warning but, Starbucks ' app is proof they are ready to deal with
Note: This paper has a very long Annotated Bibliography. In recent years, same-sex relationships have become more encompassing in US society. State legislation is changing such as accepting gay marriages, enforcing anti-discrimination laws, and legal gay adoptions; the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community is becoming public. Gay-headed families, like heterosexuals, are diverse and varying in different forms.
Among queer youth, the trend continues. More than half of queer minors have ‘lost their virginity,’ while less than 40% of straight youth can say the same (Nikels 2). 27.4% of bisexual, lesbian, or gay students reported being forced or coerced to have sex in the same survey, which is five times the rate for heterosexual youth. Even as children, queer individuals partake in more sexual activity than those who are not part of the deviant
For example, boys tend to begin exhibiting interests that are gender-divergent; however, for girls, the first awareness may contain intense emotions concerning a specific female. While the causes of same-sex attraction are not yet well apparent, it is evident that individuals of the gay and lesbian community are prone to a number of ominous challenges. Not only are household and peer relationships often interrupted, but verbal and bodily attacks are also a frequent occurrence. Consequently, these challenges cause many gay and lesbian youth to endure crises with self-esteem, mental health and even suicide (Kail & Cavanaugh,
D’Augelli, A.R. (1998). Developmental implications of victimization of lesbian, gay, and bisexual youths. In G.M. Herek (Ed.), Stigma and sexual orientation: Understanding prejudice against lesbians, gay men and bisexuals (pp.187-210). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
I found your thread to be insightful. Families of adolescents of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender children are all different. Some families accept their children, while others do not. One such example is my extended family. I have two cousins who are openly gay. My dad’s step-brother and his wife did not respond well to their son “coming out” because they are devout Christians. They believe marriage is designed for one man and one woman for life. Due to his parents’ reaction, he now feels like everyone who disagrees with his sexual orientation is homophobic. My dad’s sister and her husband were more accepting of their son “coming out”. They do not treat him any differently than their other children; however, my aunt now accuses
Noah falls in love with Brian, who has just moved into town. Noah finds Brian fascinating. We soon learn that Brian feels the same about Noah, but Brian believes that if anyone were to find out he was gay, there would be major consequences for him. Brian is the captain of a sports team, the previous captain came out as gay, and as a result, was physically abused and ridiculed to the point where he had to leave the team. Brain is terrified this could happen to him. This made me think about how young LGBTQ+ individuals have to their lives in secrecy, or face ridicule. Although society today has become more understanding of such topics as LGBTQ+ rights, it makes me wonder about how many teens there are out there like Brian, who fear for their reputation and even safety because of something as simple as their sexual orientation. For me, this also raised the subject of Heteronormativity. Why is it so normal to assume everyone you meet is heterosexual? Why is heterosexuality seen as the ‘default orientation’? Society today may be more accepting than in was in the past decades, but things like heteronormativity and prejudice are still prevalent and as toxic as ever. Forcing children and teens into this ‘mould’ at such a young age is disgusting, and is the reason so many LGBTQ+ individuals find it hard to be themselves around their friends and
An issue that has, in recent years, begun to increase in arguments, is the acceptability of homosexuality in society. Until recently, homosexuality was considered strictly taboo. If an individual was homosexual, it was considered a secret to be kept from all family, friends, and society. However, it seems that society has begun to accept this lifestyle by allowing same sex couples. The idea of coming out of the closet has moved to the head of homosexual individuals when it used to be the exception.
For the majority of individuals that are heterosexual, their sexual orientation is easily established and integrated into society due in large part to the wide societal acceptance of heterosexuality. For those who are not heterosexual, these individuals have a much harder time in declaring their preferred sexual orientation/Gender Identity because of the negative stigmatization that has become attached to the gay, lesbian, and transgendered orientations. Once sexual orientation is established, individuals can freely express themselves sexually with others. As the sexual relationships with others progress in young adulthood, individuals will soon find themselves confronting the traditional values of love and sex. “Traditional gender roles call for men to be sex-oriented and women to be love-oriented.”(W.Yarber, B.Sayad, pg.189) Young adults must marry the concepts of love and sex together in order to successfully establish long healthy relationships and commitments with others. Through the successful bonding of sex and love, young adults will then seek to further their relationship commitments to a more long term commitment with the possibility of co-habitation or marriage. Childbearing is largely shunned during the adolescent years, yet during the young adult years becoming a parent is more widely accepted. Decisions regarding fertility and childbearing often arises in the individuals who have chosen to stay in long term and committed
Savin-Williams, Ritch C. Mom, Dad, I'm Gay: How Families Negotiate Coming out. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 2001. Print.