Did you know that more than 1 out of every 3 LGBT kids have at least attempted suicide?(itgetsbetterproject.org). This staggering statistic is the result of repeated harassment and bullying. Underneath the taunting and teasing are individuals that oftentimes have other conflicts going on in their lives as well as lack a strong support system that can help them get through their struggles. In this blog post, I will address a few of the underlying reasons as to why LGBTQ youth are more likely to attempt suicide than their other peers.
In poorer school districts, lack of funding leads to less LGBTQ programs where students can reach out for support and have a community of allies within their school. Without these programs, LGBTQ students oftentimes have no one to relate to and feel alone. For many, it is difficult and uncomfortable to talk about their sexual orientation or gender identity with their family. These school programs offer acceptance for individuals as well as branch out to the rest of the school by showing LGBTQ presence and strength just by having a club or by hosting events to raise awareness and support.
However, also within today’s institutions are religious groups that often preach against homosexuality. In “Homosexuality and American Society: An Overview”, D’Emilio states that, “...homosexual behavior was excoriated as a heinous sin, the law branded it a serious crime, and the medical profession diagnosed homosexuals and lesbians as diseased” (13). This idea of homosexuality as a disease has been a reoccurring, but obviously false theory that has stigmatized LGBTQ members from the start of their movement. Religious beliefs resulting in homosexual persecution have led to the breaking up of more conservative families and friends and continues to be a prominent issue for the gay community. LGBT youth with “highly rejecting” families are eight times more likely to attempt suicide than those whose families accept them (itgetsbetter.org), showing the extreme severity of this issue.
In a society that now relies on technology and the online world to communicate, social media sites have provided an open space for virtually any group to connect with others of the same interests from all over the globe. While this can be a great way for homosexuals to seek help and converse with others in the same situation as them, these media sites can also become an easy target for cyber-bullying. For 14-year-old Jamey Rodemeyer, the internet was a place where he could talk about what it was like to be a homosexual student in middle school. He repeatedly expressed his continual encounters with bullying and the lack of acceptance he received with his sexual orientation. After years of being harassed at school and online, Jamey tragically took his life in September of 2011. Like Jamey, many teens attempt to seek refuge through online communities, but often find themselves faced with harsh criticism and a renewed sense of dejection. After all, it is much easier for bullies to harass their victims indirectly rather than in person, which can be seen as the “stronger” approach to bullying.
This leads me to my next point; Jamey’s parents and friends described him as a “happy” and “strong” teenager. However, the word “strong” can represent a variety of meanings: physical strength, mental and emotional stamina and resistance, and in the case of bullying, having a source of power over another. In “Gay Bashing - A Rite of Passage?”, Van Der Meer discusses how the majority of the harassers he interviewed referred to themselves as being “hard” and “strong”, whereas they described homosexuals as coming off as “weak” and “soft” and unable to fight for themselves. This brings up an interesting dynamic where ideas of femininity and masculinity are correlated to certain words and actions. What is “strong” to one person may be “weak” to another and vice versa. In short, oftentimes LGBTQ members struggle with these differential ideas of what is acceptable and the “norm” within our society and this internal battle is another one of the components leading to the high suicide rates among LGBTQ teenagers.
In conclusion, there is not just one root cause of suicide in homosexual youth, but rather a multitude of factors that can pertain to religion, family upbringing, cyber-bullying, as well as these intersecting notions of “strong” versus “weak”. The effects of taunting and harassment are clearly seen throughout the teenage population, but even more so in LGBTQ individuals who are less likely to have a strong support group.
Bibliography
itgetsbetter.org. 2010-2011. Savage Love, LLC. 6 Feb. 2012. http://www.itgetsbetter.org/pages/about-it-gets-better-project/
D’Emilio, John. "Homosexuality and American Society: An Overview" from Sexual Politics, Sexual, Communities in the United States 1940- 1970. Chicago, Ill: University of Chicago Press, 1983.
Donaldson James, Susan. ABCnews.go.com. “Jamey Rodemeyer Suicide: Police Consider Criminal Bullying Charges”. 6 Feb. 2012. http://abcnews.go.com/Health/jamey-rodemeyer-suicide-ny-police-open-criminal-investigation/story?id=14580832#.TzNWBZgqNsM
Van De Meer, Theo. “Bashing a Rite of Passage?” in Culture, Health, and Sexuality, Vol. 5 No.2. pp 153-165.
I agree with the theory that suicide rates among poorer LBGTQ communities due too there not being as many opportunities to reach out to people as you state, Alex. With the lack of proper funding within a community, people are forced to rid of structures that may not be benefiting the city economically, but rather benefiting the city’s people with life saving experiences. Also, some teenagers need more activities to stay entertain, or else they’ll resort to petty tasks as teasing. However, as Theo Van De Meer interviewee’s admitted that they were form gangs, even though “[they] the ‘bashers’ were usually not even friends” (Meer 155). These gangs are created in order to feel accepted or feel superior to the LGBTQ community. This leaves the sexually confused teens to be the ideal target for teasing and bullying, since they seem to “not fight back nor…dare to call the police” (Meer 155). Therefore, they become vulnerable in these types of situations and feel that they do not have the proper support. This often is the leading cause for a person ultimately to even consider taking their life. Despite there being other forms of help such as the internet where poor LBGTQ communities could connect with other people experiencing what they are and receive support, without the proper information being provided, they will never know where to find it and continue to keep feeling alone.
ReplyDeleteMeer Van De, Theo. “Bashing a Rite of Passage?” in culture, Health and Sexuality, vol. 5:2 pp 153-165.