This is America: LGBTQ teens are (still) struggling

Like many if not most people, I had a crappy time in high school. 

Between seemingly unresolvable cystic acne, attempting – and failing – to fit in at a new campus my freshman year with an above-average 6-foot frame and the pressure of college admissions, the period was far from idyllic. 

Despite the challenges it brought, I found solace in some pockets of the experience, particularly on my Varsity softball team and as a member of my school’s film club. I could find support from teammates after instances of bullying or ridicule in classes and blow off steam at batting practice, or find escape by immersing myself in film showings with peers in the evenings. 

These places were my safe havens: my solace from the grim and overwhelming day-to-day and quite frankly, a lifeline when I needed it most. I can’t imagine how I would have survived or found success in high school without them. 

That experience also helps to understand the fear, frustration, anger and hopelessness of LGBTQ students around the country staring down the barrel of legislation aimed at limiting their access to affirming spaces, participation in sports and even open discussion of their identities around gender and sexuality.  

Welcome to "This is America," a newsletter centered on race, identity and how they shape our lives. I’m Cady Stanton, a breaking news reporter with Paste BN focusing on topics affecting the LGBTQ community. 

But first, race and justice news we're reading: 

• Hiding behind rainbow flags: These companies' political donations don't match their support of LGBTQ issues
• Uvalde shooting revives debate: Should police officers be stationed in schools
• These bases were named after Confederates, now titles may be ditched. Here's what vets say
• 'We have to be on guard a lot': Why safety comes first for so many LGBTQ travelers

Are the LGBTQ kids alright? 

In March and April, I spoke with students in Arizona, Florida, Iowa and Ohio about their perspectives on so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bills across the country, many of which target discussions of sexuality, gender identity and other LGBTQ-related topics in classrooms. 

In interviews, students told me they were scared for their futures, and fear over the restrictions from the bills – often before they are even signed into law – has made them and their peers feel lonely and isolated. They shared their feelings of anger and disgust that their affirming spaces are at risk and that their conversations may be policed.  

In Arizona, a bill currently assigned to committee would require parental permission for students to join groups involving sexuality and gender, including Gender and Sexuality Alliances. A bill in Ohio currently being debated includes a ban on instructional materials and curriculum “on sexual orientation or gender identity” in kindergarten through third grade. 

Seventeen states currently ban transgender students from participating in sports consistent with their gender identity, according to data from the Movement Advancement Project. And just last week, House Republicans in Ohio passed a bill that would not only bar transgender girls from competing in Ohio school or college sports, but also require students accused of being transgender to have a doctor certify their genitals, hormone levels or genetics. 

Gender and Sexuality Alliances provide resources and education for LGBTQ students, some of whom don’t have access to affirming environments in class or at home. And for students who might feel ostracized from many social settings at school because of bullying over their socioeconomic status, unpopular interests or just for “not fitting in,” sports teams can act as a great equalizer or space of acceptance for many, including myself.  

The thought of losing these spaces has made many LGBTQ youth feel frustrated, anxious and fearful. 

So what’s the outcome for LGBTQ youth? 

In states such as Florida, where a LGBTQ-targeted law has already passed, students voiced the mental struggles they’re facing both from the exhaustion of speaking out against the bill ahead of its passage and in dealing with its repercussions at school now. 

"It has severely diminished my mental health," 18-year-old Florida senior Javier Gomez told me. "I'm understanding a world with a different perspective and it's really tough because it arises a lot of anxiety about the future, for myself and for my educators and for my peers." 

The negative outcomes of these bills push past anecdotal to tangible mental health statistics. 

Queer high-school students were far more likely to have attempted or seriously considered suicide during the pandemic than their peers, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A 2022 Trevor Project survey published last month on LGBTQ youth mental health found LGBTQ youth whose schools are not LGBTQ-affirming reported higher rates of attempting suicide. 

Pride Month is a celebration of community, growing cultural acceptance and diversity. But it’s also important to highlight the setbacks and concerns for LGBTQ folks in June and throughout the year, especially when it comes to queer youth.  

As Rayne Duncan, 17, of Arizona put it plainly to me: "Being a teenager is already really hard. You put all of these things on top of it, and it just adds more and more weight … too many kids are getting crushed.” 

If you or someone you care about is struggling with mental health challenges, The Trevor Project provides crisis counseling, resources and suicide prevention services for LGBTQ youth under 25. Learn more here. 

--

This is America is a weekly take on current events from a rotating panel of Paste BN Network journalists with diverse backgrounds and viewpoints. If you're seeing this newsletter online or someone forwarded it to you, you can subscribe here. If you have feedback for us, we'd love for you to drop it here.