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Supporting our LGBTQ+ Friends and Neighbors:

An Introduction

to Allyship

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Meet Carolyn

Carolyn Wahlskog, LCSW (she/they)

Director of Operations and Programming, Youth Outlook

Co-Coordinator, Name Change

Mobilization Programming,

Transformative Justice Law Project of IL

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Please introduce yourself to your neighbor….

Name
Pronouns you use �(she/her, he/him, they/them, �something else?)
What do you hope to leave �with today?

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Learning Objectives:

Learn the impact of allies in fostering inclusivity and support for LGBTQ+ individuals.
Discover the meaning and significance of affirming LGBTQ+ terminology.
Understand the diverse experiences and challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community, emphasizing the need for awareness and inclusivity.

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Community Agreements

Shape the discussion to fit your needs
Half thoughts are welcome
What happens here, stays here;

what’s learned here, leaves here

Respect where each person is
Commitment to dismantling barriers
Any others?

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About Youth Outlook

Youth Outlook celebrates, empowers, advocates for, and provides services to meet the ever-evolving needs of LGBTQ+ youth and their families, friends, and communities.

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Drop-In Centers

Parent & Family Support

Community Education & Professional Development

Health & Wellness Navigation

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Affirming

Terminology

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My Gender Journey

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Growing up, what messages did you receive from those around you about gender? Did those messages make sense to you?

What’s your first memory of gender defining or impacting your life?

If you were to describe your gender without talking about how you look or what you do, what would you share?

How have issues of gender and gender diversity “shown up” in your work with families and youth?

How do your other identities (race, ethnicity, class, religion/spirituality, etc) intersect or impact your ideas of gender?

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Dimensions of Identity

Every individual has their own unique experiences of discrimination and privilege.

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Common Terms Related to Sexual Orientation

Sexual/romantic attraction

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Asexual/

Aromantic

Bisexual

Demisexual/ Demiromantic

Gay

Graysexual/

Grayromantic

Lesbian

Pansexual/

Panromantic

Queer

A lack or low level of sexual/ romantic attraction for others

Attraction to members of more than one gender

Sexual/ romantic attraction only after forming a strong emotional connection

Attraction to people of the same gender

Experience attraction only sometimes, or attraction with no desire for a relationship

A woman or non-binary person who is attracted to other women or non-binary people

Attraction to people of any gender identity or regardless of gender

Not fitting in with sexuality or gender expectations. Be mindful as not everyone has reclaimed this term

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Transgender

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Describes a person whose gender identity does not align with their sex assigned at birth
Transgender is an adjective - it is not a noun or verb
Do say, Sam is a transgender man or Carrie is a transgender woman
Don’t say, transgendered or transgenders

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Non-Binary

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An umbrella term that describes gender identities that don’t fit within the accepted binary of male and female
Individuals can feel they are both genders, neither, or some mixture thereof
Terms under this umbrella: genderqueer, gender fluid, agender, bigender, etc.
Non-binary folks may use they/them/theirs pronouns or others

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Queer

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This term has been embraced and reclaimed by the LGBTQ+ community as a symbol of pride
Historically, this was a derogatory slang term used to identify LGBTQ+ people
Represents individuals who do not fit in with the expectations for sexuality or gender
May hear this word used in place of the acronym LGBTQ+

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Cisgender

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A term for people whose gender identity aligns with the sex they were assigned at birth
Cisgender people can be any sexual orientation, such as bisexual, gay, lesbian, heterosexual, etc.
Do say cis or cisgender
Don’t say normal, biological, or real

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Intersex

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An umbrella term for variations in sex traits or reproductive anatomy
These traits might not fit inside traditional conceptions of what male or female bodies look like
Intersex people are born with variations in their internal or external anatomy, hormones or chromosomes
Intersex is not a disorder, disease, or condition

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Transition/Transitioning:

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Someone’s process of developing and assuming a gender expression to match their gender identity

May or may not include hormonal and/or surgical procedures

Includes fully,

partially, and irreversible interventions

Transitioning is unique to the individual! No singularly defined way to transition

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Navigating Transition

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Social

Name and pronoun use, gender presentation changes, accessing facilities based on gender identity

Medical

Gender affirming care may or may not include hormonal therapy, surgical treatments, voice coaching, etc.

Legal

Changing gender marker on legal documents like driver’s license, passport, social security card, birth certificate, and/or legal name change

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Intersecting Identities

Some terms are culturally specific and encompass both racial and/or ethnic identity AND sexual orientation and/or gender identity simultaneously

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Latinx Latine

Two-Spirit

Fa’afafine

Stud

Hijra

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Pronouns

It’s ok to ask people what pronouns they use!

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How to Ask Someone What

Pronouns They Use

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Let’s Practice!

This student is non-binary.

Say a sentence using they/them pronouns.

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Remember, if you make a mistake:

Apologize or thank the person who corrected you

Correct yourself

Move on

Practice

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Inclusive Ways to Greet People

Don’t say

Your son/daughter
Ladies & Gentleman
You guys
Gay community
Sir/ma’am

Do say

Your child/student
Good morning, folks
Hello, friends
This person here…
LGBTQ+ community
Clients of all genders

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Reduce Binary Language

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What’s Happening

in Our Community

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The Youth Trans Legislative Risk Assessment Map

Very few states now occupy the middle ground

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Trends in Coming Out

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U.S. Adults' Self-Identification as LGBTQ+, by Generation, 2024

Gen Z

(1997-2012)

Millennials

(1981-1996)

Gen X

(1965-1980)

Baby Boomers (1946-1964)

Silent Generation

(1945 or earlier)

LGBTQ+ growth tied to higher identification among younger adults

23.1%

Source: Gallup

14.2%

5.1%

3.0%

1.8%

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Youth Outlook by the Numbers (2024)

26% have tried alcohol, 18% have tried cannabis

Most identify as Bisexual (22%) or Pansexual (15%)

10% have skipped school due to feeling unsafe

18% have experienced online bullying

46% considered suicide; 25% have attempted it

32% were hospitalized for mental health

53% see a therapist

7% have tried cigarettes, 12% have vaped

43% learned about Youth Outlook from a friend

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LGBTQ+ Youth Mental Health

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LGBTQ+ youth of color reported higher rates than white peers

39% of LGBTQ+ young people seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year

This includes 46% of transgender and nonbinary young people

Source: 2024 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People

50% of LGBTQ+ young people who wanted mental health care were not able to get it

LGBTQ+ young people are placed at higher risk because of how they are mistreated and stigmatized in society

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LGBTQ+ Youth Mental Health

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Accepting communities had less than half the suicide attempt rate

Affirming homes

lowered the suicide attempt rate

Schools with affirming policies lowered the suicide attempt rate

Source: 2024 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People

65% report knowing at least one older LGBTQ+ person they consider a role model

The impact of affirming and inclusive spaces is profound

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Talk with your tables:

What is your reaction to this data?

What do you think needs to happen in our community to improve experiences of LGBTQ+ people?

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youth-outlook.org

Online R esources & Information

West Suburban Community Network

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Drop-In Center Locations

For LGBTQ+ youth ages 12-20

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Bolingbrook
DeKalb
Downers Grove
Elmhurst
Joliet/Lockport
Naperville

Ottawa
Palatine
Peoria
Sterling
Virtual

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Carolyn Wahlskog, LCSW

carolyn.wahlskog@youth-outlook.org

youth-outlook.org

Instagram: @youthoutlook

Facebook: @youthoutlookIL

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