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LGBTQ+ Training �Presented by San Diego Youth Services, Our Safe Place���Joke Ilanit (She/Her) �Gilbert Gontes (They/Them)�Roisin Mackenzie (They/Them)��

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Today’s Topics

  • LGBTQ+ terminology 
  • Risk & protective factors for LGBTQ+ youth
  • How to create safer spaces
  • Pronouns
  • How to support LGBTQ+ clients & families
  • Local and community resources

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Questions to consider

  • What were the earliest messages you got about gender roles and expectations? How and by whom were those ideas conveyed?

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  • What were the earliest messages you received about LGBTQ+ people or those perceived to be LGBTQ+? Were they positive, negative, or neutral? How and by whom were those ideas conveyed?

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ACTIVITY

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TERMINOLOGY

Lesbian

Gay

Bisexual

Transgender

Queer/Questioning

Intersex

Asexual / Agender

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Discussion:��What other terms have you heard?

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LGBTQ+ Terminology

Gender Binary

    • Classification of gender as two distinct categories, male and female

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Adapted from The Trevor Project Lifeguard Curriculum

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LGBTQ+ Terminology

Sex Assigned at Birth

    • What we are assigned (typically male or female) based on a visual inspection of genitalia. Often, the third word ever spoken about humans relates to sex: “it’s a [boy or girl]!” in some ways we are also assigned an expected gender identity at birth. 

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Adapted from The Trevor Project Lifeguard Curriculum

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Intersex Video

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Intersex

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Gender Identity

  • Refers to the internal perception of one’s gender, and how they view themselves

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  • Common identity labels: man, woman, genderqueer, trans

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  • Often confused with sex assigned at birth

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LGBTQ+ Terminology

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LGBTQ+ Terminology

Gender Expression

  • The way in which someone expresses gender outwardly. 
  • Gender expression doesn’t necessarily align with gender identity. 
    • Society dictates many ways in which gender is expressed. 
  • Expression through: clothing, jewelry, make up, hair length, and nail length, vocal expression, body language, and movement.
  • Privilege, depending on comfort and safety 

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Adapted from The Trevor Project Lifeguard Curriculum

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LGBTQ+ Terminology

Sexual Orientation

  • Who we are sexually attracted to physically

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  • Separate construct from gender identity

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  • Self-determined. There’s no way to discern someone’s sexual orientation unless they share it with you.

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  • Sexual behavior also does not necessarily reflect a person’s sexual orientation.

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Transgender-Specific Terminology

Transgender- An umbrella term for people whose gender identity does not correspond with the sex they were assigned at birth. 

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Cisgender - Person whose gender identity and sex assigned at birth align. 

  • Cisnormativity: We often assume all/most people are cisgender 

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Non-Binary - Gender identity that falls outside the binary of male and female.

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Transgender-Specific Terminology

Transition

    • Social Transition: Coming out, Name Change, Pronouns Change, Change of Appearance, Gender Affirming Gear

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    • Medical Transition: Hormone Blockers, Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), Surgery

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    • Gender Affirmation Surgery
      • Refers to doctor-supervised surgical interventions, and is only one aspect of transition.

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Adapted from The Trevor Project Lifeguard Curriculum

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LGBTQ+ Terminology�

Gender Non-Conforming - A term used to describe some people whose gender expression is different from conventional expectations of masculinity and femininity.

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Terms to Avoid

  • Avoid: Transgendered, Transgenders, a transgender
    • Instead: transgender, transgender people, trans man, trans woman

  • Avoid: Sex change, pre-operative, post-operative
    • Instead: transition, Gender Affirmation Surgery

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  • Avoid: biologically male, biologically female, genetically male, genetically female, born a man, born a woman, MTF, FTM
    • Instead: assigned male at birth, assigned female at birth or designated male at birth, designated female at birth.

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Intersectionality

Social categorizations or identities, such as race, class, and gender that create systems of discrimination or disadvantage.

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Intersectionality

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Intersectionality Video

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Risks Factors for LGBTQ+ Youth

Rejection, harassment, discrimination, and bullying

    • School-based
    • At home
    • Public spaces
    • Mental health services

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School-Based Harassment, Discrimination, and Bullying

  • 83.1% LGBTQ+ students experience harassment or assault at school based on personal characteristics, including sexual orientation, gender expression, gender, religion, race and ethnicity, and disability
  • 76.1% experience verbal harassment
  • 31.2% experience physical harassment based on sexual orientation or gender expression
  • 61.5% of LGBTQ+ students who were harassed or assaulted in school did not report the incident to school staff, most commonly because they did not think school staff would do anything about the harassment even if they did report it

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GLSEN 2021 National School Climate Survey

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School-Based Harassment, Discrimination, and Bullying

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  • 68% of LGBTQ+ students felt unsafe at school because of their sexual orientation
    • 50.6% because of their sexual orientation
    • 43.2% because of their gender expression
    • 40.3% because of their gender
  • 32.2% of LGBTQ+ students missed at least one entire day of school due to feeling unsafe or uncomfortable
    • Approximately 4 in 10 students avoided gender-segregated spaces in school due to safety concerns
      • bathrooms 45.1% 
      • locker rooms 42.76%
      • Gym class 39.4%

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GLSEN 2021 National School Climate Survey

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Rejection at Home / By Family

  • Youth report coming out to family as “extremely stressful.”
  • HRC 2018 LGBTQ+ Youth Report:
    • 67% of LGBTQ+ youth hear their families make negative comments about LGBTQ+ people
    • Only 24% of LGBTQ+ youth can “definitely be themselves as an LGBTQ+ person at home”
    • Only 25% of LGBTQ+ youth have families who show support for them by getting involved in the larger LGBTQ+ and ally community

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HRC 2018 Youth Report

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    • 40% of all homeless youth are LGBTQ+ identified.
    • LGBTQ+ youth are 120% more likely to experience homelessness
    • 58.7% of LGBTQ homeless youth have been sexually victimized compared to 33.4% of heterosexual homeless youth LGBTQ youth are roughly 7.4% more likely to experience acts of sexual violence than heterosexual homeless youth LGBTQ homeless youth attempt suicide at much higher rates (62%) than heterosexual homeless youth (29%).

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HRC 2018 Youth Report & National Coalition for the Homeless

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Homelessness and LGBTQ+ Youth

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Sexual Violence

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HRC 2018 Youth Report:

    • 47% of transgender people are sexually assaulted at some point in their lifetime.
    • 11% LGBTQ+ youth report to have been sexually attacked or raped because of their LGBTQ+ identity
    • 77% LGBTQ+ youth report receiving unwanted sexual comments, jokes, and gestures

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HRC 2018 LGBTQ Youth Report

CDC, 2010

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Effects of Risk Factors on Mental Health

Self-harm

      • 38% to 53% of lesbian, gay and bisexual teens engaged in self ham compared to 10% and 20% of heterosexual teens

Suicide risk

      • 45% or LGBTQ youth seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year
      • Nearly 1 in % transgender and nonbinary youth attempted suicide and youth of color reported higher rates then their peers.
      • 14% of LGBTQ+ youth attempted suicide in the past year
      • 40% trans adults report having made a suicide attempt
        • 92% before 25 y.o.

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The 2015, US Transgender Survey & Trevor Project National Survey on Mental Health 2022

Jama Pediatric Network June 3 2019

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Desire for and Access to Mental Health Care�

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Desire for mental health care​

  • 82% Wanted care​
  • 18% Didn’t want care

Access to mental health care​

  • 60% Wanted but did not receive care​
  • 40% Wanted and received care​

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Trevor project 2022 report

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Risks for LGBTQ+ Youth

School-based Harassment, discrimination, and bullying

  • Effects of victimization and discrimination:
    • Miss school
    • Lower GPA
    • Don't pursue post-secondary education
    • Lower self-esteem and higher levels of depression

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GLSEN 2021 National School Climate

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LGBTQ+ Youth and Their Families�

  • Reactions vary; highly accepting to highly rejecting
  • Family acceptance helps to:
    • Protect against depression, suicidal behavior, and substance abuse
    • Promote self-esteem, social support, and overall health

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Family Acceptance Statistics��

HRC 2018 LGBTQ+ Youth Report:

    • LGBTQ+ Youth not coming out for safety reasons or fear of homelessness and fear being outed or found out
    • 47% of LGBTQ+ Youth out to parents say their families make them feel bad for being LGBTQ+
    • Trans Youth are over 2 times more likely to be taunted or mocked by their family for LGBTQ+ identity

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HRC 2018 Youth Report

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Micro-aggressions

Microaggressions are behaviors or comments that are subtlety discriminatory to marginalized groups that can make someone feel socially uneasy, culturally out of place or physically unsafe

    • Stereotyping LGBTQ+ folks; saying someone doesn’t look or act gay
    • Inquiring a queer or trans person’s sexual or bodily privacy
    • Joking about pronouns
    • “I don’t see gender”
    • Encouraging someone to conform to traditional gender norms and expressions
    • Othering language
    • Demanding proof of someone’s identity

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Microagressions

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Higher levels of suicide risk in LGBTQ+ community “not because of their identity, but because of how society views and responds to their identity.”

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Working with Transgender and Gender Expansive Clients: A Foundational Guide for Therapists by Traci W. Lowenthal.

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Protective Factors for LGBTQ+ Youth

  • Policies and education
  • Social media
  • Family Support
  • Safer Spaces

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Youth who felt high social support from their family reported attempting suicide at less than half the rate of those who felt low or moderate support.

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Creating a SAFER SPACE…

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What is a Safer Space?

  • A place where people with marginalized identities can feel comfortable expressing themselves without fear

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  • A place where guidelines are set in place to protect people from harm

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How can you promote a safer space?

ACTION PLAN

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Pronouns

  • Don’t assume
  • Validate
  • Include them in introductions, email signature, ZOOM name, name badge
  • Pronouns are fluid, just like gender and sexuality

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  • She/her/hers
  • He/him/his
  • They/them/theirs
  • No pronouns (refer by name)
  • Multiple pronouns, e.g. she/they

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�Pronouns

  • Misgender: using the wrong pronouns for someone

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Validate youth by respecting pronouns (even if it’s hard at first)

    • “It’s too hard to use they/them/theirs” = “your existence and dignity is an inconvenience for me”

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  • Deadname/Misname: using the “birth name” for someone who now goes by a different name

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It is a privilege to not think about your gender

but in language and in society gender is always present �

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Pronouns and being an ally

  • Practice! Practice using they/them/theirs 
  • Misgender by mistake? Apologize, correct yourself, and move on
  • De-gender your language:
    • He/she They
    •  Guys                         Y’all; Folks
    •  Ladies/Gentlemen    Everyone
    • Man/woman Person; individual
    • Mankind People; human beings; humanity
    • Freshman First-year student
    • Man-made Synthetic; artificial
    • Policeman Police officer
    • Congressman Legislator

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Creating a SAFER SPACE for LGBTQ+ Youth

  • Be careful about confidentiality, disclosure, and outing.
  • Ask pronouns/if they go by a different name

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Navigating Documentation:

  • What names/pronouns do they use with:
    • Caregivers
    • Social Workers
    • Siblings
    • Teachers
  • What names/pronouns do they want documented

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SAFE SPACE IMAGES

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Language Matters

  • Challenge homophobic and transphobic remarks or jokes in work spaces. 
    • “That’s so gay”
  • Challenge comments referring to gender norms and stereotypes 
    • “Men don’t cry”
    • Only asking men to do heavy lifting

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How can you promote a safer space?

  • Physical/visual environment
  • Policies and procedures
  • Language and actions
  • Be a safe person and a role model; practice what you preach

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Supporting LGBTQ+ Clients�Tips to be an ally

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How to approach questions when you are unsure of someone's gender…

  • First, ask yourself: “Why do I need to know how this person identifies?”
    • Is it curiosity?
    • Is there language that is gender inclusive of all identities?
  • Avoid asking for “Preferred Gender” Pronouns
    • Preferred indicates that it is the persons preference rather than identity.
    • Folks may not identify with the gender binary
    • Ask instead: What are your pronouns?

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Supporting LGBTQ+ Clients�

  • Avoid making assumptions about a person's sexual orientation or gender identity.
  • Don’t ask a trans person what their "real name" is.
  • Respect and use the terminology a trans person uses to describe their identity.
  • It isn’t appropriate to ask about a person's genitals, surgical status, or sex life.
  • Understand there is no "right" or "wrong" way to transition - it is different for every person.

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Supporting LGBTQ+ Clients – Privacy

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  • Outing: exposing/sharing someone’s LGBTQ+ identity to others without their permission.

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  • Outing someone can have serious repercussions on employment, economic stability, personal safety or religious or family situations.

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  • Questions for yourself:
    • Do you have permission to share information?
    • Why would it be important to share information?

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Supporting LGBTQ+ Clients�

  • Listen and ask; don’t assume

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  • Offer support but don’t assume they need help

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  • Keep in mind, identity and sexuality can change! – Be respectful of fluidity.

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Supporting LGBTQ+ clients�

  • Example questions that demonstrate understanding, acceptance, and compassion:
    • Have you been able to tell anyone else?
    • Has this been a secret you have had to keep from others or have you told other people?
    • Do you feel safe in school/home/shelter? Supported by the adults in your life?
    • Do you need any help of any kind? Resources or someone to listen?
    • Have I ever offended you in anyway?

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Supporting LGBTQ+ Youth �and Their Families:

  • Meet families and caregivers where they are
  • Allow parents and caregivers to tell their story in a supportive and non-judgmental environment.
  • Provide families with respectful language they can use to discuss sexual orientation and gender identity.

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  • Educate families on how family rejecting behaviors and supportive accepting behaviors affect their LGBTQ+ child. 
  • Assist families in supporting their children even if they don’t accept child’s identity. 
  • Focus on small changes families can make to decrease rejecting behaviors and increase support. 

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Supporting LGBTQ+ Youth �and Their Families:

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OUR SAFE PLACE 

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  • Locations:
    • Golden Hill Youth Center (SDYS)
    • South Bay (SBCS)
    • North County – Escondido and Oceanside (YMCA)
    • East County 
    • Clinic @ Uptown Youth Center

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OUR SAFE PLACE

  • Services for LGBTQ+ youth (up to age 21):
    • Drop-in center
    • Case management:
      • Safe housing, linkage to hormone therapy, gender affirming items
    • Clinical services (uninsured or MediCal)
    • Groups
    • Trainings

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OUR SAFE PLACE CONTACTS

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Central (Golden Hill) and East County: oursafeplace@sdyouthservices.org

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South (Chula Vista): oursafeplace@csbcs.org

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North (Escondido & Oceanside): afavela@ymcasd.org

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Resources

Websites for more information/reading material:

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  • Human Rights Campaign
  • Gender Spectrum
  • GLSEN
  • The Trevor Project
  • GLAAD
  • PFLAG
  • Family Acceptance Project

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