LGBTQ+ Youth Targeted by Hateful Legislation in Pursuit of Political Gain

The irreparable psychological, emotional, and physical harm from these efforts leave a growing number of young people with no place to be supported and feel safe

For Immediate Release: March 10, 2022
Contact: Kathleen Jeanty, [email protected], 617-610-5424

Washington, DC – Across the nation, state legislatures are acting to restrict or punish discussions about gender and sexual orientation, not only in schools and other public spaces, but also at home. “Our LGBTQ+ children and their supportive families are under attack, and we must fight back,” says David C. Harvey, executive director of the National Coalition of STD Directors (NCSD).

Florida’s “Parental Rights in Education” bill, aptly dubbed by opponents as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, claim to help children but instead will rob them of access to much-needed information and support.  The Florida bill, which Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) will likely sign into law this week, will restrict classroom discussions of sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade, undermining efforts to help prepare all children for puberty. In Texas, under an order from Gov. Greg Abbott (R), the state’s child welfare agency is investigating supportive parents for possible child abuse for providing their transgender teens with gender-affirming care.

According to NCSD’s Christy Altidor, director, adolescent sexual health, these lines of thinking are flawed at their core. “We know how impactful it is when parents support their children as they navigate through gender identity and medical care,” Altidor says. “Parents who are doing the right thing and supporting their children by providing them with the appropriate gender-affirming care they need, now run the risk of being investigated for abuse. We should not tolerate this!”

According to a study by The Trevor Project, 40 percent of LGBTQ+ youth considered suicide in the last year—this startling statistic is not from anything inherent in being LGBTQ+ but from stigma and mistreatment. Data from the CDC’s Division of Adolescent and School Health shows that when we make schools safer and more supportive for LGBTQ+ youth, you make them safer and more supportive for all young people. Inclusive educational resources in schools, after-school programs, and community programs led by well-trained facilitators are some of the best sources of support for all youth to help them prepare for puberty, but especially for LGBTQ+ youth.

“Let’s be clear about the goals of these efforts. They’re restricting all conversations about sex and telling our LGBTQ+ young people that they don’t matter,” concludes Harvey. “These anti-LGBTQ+ measures hurt young people by limiting their access to those much-needed resources and unfairly target supportive parents. We must fight these efforts and help create the safe space that all young people need at school and at home.”