[CHAT] The ABCs of LGBT
There are so many ways in which people have realized their LGBT identity. Maybe you’ve known your whole life. Maybe you didn’t realise it was a thing until you found out about that identity. Or maybe it was a celebrity or character in your favourite movie/TV show who gave you those special feelings. Either way, LGBT identity is as diverse as the many ways in which people come out.
And yet, why can it be such a struggle to know who you are? It only takes one bite to figure out whether you’re a fan of coriander, or a few classes to figure out which school subjects you naturally excel at. So why can it take years, decades even, to figure out where on the LGBT spectrum you sit?
Figuring out your LGBT identity isn’t always as simple as deciding on your favourite flavours or school subjects. For one, not everyone has the most straightforward journey. Plenty of people may identify with different labels before settling on one permanently, and some might not want to label themselves altogether. Others might spend most of their lives not realizing until they have that mental breakthrough.
However sure (or unsure) you might be in your sexual or gender identity, having a community or a space to talk about it can be so helpful, and not just for figuring out where you sit on the LGBT spectrum! Considering that LGBT young people have some of the worst rates of mental health among their peers, helping the LGBT community feel safe and accepted is something we all should work towards, regardless of how we identify.
That’s why we’re opening up a GR session on gender and sexual identity! Regardless of whether you’re 100% sure or 5% sure in your sexual identity, come and join us at 8pm AEST on Monday the 25th of July to talk about the ins and outs of being LGBT
@N1ghtW1ng I totally agree. It's not even a trans/queer issue - I 100% identify as a girl and still prefer pants to skirts anyday! I hate the dichotomy that pants = male and skirts = female
What about this angle?
Having supportive people around you who respect you sexuality and gender is a big part of boosting your mental health. Who plays that role in your life?
Having supportive people around you who respect you sexuality and gender is a big part of boosting your mental health. Who plays that role in your life?
Well my family has always accepted me the way that I am and acknowledge that I am different to everyone else, but in a good way. My friends are mega supportive as well.
Having supportive people around you who respect you sexuality and gender is a big part of boosting your mental health. Who plays that role in your life?
I'm straight and cisgendered so I'm lucky in that I don't need to seek out people who're supportive of my identity. In terms of supporting mental health in general though my friends, family, GP and psychologist all play pretty important roles. And of course everyone here 🙂
Having supportive people around you who respect you sexuality and gender is a big part of boosting your mental health. Who plays that role in your life?
I probably have a pretty different experience on this front as a lot of the people who played a big part of raising me like parents and family friends are LGBT+, so pretty much all of them serve this role in my life as well as me in theirs 😛
Hey @PercivalCox!! The school-based ideas are really useful too, considering how much of a person's development happens during those years. And the gender segregation thing is true! There might be issues specific to certain genders or sexualities, but that doesn't mean the discussion needs to always be segregated
http://forums.au.reachout.com/t5/Special-discussions/Wanna-chat-about-Gender/m-p/176089#U176089
🙂
@lokifish it's exactly that! And it annoys me to my core. Which is another reason why representation and education (rep and ed! 😛 Or edurep?) is so important. To show and teach people these things because just telling isn't enough.
My answer to this is the same to the previous one. More representation and education.
It NEEDS to be shown that it is normal to be attracted or not to whoever you want and be whatever gender you feel is right.
Like @Chessca_H (was it you?) said, some people overcompensate for the really negative with really positive and it's not helping. Coming out is a good thing and you should be proud of yourself for coming to terms and sharing who you are but I feel like it shouldn't be necessary. It should not be made out to be such a big deal because it is, in it's simplest form, a choice of what you like, like choosing a fav colour(for a really simple example).
I mean, in this time you should be proud.of yourself but I, personally hope for a world where it's not a contriversy as to wbo you feel attracted to because IT'S YOUR CHOICE!!!!!!! I would bold if I wasn't on my phone.
@Buzzlightyear YES! It would be great if all mental health professionals were LGBT+ friendly, but until that day comes that would be a great alternative.
Check this out @Buzzlightyear! Twenty10 have a search tool that lets you check for inclusive services in your area 🙂
It's not perfect but it's pretty dang cool 🙂
Mental health is a big issue for young LGBT+ Australians, who experience mental health issues at a higher rate than their straight peers. What do you think needs to change to combat this?
I think @N1ghtW1ng made a really great point about starting education early, since forcing children into typical gendered behaviour and telling them they can only experience attraction and relationships a certain way is already setting a precedent where kids won't feel accepted for their identity, and can cause mental health issues down the line.
The worst thing was hanging out with a guy and then people insinuating a relationship. It NEEDS to stop.
@N1ghtW1ng Funny you mention that example. My sister's best friend is a guy and SO many family members have assumed they're in a relationship, and act so incredulous when they find out they're "just" friends. Your genetalia does not determine who you can have platonic relationships with ffs!
@Buzzlightyear that's so true, adults are so keen to gender childhood behaviour, even when it isn't necessary. I think that there needs to be room to allow children to act however they want and not force them into behaving in a certain gendered way, alongside education
@Buzzlightyear so true! Ideas about sexuality and gender are formed so early on and educational environment are a big part of life for kids.
@Buzzlightyear Yes! I know gender roles aren't quite the same thing but letting little boys play with dolls and girls play with trucks etc. at child care is really important. Kids are so much smarter than we give them credit for and pick up on these things really, really early
@N1ghtW1ng yes to the sex-ed point!!! Even in schools, being LGBT is never talked about (or at least, it wasn't where I went to school)
There can be a lot of stigma associated with being LGBT+, what can we do to change this?
REPRESENTATION AND EXPLANATION!!!!!! Seriously, just those two things are super important. Representing these identities on TV and in movies and books is so important for people who do identify and evem those who don't, because they can still see that there are other identities and that it's also okay. And then explanation, even a brief discussion in sex-ed so that kids know that it is okay to have different feelings to the norm.
