www.Transyouth.com
A great TRANS resource site!!!
Sunday, Oct. 19, 2008
Gay teens face hard times in Tri-Cities
By Sara Schilling, Herald staff writer
Gay and lesbian teens in the Tri-Cities say they've been targeted in the community and at school because of their sexual orientation.
They've been whispered about, laughed at and called names such as "faggot" when they're on the street and in school hallways, they say.
"I've had people try to fight me because I'm gay. I've had people try to fight me because I hang out with people who are gay and stand up for them," said Alex, 17, who goes to high school in the Tri-Cities.
The Herald agreed not to fully identify students to protect them from harassment.
Their experiences are backed up by a national survey released this month. It found that 86 percent of students who identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered -- abbreviated as LGBT -- had been verbally harassed at school in the past year.
Educators say such bullying isn't acceptable, and that's reflected in school policies that include specific protections for characteristics such as sexual orientation.
Hey! The Qvoices project at the University of Washington has an anonymous online survey for LGBTQ youth of color ages 14-19 in the United States. If you fit that description you can check out the website, learn more, and take the survey: www.qvoices.org
If you don't think it'll apply to you, but know someone who it does, feel free to pass this email on to them. Also feel free to spread the word in any other way.
The survey is designed to learn more about the experiences of LGBTQ youth of color so that services tailored to their needs can be created. Community agencies will be given a report summarizing the information collected from the survey to help them better meet the needs of youth.
Was an amazing night and a beautiful evening under the stars. This fundraiser for Vista Youth Center featured great food, a silent auction, friendship and fun. We raised over $6,500 getting nearly 50% of the way to our goal!!
Media Contacts:
Daryl Presgraves
646-388-6577
dpresgraves@glsen.org
Tom Chiodo
Rubenstein Communications
212-843-8289
tchiodo@rubenstein.com
GLSEN Study Finds Nearly 9 out of 10 LGBT Students Experience Harassment
NEW YORK, Oct. 8, 2008 – GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, today released the most comprehensive report ever on the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students, The 2007 National School Climate Survey. The report is being released in conjunction with the announcement that GLSEN will partner with the Ad Council on a multiyear national public education campaign targeting anti-LGBT language among teenagers.
The survey of 6,209 middle and high school students found that nearly 9 out of 10 LGBT students (86.2%) experienced harassment at school in the past year, three-fifths (60.8%) felt unsafe at school because of their sexual orientation and about a third (32.7%) skipped a day of school in the past month because of feeling unsafe.
"The 2007 National School Climate Survey reveals that, on a whole, the situation is still dire for many LGBT youth when it comes to school safety," GLSEN Executive Director Kevin Jennings said. "It's hard to believe that anyone who reads this report could continue to turn the other way as our nation's LGBT students are bullied and harassed at alarming rates. The good news is there's hope. The 2007 National School Climate Survey also shows that when schools and educators take action, they can make a drastic difference."
Download the full report at http://www.glsen.org/binary-ata/GLSEN_ATTACHMENTS/file/000/001/1290-1.pdf
Key Findings of The 2007 National School Climate Survey include:
A Hostile School Climate and the Effects on Academic Achievement:
At their event last night Stephaen Harrell said:
"This year we are also blessed to welcome two new partners who will help deepen AmeriCorps’ positive impacts on our community...the other is Vista Youth Center; this is a drop-in program that promotes adaptive youth development strategies for diverse participants, and also teaches tolerance to people of all ages and backgrounds." I was so honored to be there!
We are getting ready for the 1st Annual Back to School Party
Here is the updated list of items needed to fill school supplies for the youth that attend VYC... Let’s get them back to school with the things they need! Please drop them off by August 20. If you have any questions, please call Tamara 509.396.5198
WE NEED:
• 28 - Backpacks
• 30 – 3 ring notebooks (1.5 inch)
• 60 – Notebook Divider 5-tab packs
• 60 – College Ruled Notebook Paper
• 20 – Calculators
• 20 – Glue Sticks
• 20 – Blunt nose scissors
• 60 – Highlighters variety of colors
• 55 – Colored pencils/pen sets
• 30 - Pencil pouches
• 60 – Composition notebooks
ALSO NEEDED:
• Socks (all sizes, men’s and women’s)
• Panties (all sizes, women’s)
• Underwear (all sizes, men’s)
• T-Shirts (no graphics, all sizes/colors)
• Deodorants (both men’s & women’s)
• Refillable 2 – 4 ounce bottles for Shampoo & Conditioner.
August 24-30 - Session 2: LGBTQ youth and allies -
Camp Ten Trees is a non-profit summer camp in the Pacific Northwest featuring a week for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth and their allies, and a week for children of LGBTQ families. Since Camp Ten Trees first opened in 2001, we have been committed to developing a camp community that honors creativity, individual choice, and community living. Our programs are for youth connected to the LGBTQ community and provide opportunities for each camper to strengthen inner courage, make new friends, and develop leadership skills through traditional camp programming.
http://camptentrees.org/camp.html
The Q Voices project at the University of Washington has an anonymous online survey for LGBTQ youth in the United States ages 14-19. There is a $15 gift certificate valid for use in a number of online or regular stores (in the US) to say “thanks” to people who complete it. If you fit that description you can check out the website, learn more, and take the survey: www.qvoices.org.
Can a cardboard boat really float down the Columbia River?
Tri-City residents found out Friday at the third annual Cardboard Boat Race at Columbia Park in Kennewick, and YES, Vista Youth Centers boat did float!
12 boats crafted from corrugated cardboard sailed -- down the river, the cardboard boat race raises money for the Crime Stoppers' reward fund.
I was elated to see us participating in another community event. The youth had soooo much fun tooo!
See video on KNDU of the race:
KNDU Video: Cardboard Boat Race
