In the largest study on African American LGBTQ youth to date the Human Rights Campaign and the University of Connecticut (UConn) have released a report.
Its most disheartening statistic: 77 percent of Black LGBTQ youth have heard family members say negative things about being gay. In addition 59 percent said their family made them feel bad about being LGBTQ–a number that jumps to 67 percent of those identifying as trans.
The study began in 2017, when the HRC Foundation partnered with researchers at the University of Connecticut to conduct a “groundbreaking survey of over 12,000 LGBTQ youth and capture their experiences in their families, schools, social circles and communities. More than 1,600 Black and African American LGBTQ youth responded to the survey.”
The study is more detailed than results included in the 2018 Youth Report.
“This world is unkind to people who are different and that’s unfair .” – Jodie Patterson (@Jodie_GeorgiaNY), member of both the @HRC Parents for Transgender Equality Council and @HRC Foundation’s Board of Directors.
— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) February 16, 2019
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Jodie Patterson who spoke at the HRC’s 2019 Time To Thrive Conference this weekend and whose son Pen is trans said “This world is unkind to people who are different and that’s unfair.”
At HRC Fnd’s #TimeToTHRIVE Conference, @HRC’s Nicole Cozier & HRC youth ambassadors discussed the challenges of navigating the intersections of race, sexual orientation & gender identity.
— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) February 16, 2019
To learn more about the experiences of Black #LGBTQ youth, visit https://t.co/wI7HySJO64 pic.twitter.com/5UOya1wRJ8
“We must confront the very real and present discrimination and institutional obstacles that prevent too many Black and African American LGBTQ young people from fully thriving and living as who they are,” said Director of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Children, Youth & Families Program Ellen Kahn.
