Tag Archives: LGBT Teens

A Mother’s Plea For LGBT Education In Schools After Her Daughter Committed Suicide

What Kelly Moorhead must be going through after losing her 15-year-old daughter, Chloe, to suicide three months ago must be excruciating.

No parent expects to outlive their child anyway, but when your child commits suicide and you believe it could have been prevented must be one of the worst things that could happen to a parent.

Kelly believes her daughter took her own life after coming out as gay because she couldn’t deal with the humiliation she faced. Now Kelly is demanding that schools should provide LGBT education to raise awareness and acceptance amongst its students and staff.

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Here, here, to this. It’s defies belief how many youngsters suffer abuse, bullying and negativity when they come out to their peers and this has to stop. And the only way to stop it is through educating youngsters in order for them to accept others and be able to deal with their sexuality if they are gay or bisexual themselves.

Kelly stated that awareness in schools could have saved her daughter’s life and explains that when Chloe first came out to her a year ago she didn’t have any issues. Three months later Chloe’s twin sister, Samantha, then came out as bisexual. Kelly told the Herald Scotland:

It’s shocking with Chloe as she was so confident and she came out, I couldn’t have been any prouder of her coming out at that age. She was so secure with it at the time. This is why I think it’s essential this issue is brought into schools, and made a part of the lessons in class. It can’t be an option; it needs to be part of lessons.”

Kelly expressed concern that if nothing is done gay and bi teens will continue to take their own lives if they can’t cope with the stigma they endure when they come out. This means that teens will either keep quiet and not come out, something that can completely destroy a person, or when they do come out and are not supported they end up feeling so isolated and different that they see suicide as the only way out.

Kelly is calling that the Government is quick to support the campaign and stated:

My message is yes, there is hate out there, but I want people who are gay, lesbian, transsexual, to see that not everyone is a bigot or has a negative attitude. There is support out there. We never will abolish hate, but I want them to see that there are people who support them. We are here.”

Kelly is actively promoting LGBT issues Dumfries, attempting to challenge the stigma that gay and transgender people face. She said she is determined to tackle discrimination in any way possible and has organised charity nights and LGBT friendly events.

This campaign gets my vote. Suicide is one of the highest causes of death among youngsters and LGBT teens are the highest affected. This does need to stop and education and awareness has to be the way forwards.

16 Things Our LGBTQ Teenagers Need To Know

When I started to question my sexuality, I was lacking in any sort of guidance. I lived in a pretty conservative town – to this day I can still remember the poor girl who got chased out of our school after she came out.

I also remember my very first boyfriend who was pushed out of the closet… Unfortunately, I had a hand in that one.

It was a confusing time, and we all made some pretty bad choices, but if I can save the next generation from making the same mistakes, I’ll feel like I’ve done my part.

My hope for each and every LGBT teenager is that you’ll learn these things through my experience, instead of learning them the hard way. No one said it would be easy, but it doesn’t have to be so hard. Here are 16 things I’ve learned since I was a teenager.

1. Identity ≠ style.

Clothes are an incredible way to express what’s going on in your life – but your sexual identity doesn’t have to define the clothes you wear. For a really long time, I dressed super girly to “prove” that I was really straight. Then, once I started questioning, I dressed super masculine to “prove” that I was really a lesbian. Once I got out of high school, I realized that my actual style straddled the line a little bit. I didn’t feel the need to use my clothes to justify who I was. I allowed myself to wear what I wanted to wear, and I felt free to express the rest of my personality, too.

2. Style ≠ identity.

Somehow, it took me longer to realize that the same thing I’d figured out for myself was probably true for other people, as well. Even once I stopped defining my style by the trends for my label, I was subconsciously passing that same type of assumption off on others. It took a long time to realize that no one is defined by the clothes they wear – only from the way they define themselves.

3. You have nothing to prove.

I cannot stress this enough: You don’t have to “prove” your gay-ness to anyone. You don’t have to prove that you’re bisexual, or asexual, or transgender. You don’t need to legitimize the choices you make that affect your life, and you don’t have to answer to anyone else’s assumptions about you. If a stereotype happens to be true for you, you’re not bringing the community down by being yourself. Likewise, if a stereotype isn’t true for you, you have no obligation to perpetuate it. You do you, because after high school, no one cares about your hallway rep anymore. I promise.

4. Your sexual health is actually a really big deal.

I didn’t even realize that safer sex for lesbians was actually a thing until I was in my 20s. (Early 20s, but still.) We don’t have the luxury of learning about lesbian sex in school, so instead we rely on what we see in porn and what we hear from our friends. It’s probably no surprise that our friends aren’t getting their information from the most reliable sources, either. Thankfully, the information you need isn’t that hard to find, as long as you know you need to look for it. Read my lips, guys: Look for as much information about safer sex as you can. It might literally save your life.

5. Your sexual happiness is pretty important, too.

Once you’re sexually active, sexual compatibility is pretty important in your relationships. If one of you is really shy in the sack and the other requires a lot of communication, for example, things are going to get bumpy. You don’t necessarily need to leave your partner if the sex isn’t hot, but you will want to work out any issues in a way that makes you both happy. Bad sex can definitely be worse than no sex at all.

6. There’s a reason we use a rainbow to represent us.

Whether we’re talking about the original meaning of each color (see this article about the rainbow flag) or the recently popularized spectrum of sexuality, the symbolism runs really deep for us. In fact, sexuality is a broad spectrum of gay, straight, bisexual, asexual, and everything in between – or even nothing at all! Sexuality isn’t even a single definition to last for a lifetime.

7. You can’t change who you are, but who you are can change.

No matter how much you try to change your sexual identity, it won’t work. Trust me – I tried. You can force yourself into as many wrong relationships as you want, and that’s not going to make them any less wrong. The opposite is also true, though – your sexuality can change, against your conscious efforts, and there really isn’t anything you can do about it. Just go with the flow, and accept that things are different. That doesn’t mean your previous identity was wrong, it just means that you’re not the same person anymore – and that is okay.

8. Labels are 100% optional.

While we’re at it, let’s go ahead and cover the fact that you don’t have to define yourself in order to be who you are. Humans in general try way too hard to find somewhere they fit in, often sacrificing bits and pieces of themselves in order to make it work. But it doesn’t have to be like this! You can define yourself if you want, or opt out if you want. Most of all, don’t let anyone else label you – that’s not their job. Only you can say who you really are.

9. You have nothing to be ashamed of.

While there are so many good reasons to remain in the closet, shame should never be one of them. There is nothing wrong or perverted about being LGBT. It’s not a disease, and it’s not a weakness. It’s simply a small portion of what makes you who you are – no different than your eye color, your birthmarks, or your middle name. That doesn’t mean it has to be everyone’s business, but it’s worth being comfortable with it, for your own sake.

10. Everything we do, we do for you.

Every great civil rights advancement we’ve ever encountered was done for the future generation. Sometimes those things help the current generation, too, but often it’s too late to make a difference to the people who have already been wronged. With the dedication of everyone who cares, we can help make a better future, and save our youth from facing the same hardships.

11. This means you have responsibilities.

You have a responsibility to do your part to help the movement towards rights. We paved the way so that you could finish the work. Not everyone has to be an activist or a lawmaker, but you can speak up when you see someone else being mistreated. Even if you can’t be out, you can still be an ally – don’t work to undo all the good that’s been done.

12. You kinda need LGBT friends.

That conservative town I grew up in didn’t have too many other queer teenagers for me to hang out with, so I had to reach out in other ways. I talked to people online, I joined groups and events, and I sought out people I had things in common with. I found that I made a lot of really attractive friends, too, but you have to be comfortable with the idea of staying just friends.

13. You need straight allies, too.

You shouldn’t choose your friends just because of their sexualities. While you need the camaraderie of your queer friends, you also need to understand that your sexuality isn’t the most important thing about you – and your straight friends have just as much wisdom to share. Don’t stick yourself with a tight interest group, because your friends after high school are going to be a lot more diverse.

14. Don’t waste your time on unsupportive people.

There are going to be people in your life who go out of their way to tell you they don’t “approve of your lifestyle”. It’s perfectly fine to distance yourself from those people as soon as you’re able to. Your sexuality isn’t the most important thing about you, but it is a part of you, and no one should pressure you to hide who you really are.

15. Everything is temporary – especially high school.

Literally nothing lasts forever, at least as far as we can prove. (Maybe space, but I feel like there are some semantics involved there.) Even ancient slates of knowledge wear away over time, and in the grand scheme of things, the time you spend in high school is next to nothing. Enjoy yourself, and don’t get too hung up on the timelines. Things have a way of working out.

16. It gets better, but it doesn’t get better on its own.

For some people, high school is pretty rough. It was pretty rough for me. But things do get better – whether through things you do for yourself, or things other people do for you. It’s important to keep things in perspective and remember that change takes time, and sometimes a lot of effort. One of the greatest feelings you can get is the satisfaction of helping someone else, so don’t hesitate to be that person to someone else whenever you can. All it takes is a few kind words to turn someone’s whole day around – and isn’t that worth it?

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According To New Survey, More Than Half Of America’s Youth Aren’t Straight

A new survey of Americans aged 13-20 – also known as Gen Z – has found that only 48% of them identify as “exclusively heterosexual”, meaning that the majority of young Americans are queer AF.

The study asked people to rate themselves on a scale of zero to six, with zero being “exclusively heterosexual” and six being “exclusively homosexual”

Most didn’t pick zero or six,were found to be more open-minded and permissive than the group just a few years older – millennials (aged 21 to 34).

The report’s author, J Walter Thompson Innovation Group believes means those people were bisexual.

They also found that over 70% of 13 to 20-year-olds believed in having gender neutral bathrooms, while just over half of millennials feel the same way, making it clear that the younger generation is basically more openminded and progressive than millennials are.

And when asked the question, “do you strongly agree that gender did not define a person as much as it used to?”; over a third of Gen Zers said yes.

Although the survey only polled a small number from across the country, Laughlin was confident the results reflected a national trend.

We’re even more confident about this for this particular survey because we see clear patterns across the different questions that show that Gen Z has a more complex and less binary approach to gender than millennials.”

The survey follows a similar one released in January that revealed woman are more likely to say they are bisexual than men.

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Ground Breaking Australian Coming of Age LGBT Teen Drama Could Becoming Soon

Australian’s are on verge of seeing a new groundbreaking television drama on the TV screens.

The planned TV series ‘Subject to Change’, focuses on the lives of high-school students. However, what sets this project apart from others, is that its central characters identify as either gay, lesbian or bisexual.

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The pilot episode of of the show was filmed in Sydney last month and is currently in post production. The producers are planning worldwide film festival release next year. Creator/director Daniel Mercieca said ‘Subject to Change’ comes at an important time for Australia’s TV landscape, which is at a “turning point”.

“The arrival of streaming services like Netflix, Stan and Presto means Australians will be able to watch the quality TV they want to watch – when and where they want to watch – not just the ‘safe’ programs

Subject to Change has strongest appeal with a young adult demographic (15-35) yet still can find an emotional connection with all viewers, in a similar way to Puberty Blues. It is relatable, realistic and gritty.”

Daniel Mercieca

Star of the show, Maryann Wright said the series had international potential and said off the back of the trailer alone she had been contacted by overseas teens coming to terms with their own sexuality.

“It’s a coming-of-age show, no matter what sexuality you are. At 16 you’re figuring out who you are, what type of person you want to become

With this project there is a mix of characters but the focus is on LGBT characters which exist in every school. The show is bringing a normalcy that already exists in society to the TV screen. It doesn’t try to legitimate, it illuminates and it’s a long time coming.”

Maryann Wright

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James Ritchie added that traditionally gay characters had occupied a niche onscreen presence, such as “funny sidekick”, but rarely as central figures.

“In the past, it has been difficult to see these kinds of characters portrayed without stereotype. To have this project where they are not seen as novelties but instead as true and deep and meaningful characters makes our job a lot easier.”

James Ritchie

Glow Worm Films, the production house responsible for the pilot, remain in negotiation to bring a fully-fledged series to

For more information visit: subjecttochange.com.au