HRC Youth Survey Key Findings
17
“I want to be able to go to school without being called a faggot or a dyke bitch. I don’t want to hide in the shadows about my sexuality because my safety is on the line.”
23
About a third (36%) of LGBT youth participate often in an LGBT club in school, such as a Gay Straight Alliance, while most (64%) do not.
Participate
Do Not Participate
sometimes
often
frequently
LGBT %
sometimes
often
frequently
NON %
23 23 19
14 14 17
8
13
13 10
4
8
6
5
3 2
2 17
3
You have been verbally harassed and called names involving anti-gay slurs such as “gay” or “fag”.
Two-thirds out at school
15
5
You have been verbally harassed and called names at school
12
You have been excluded by your peers because you are different
9 in 10 LGBT youth (91%) say they are out to their close friends and twothirds (64%) are out to their classmates. About a third (38%) are out to their teachers. In general, nearly two-thirds (61%) say they are out at school.
LGBT youth are as likely as their peers to participate in afterschool activities, such as drama, debate, band or academic clubs. Among LGBT youth, 63% say they participate often while 63% of their peers say the same.
9
You have been harassed online, sometimes called cyber-bullying
10 4 3
5 3 2
You have been physically assaulted, punched, kicked or shoved at school
“A lot of kids at my school think it’s sick and nasty and will give me looks when I hold hands with my friend, and call us fags and lesbos. I am proud of who I am and I don’t intend on changing, I just wish I wasn’t viewed differently.”