Being a teenager is not easy what with the raging hormones and boiling tempers. However, things could take a seriously awkward and disturbing turn if in addition to being a teenager; you recognize gender issues as well. Suddenly, the otherwise supportive family and friends are not so supportive anymore and nobody seems to understand and relate to what you are going through.
While a lot is being said and done for LGBT rights nowadays, their problems are still out there, very much unsolved. Since the main focus of those working for them is to get them their rights, not enough attention is being paid to their emotional and mental health issues.
Emotional and Mental Health Issues faced by LGBTQ Teenagers
Coming of age and then coming out to be different from what is considered normal can have severe emotional and mental health effects on a person. There are various types of emotional abuse that such people go through and instead of trying to understand what they are going through; their own families turn against them. Their friends stop meeting them pretending that they do not exist anymore.
Teenage is a time when people are still growing mentally as well as physically and they need the support and help of their loved ones. If at such an age of their life, they are met with hostility and aggressiveness, there are bound to be some negative effects on their emotional as well as mental health.
While these problems are real and quite common, there is not enough being done to eradicate the issues related to it. For example, there are only a few organizations that work for gender support in an appropriate way that is aimed at bringing a positive change in the lives of these young people. Many people do not like to pay attention to the situation, turning a deaf ear and a blind eye towards it, but there are people who even face physical torture at the hands of their own families because of their gender problems.
It is high time to understand that violence is not the answer to the problems faced by gay teenagers. There are kids who are being harassed and sexually abused at their educational institutions as well. Therefore, it is essential that we, as a community, work to solve their issues so if a person finds out about their sexuality, they are able to deal the situation without having to go through mental, physical, and emotional abuse.
Finding Information.
Another major problem faced by the LGBT community is of finding a suitable match and suitable information. In a society where people are frowned upon for having different sexual preferences, it is definitely a problem to find this. However, there are a few sites that exclusively cater to LGBT community. Emen8 is a great example of such a website.
Above all, it is the attitude of the family and friends that needs to be changed towards them. With proper awareness and education, they could be taught that violence and mentally torturing their own blood is not the answer to any situation.
