It’s no lie that being part of the LGBTQ Community can be tough at times. It’s easy to feel lonely, afraid and judged, which can lead to many harmful consequences such as self-harm as well as suicide. Luckily, there are resources and people out there to help you if you are feeling alone, confused, or just need someone to talk to. Here’s some resources for LGBTQ individuals.
The It Gets Better Project is, along with a book of stories, a collection of videos telling people “It Gets Better.” The project was started by Dan Savage and his partner Terry Miller “to inspire hope for young people facing harassment” (it gets better). This is my video, and you should totally submit your own!
The book and videos are really reassuring that everything will be alright. They are real stories, and very uplifting for individuals going through hard times. The novel and Youtube have some famous individuals telling their stories like Sia Furler, Ellen DeGeneres, and even President Obama. It’s kind of funny that some sad stories can be uplifting, but it’s all because of the end message that it gets better.
This may sound silly, but there are a bunch of Instagram accounts out there with facilitators that are totally willing to chat with you directly through direct message. I’ve come across (and chatted with) facilitators from the pages Queer Without Fear and _.LGBT._.
They have been happy to speak to me privately through Instagram. Their pages (along with probably hundreds of LGBTQ pages) are filled with valuable information about the community, as well as a great way to connect and hear others’ stories.
On my campus, Montclair State University, we have an awesome LGBTQ Center. However, not all schools have this, and you may just have a GSA group. There is a website, however, to help you find a center near you called CenterLink. Simply put in your location and then go check it out. It’s obviously a great way to make friends and connect with those in the community. Since it’s summer, you probably have some free time for a little road trip. Plus, what have you got to lose?
You may be happy to know that there are tons of organizations that fight for the rights of LGBTQ individuals. It looks like one of the most popular is PFLAG. You can become a member on their site to get involved and take action. Additionally their site also has resources and support to help you out. Another activist site is Dosomething.org as I mentioned in this article.
Sometimes as an LGBTQ individual (or just a supporter of the community) you may feel like people don’t really relate to the struggle. There are some fun blogs out there that post LGBTQ articles.
There’s also the LGBT Section on Buzzfeed, with funny and news related articles.
BONUS! Me! I’d love to help you out! Feel free to message me on Facebook anytime!
As an oppressed minority, LGBTQ individuals can feel alone, scared, and just unaccepted by those around them. Although this is unfair, there are people going through the same things, and willing to help. There’s also plenty of outlets out there with relatable articles and educational resources. I hope this helped you out a bit and again, feel free to message me anytime!