For young LGBTQ TalkBass members...

[Jack]

I'm glad that there are people like you around, MIJ.

I've done a hell of a lot of campaigning. Being the bassist for the theatrical society at uni certainly made me more involved with LGBT issues, some of the stereotypes really are true!

I sometimes forget that being a a well-educated man with carefully-chosen friends in a large, metropolitan city that I live in a little left-wing bubble were everyone gets along great. Things like this still go on and people aren't as accepting in other parts of the world and from different backgrounds. I also hear that the UK is generally more accepting than the states.

Things arent bleak though, more and more people (especially me generation) are much more accepting. IME stupid things like tv shows (Will and Grace, anyone?) are making a huge impact and people are growing up with gay icons and role models now.

 

[MIJ-VI]

Stereotypes in the thea-tah?!



Mmm... yes... the U.K...

 

[MIJ-VI]

I've been browsing around Facebook in search of resources which would be helpful to younger LGBT'ers and have found that there are a LOT of LGBT Facebook groups from all over the world!

I can kind of understand a teeny bit of what is being said by posters in French and Spanish--but then I found a group named GAY TÜRKiYE.

So it was Google Translate to the rescue!

But after growing weary of select, copy & paste, I found this...

Invalid Link Removed

"...The Firefox add-on gTranslator is basically a port of the Google Chrome 5 feature with the difference that the translation has to be initiated manually by the user.

The Firefox add-on places an icon in the status bar of the Internet browser after installation. Clicking that status bar icon will display the Google Translate Bar that resembles the bar found in Google Chrome 5..."

Before:

Avrupa Birliği'nin önde gelen insan hakları dairesi, eşcinsel olduğunu söyleyerek iltica başvurusu yapanların maruz kaldığı tartışmalı bir uygulamadan dolayı Çek Cumhuriyeti’ni sert dilde eleştirdi.

After:

The European Union's leading human rights agency, saying that gay asylum of those who are exposed to harsh language, criticized the Czech Republic due to a controversial practice.

One can toggle between the translated & original text and/or display both by hovering the cursor over the translation.

And it's fast too! (Firefox 3.6.13, Ubuntu 10.10)

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Other language translation options:

Google Translate
http://translate.google.com/#auto|id|

Google Chrome
http://www.google.com/chrome

For Ubuntu users:
Chromium Web Browser (which is what Google Chrome is derived from) can be installed via Ubuntu Software Center or Synaptic Package Manager.

 

[Jack]

I've also just noticed the 'linuxmusicians' link in your signature. Bass, human/civil rights and FOSS. My kinda guy.

 

[MIJ-VI]

Aww...

 

[MIJ-VI]

What All Gay Teens Need to Know
Important Info on Everything from Sex & Health to Relationships & Gay Culture

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There are lots and LOTS of good links here ^ kids. ​

 

[MIJ-VI]

Delta Lambda Phi

Welcome to Delta Lambda Phi National Social Fraternity! Since 1986, Delta Lambda Phi (DLP) has offered gay, bisexual, and progressive men across the nation the opportunity to grow in the true spirit of brotherhood -- one that embraces diversity and respects the value of all.

Link Removed

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How to Find a Gay-Friendly or Lesbian-Friendly College

Link Removed

 

[MIJ-VI]

Link Removed

by Ann Thrope​

So you never had the time to socialize your daughter with boys and your husband took her on a few too many hunting trips. You saw her mature into a young woman, throw out all her pink clothes behind your back, dump her middle school boyfriends week after week, and try out for the girl’s basketball team. It may tear you up to think about it, but it isn’t too late to bring her back, or at least, stop her from going butch.

There are a number of effective strategies for setting your gay daughter straight that have been developed over the years. We here at the Ladies’ Monthly bring you the three most effective that we have encountered.

1. Moral Pressure
Remind your daughter of the moral atrocity she is committing, as well as the ramifications of her decisions to her God. Explain how gay sex cannot produce children, and how gay marriage still remains illegal. If she is not far gone, simply mentioning her family commitments may be enough to snap her out of it.

2. Doll Her Up
In middle stages it can be more work to influence your daughter’s lifestyle choices. Shower her with gifts like makeup and new girls’ clothes to replace her baggy blue jeans and hockey jerseys. Redecorate her room and transform it into an inviting boudoir for any potential male suitors, but keep it girly to deter any homosexual use. Buy her movies like Snow White, The Princess Bride, and Cinderella, along with music by artists like Dolly Parton, Neil Young, and Britney Spears. Avoid new artists like Lady Gaga or you may have a prissy glamor lesbian on your hands before you can say “Alejandro.”

3. The Bait and Switch
Our last, but most effective strategy. The Bait and Switch should be your last resort. However, it is a very powerful tool, and you are not likely to be disappointed. Wait until an important event, like Homecoming or Prom. Knowing your daughter, she won’t have a date, so it’s your job to set her up with a nice boy. Since at this late stage she will surely refuse, you’ll need to outwit her. Set her up with an attractive young lady. She’ll see your actions as a motion of respect and acceptance of who she is, and she will most surely agree. What she won’t know is that her elegant suitor is actually a transvestite. He will use his skills to seduce her as a woman, maybe even making her fall in love. After the dresses come off, she’ll be given the surprise of a lifetime, a night she will not soon forget.

BTW. The comments section of the above article offers a fascinating
further glimpse into author Ann Thrope's mindset.
Here's a couple of excerpts:

Ann Thrope says:
August 10th, 2010 at 1:49 PM

I’m not the one name calling. Why do you think that? I’m only trying to help women who don’t want to have do deal with all the hassle and aggravation of having a homosexual daughter. Its not just that an opportunity for legitimate grandchildren is lost, imagine what your friends would think if your daughter started eating from the other side of the buffet? Is she even going to be able to get a job living like that? Not here she won’t.

Ann Thrope says:
December 26th, 2010 at 4:34 AM

Oh believe me, if you hire the right transvestites it is not rape. Its pretty hard to refuse a 15 year old Vietnamese ladyboy with supple, hormone-encouraged breasts, minimal male sex organs, and a jasmine-scented anus. Reguardless of your gender, they are pretty hard to pass up, so they fetch a high price… and they are shrewd barterers. I once traded an entire Tommy Bahama bedroom set for just 3 hours of service to two fine gentlemen/ladies. It was worth it, after that point my daughter totally stopped watching Sailor Moon with her bedroom door closed.

Re the above article: I've been pawned.
The sharper eyes over at Empty Closets pointed out a few things that I missed.​

 

[Fassa Albrecht]

Dunno about other places, but over here I've seen (and personally experienced) serious prejudice and hate toward LGBT people.

Even in school, the very slightest hint of being anything other than straight earned you the attention of pretty much every bit of bullying and harassment. Even now, even with gay rights legislation, we still have people killing themselves because their supposed friends and peers find out their sexuality and harass them, threaten them or even physically attack them.

I can remember in my own school the word 'gay' was an insult/term of abuse...

I spent much of my time between the ages of 14-19 actively lying about my bisexuality simply to stave off yet more unwanted attention from ignorant people. Result? Years of mental trauma, some of which I'm still dealing with even now. I tried to slash my wrists at 16, and hang/OD myself at 17.

Younger LGBT'ers realy need this kind of support.

 

[Jack]

Hey Fassa, you're my age and from my home town. Cool.

 

[DizzyExiled]

I'm not a transgender, gay, bi or lesbian. Though I'll joke about being the latter cause the 'douche fratboy' is still rather strong in this one.

But I do have to say that it is nice to see a major movement for people to get the help they may need and definitely deserve to deal with our primitive society. If only more people would drop their ego before it and the weight of their problems crushes them.

there are nearly 7 billion people on this planet, the odds of you being alone are, well, 7 billion to 1.

Shakesphere, that laudable cod piece wearing queen, said it best, "This above all, to thine own self be true" Being honest to yourself can substantially lighten your burden.

Friends can't handle your sexuality? Not really your friends, you can find new ones who will love you for who you are.
Family can't handle your sexuality? Then pimp smack them with a news paper if they ever say "blood is thicker than water"
Pat Robertson can't handle your sexuality? Who cares? he's gonna die soon anyway, and good riddance.

 

[MIJ-VI]

Dunno about other places, but over here I've seen (and personally experienced) serious prejudice and hate toward LGBT people.

Even in school, the very slightest hint of being anything other than straight earned you the attention of pretty much every bit of bullying and harassment. Even now, even with gay rights legislation, we still have people killing themselves because their supposed friends and peers find out their sexuality and harass them, threaten them or even physically attack them.

I can remember in my own school the word 'gay' was an insult/term of abuse...

1) I spent much of my time between the ages of 14-19 actively lying about my bisexuality simply to stave off yet more unwanted attention from ignorant people. 2) Result? Years of mental trauma, some of which I'm still dealing with even now. I tried to slash my wrists at 16, and hang/OD myself at 17.

Younger LGBT'ers realy need this kind of support.

1) Unfortunately this societally-enforced true-self-denial is often a prudent approach to dealing with bigotry until one can fend for oneself and has the option of moving to a more LGBT-friendly community.

IMO too many young LGBT'ers who were born in small, conservative towns see gay pride parades in big cities on TV & droves of openly gay teen groups on Facebook and conclude that it's safe & right to spring out of the closet at puberty.

Tragically the result of doing so is often rejection & harassment by their family and neighbors to the point of either committing suicide or running away to a big city where they soon find themselves prey to perverts, kidi-pornographers, and drug dealers--while many in str8 society blame this outcome on 'their chosen lifestyle'. (As if gays choose to be gay any more than str8s choose to be str8. )

So kids, BEFORE coming out to your family and friends at a young age in a desire to, as DizzyExiled has pointed out, live the "This above all, to thine own self be true" dream, PLEASE think through how you could deal with the disaster of being totally rejected.
​

While it is right and healthy to be true to one's self, their ARE times in life when one can be dead right and wind up dead anyway. Please be prudent and develop a workable 'Plan B' before doing ANYTHING risky.

Job one here is for you to survive 'till you are old & skilled enough to fend for yourself in life. It is at THAT point that things DO 'get better'.

Between now and then you small town LGBT'ers have a wealth of on-line resources to meet and get to know other boys or girls. At least you won't be friendless and lonely. (When I was a teen the Internet didn't exist... ) BTW. Please be careful when dealing with people on-line. Make sure that the seemingly cute boy or girl you've just met on the 'Net isn't a pervert or a bully trying to angle you. "Trust but verify."

2) I'm sorry to learn that you are amongst the many, many LGBT'ers who have needlessly suffered from society's still-prevalent bigotry Fassa.

By age 13 I too was bullied to the point of attempting suicide (in my case the attempt was laughably inept, although at the time I genuinely believed that death would be the result).

I am glad that you survived to SPITE the bast.. er.. bigots, and I hope that you thoroughly gall them by living & loving well throughout a healthy, happy, creatively fulfilling, and long, long life.

Success IS the best revenge.

 

[Fassa Albrecht]

1) Unfortunately this societally-enforced true-self-denial is often a prudent approach to dealing with bigotry until one can fend for oneself and has the option of moving to a more LGBT-friendly community.

This is true. In my case, it was finally heading to university, where people are generally a lot more open, honest and generally more sensible. The wait I'd had to be myself made that release even happier.

IMO too many young LGBT'ers who were born in small, conservative towns see gay pride parades in big cities on TV & droves of openly gay teen groups on Facebook and conclude that it's safe & right to spring out of the closet at puberty.

Yeah, here there still exists a mindset, particularly in the poorer areas, but also in former mining and industrial areas, that being gay or lesbian is in some way a bad thing.

I will freely admit now that I used to be pretty homophobic. This was partly for religious reasons, but simply because my family are fairly conservative and so I was raised in that mindset. Now I think of it, it seems more like I was in the whole 'self-denial' thing again, or that I was simply trying to conform.
I read somewhere that those who condemn homosexuality are often doubtful of their own sexuality, or at least afraid of it.

Tragically the result of doing so is often rejection & harassment by their family and neighbors to the point of either committing suicide or running away to a big city where they soon find themselves prey to perverts, kidi-pornographers, and drug dealers--while many in str8 society blame this outcome on 'their chosen lifestyle'. (As if gays choose to be gay any more than str8s choose to be str8. )

Major problem is that, just as the OP is saying, as well as other posts in here, there's often little support for these teens. School and independent counselors can often do nothing, doctor's won't do anything and charities and other voluntary schemes are thin on the ground and accessible only to the lucky few.

So kids, BEFORE coming out to your family and friends at a young age in a desire to, as DizzyExiled has pointed out, live the "This above all, to thine own self be true" dream, PLEASE think through how you could deal with the disaster of being totally rejected.
​

While it is right and healthy to be true to one's self, their ARE times in life when one can be dead right and wind up dead anyway. Please be prudent and develop a workable 'Plan B' before doing ANYTHING risky.

My own personal advice is this: use some common sense. If telling family and friends is, to you, the best plan, then do it and accept the consequences that come your way. Otherwise, have a plan B (as the quoted post says) or simply do as I did and keep quiet until some appropriate time.

Job one here is for you to survive 'till you are old & skilled enough to fend for yourself in life. It is at THAT point that things DO 'get better'.

Quoted for truth.

2) I'm sorry to learn that you are amongst the many, many LGBT'ers who have needlessly suffered from society's still-prevalent bigotry Fassa.

By age 13 I too was bullied to the point of attempting suicide (in my case the attempt was laughably inept, although at the time I genuinely believed that death would be the result).

I am glad that you survived to SPITE the bast.. er.. bigots, and I hope that you thoroughly gall them by living & loving well throughout a healthy, happy, creatively fulfilling, and long, long life.

Success IS the best revenge.[/QUOTE]



Yeah, looking back I beat myself up during my teenage years for nothing, and my attempts at suicide were (to say the least) pitiful.
Now I can just get on with life.

 

[MIJ-VI]

...Yeah, looking back I beat myself up during my teenage years for nothing, and my attempts at suicide were (to say the least) pitiful.
Now I can just get on with life.

I'd expect that the Gay Pride ethos is aimed at countering the all the spirit-destroying BS that's dumped upon we LGBT'ers by bigots at every turn.

There are times when a failure = salvation from an ill-conceived plan...

 

[MIJ-VI]

LGBT University Presidents Stand Together to Say
"It Gets Better"
by Michael A. Jones ​

Earlier this year, a group of LGBT college presidents -- some of the highest mucky mucks in all of academia -- got together to start an official group. These were leaders at universities around the country, all of whom were out and proud about their sexual orientation.

Pooling their voices together, they thought, perhaps they could make an impact on the global academy at large, and work with colleges and universities to be more LGBT-inclusive. It was also a perfect opportunity to show the world that LGBT people not only have a strong presence in academia, but are leading some stellar institutions.

Such was the genesis of the LGBTQ Presidents in Higher Education. The group has nine founding members, from colleges and universities across the States. And now they're coming together to let LGBT university students know that "It Gets Better."

Dr. Raymond Crossman, the President of the Adler School of Professional Psychology, said that it's important for LGBT college leaders to stand together, to demonstrate that anyone has the capacity to lead, regardless of their sexual orientation.

"As a gay kid, and as a gay young man, I was bullied across my education, so much so that I couldn't concentrate on my school work. Now I lead a school that prepares social justice practitioners," said Dr. Crossman.

There's even a shout out to religion, with the President of the Episcopal Divinity School, Rev. Katherine Ragsdale, joining the group as a founding member.

"In my community, we think and talk a lot about what God thinks. We believe that God intentionally created all this amazing and beautiful diversity. God likes it, and god loves you. Our job is to make sure that every beloved child of God has the opportunity to fully develop and exercise every gift God gave them," Rev. Ragsdale said.

Pretty inspiring, right? Check out the video below, and check out the fledgling group's Web site here. Though they've technically launched, the big roll-out won't happen until March 2011. But there's no question that this group has the capacity to elevate LGBT voices in academia, and transform hearts and minds on a school and university level.

 

[MIJ-VI]

LGBT Staff Members at The White House:
It Gets Better
by Brandon Miller​

Ever wonder what it's like to work at The White House? Short of an episode of The West Wing or a clip from The American President, it might be hard to wrap your head around the diversity of people who run the place. But a group of people who do work at the President's house are speaking on camera this week, and they're telling LGBT youth that "It Gets Better."

“I couldn’t have imagined that I would be supported by my family, my friends, my community, and even the president of the United States,” says Kei Koizumi of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

Deputy Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, Brian Bond, introduces several other gay and lesbian staffers. They each talk about their own struggles and triumphs. And they offer hope and encouragement, much like President Obama did in his own "It Gets Better" video a couple of months ago.

In fact, President Obama makes a cameo in this video as well. In October, it was announced that the President hired a record number of gay and lesbian officials. We are talking about agency, policy officials and commission members, to name just a few. His total number of LGBT appointments is reportedly around 150. And that is only thus far. Clinton, the previous record holder for the most gay staff, landed at 140 appointments.

"It's both significant and rather ordinary," says Michael Cole, a spokesman for the Human Rights Campaign. "It's a simple affirmation of the American ideal that what matters is how you do your job and not who you are."

But, in this "It Gets Better" video, the gay and lesbian officials are drawing attention to who they are. And they are using it to show gay teenagers that their dreams can come true. It takes a little bit of work -- or a lot, depending on who you ask -- and a whole lot of perseverance, but "It Gets Better."

White House Staff: It Gets Better
[/B]​

 

[Fassa Albrecht]

Some great links MIJ-VI! *thumbs up*

 

[MIJ-VI]

I too am glad that so many folks are stepping up and coming out to give LGBT teens additional hope.

 

[Vorago]

Props to you MIJ-VI.

My gf is bi, and I've gotten to know the gay, lesbian & bi community a little bit, and even in a liberal country like Belgium, coming out isn't always easy.

I can imagine how hard it can be in the US...

 

[Fassa Albrecht]

I too am glad that so many folks are stepping up and coming out to give LGBT teens additional hope.

I'm also glad to see LGBT teens coming together too via FB and the internet. The internet, for all its problems and abuses, can also be increbibly powerful and helpful.

Plus it's also good to see in many schools LGBTers are banding together and supporting each other. It's not that long ago that being gay meant being a very lonely person indeed.