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    Supporting and Caring for our Bisexual Youth

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    Description

    Supporting and Caring for our Bisexual Youth presents descriptive data on 3,808 bisexual-identified youth (76% female), along with 671 youth who described their sexual orientation as pansexual, 354 who described themselves as queer, and 109 with another similar sexual identity. This data was drawn from Growing Up LGBT in America, a survey of 10,000 U.S. youth ages 13 to 17, conducted in 2012 by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. The report presents data on participants’ experiences of sexuality- and gender-related openness, maltreatment, and support at home, at school, online, and in their larger community. It also highlights rates of substance use and participants’ ratings of their own happiness. It compares bisexual youth to lesbian and gay youth from Growing Up LGBT, and to an outside panel of non-LGBT youth. Compared to gay and lesbian participants, bisexual youth reported lower levels of support from their families or from other institutions. They were much less likely than straight youth, and somewhat less likely than lesbian and gay youth, to describe themselves as “very happy” - but slightly more likely than lesbian and gay youth to expect that they could achieve their life ambitions if they stayed in their current city or town. Bisexual youth were twice as likely as straight youth to have used drugs and alcohol. They also reported experiencing harassment specific to their bisexual identities, including sexual harassment from other youth, and criticism from youth and adults who are more supportive of lesbian and gay people. The report is a collaboration between the Human Rights Campaign Foundation and three bisexual advocacy organizations: BiNet USA, Bisexual Organizing Project, and Bisexual Resource Center.

    Learning Objectives

    After viewing this video, the learner will be able to:

    • To understand the scope and impact of stigma and harassment among bisexual, pansexual, and queer youth.
    • To highlight issues unique to bisexual, pansexual, and queer youth, such as stigma in both straight and lesbian/gay contexts.
    • To identify sources of support and areas of optimism among bisexual, pansexual, and queer youth.

    Authors

    The Human Rights Campaign Foundation

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