Description
Supporting and Caring for our Gender-Expansive Youth presents descriptive data on transgender youth (n = 319) and youth with a non-binary gender identity (n = 606), collectively known as “gender-expansive youth.” Responses are a subset of the sample from Growing Up LGBT in America, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2012 survey of 10,000 LGBT-identified U.S. youth ages 13 to 17. 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 compares gender-expansive youth to a panel of non-LGBT youth, and to cisgender (non-transgender) LGB respondents. Gender-expansive youth fared worse than other groups on most measures of personal and social well-being. These youth were less likely than cisgender LGB youth to report acceptance by their peers. A substantial minority reported peer exclusion and verbal harassment. Just 4 percent of gender-expansive youth reported being “very happy,” compared to 27 percent of heterosexual cisgender males. 27 percent reported that their families were “very accepting” of LGBT people, and 33 percent reported families that were “not very” or “not at all” accepting. The report discusses the links between gender-based harassment and sexual orientation stigma, and reviews ways that peers, caretakers and professionals can support gender-expansive youth. It includes a list of resources for gender-expansive youth and their supporters. The report was produced by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation in collaboration with Gender Spectrum.
Learning Objectives
After viewing this video, the learner will be able to:
- To understand the scope and impact of stigma and harassment among transgender youth and youth with non-binary gender identities ("gender-expansive youth").
- To identify sources of support and areas of optimism among gender-expansive youth.
- To understand differences in stigma, support, and well-being between gender-expansive youth and cisgender lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth.
Authors
The Human Rights Campaign Foundation