Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Power in Numbers

This post mentions harassment, assault, homophobia, homelessness, invalidation due to gender and sexuality, mental illness, cyberbullying, murder, racism, and suicide. If you are bothered by any of these things, please read with caution.
Photo Credit: Ashley Underwood


The 2nd most common reason for bullying in schools is a students' gender identitysexuality, or sexual/gender expression. (GLSEN)

Almost 75% of LGBTQA+ students have been verbally harassed because of their sexuality, and almost a quarter for their gender identity. (GLAAD)

Over 15% of LTBTQA+ students have been victims of physical assault because of their sexuality, and over 10% for their gender identity, (GLAAD)


...these can be compared to only 27.3% of non-LGBTQA+ students being bullied or harassed either physically or verbally at school. (National Center for Educational Statistics)


Over 60% of LGBTQA+ students who have reported bullying in school said no action was taken by school staff. (GLAAD)

Over half of LGBTQA+ students say they feel unsafe at school because of their sexuality, and nearly 40% because of their gender identity. (GLAAD)

32% have skipped school to avoid bullying. (GLSEN)

28% drop out of school altogether because of bullying. (Stop Bullying)

But it doesn't always end at school...



49% of LGBTQA+ students have experienced cyberbullying. (GLAAD)

35% of those effected are cyberbullied in the form of online threats (Bullying Statistics)

33% report sexual harrassment online, which is over 4 times as much as non-LGBTQA+ youth. (GLSEN)

...or online...


Becky Baker and Adam Torres from Degrassi, while telling Becky's father that she is going to continue dating Adam even though her family does not approve of him being transgender.
Photo Credit: Degrassi Wiki

Half of LGBTQA+ youth live in an unsafe, unaccepting environment. (PFLAG)


Nearly 30% get kicked out by their parents or guardians after coming out. (PFLAG)

Half of homeless youth identify somewhere within the LGBTQA+ communities. (PFLAG)

Nearly half of transgender people report a family breakdown after coming out (Stop Our Silence)...

...nearly 40% have family who will not speak to them since they began transitioning. (Stop Our Silence)

...or at home...


Photo Credit: Aricka Flowers

As high as 43% of LGBTQA+ people have experienced discrimination at their place of work (American Progress)...


... 40% have been verbally or physically harassed for their sexuality (American Progress)...

...and 90% because of their gender identity (American Progress).

Over 15% of LGBTQA+ adults have been terminated from their jobs due to their sexuality or gender identity. (American Progress)

...or at work...

90% of gay or bisexual cisgender males say they're often harassed or made to feel unwelcome in any public setting. (Stop Street Harassment)


Over 46,000 LGBTQA+ people avoid being out in public because they fear street harassment. (Stop Street Harassment).

Photo Credit: Chuck McFadden

Almost 50% of transgender people will not use public restrooms out of fear. (Stop Our Silence)

...and that's still not the last of it...


Photo Credit: Keithrtrottier

LGBTQA+ teens are three times more likely attempt to take their own lives than non-LGBTQA+ teens. (Stop Bullying)


When living with an unaccepting family, LGBTQA+ youth are eight times more likely to commit suicide. (Make Beats Not Beat Downs)

A third of youth suicide attempts are because of a sexual identity crisis. (Make Beats Not Beat Downs)

They say a trans-woman is murdered at least every 29 hours, and trans-women of color are especially frequent victims. (Planet Transgender)


Over half of transgender individuals  seek help for depression or anxiety (Stop Our Silence)...

...as well as 42% of LGB individuals (Stop Our Silence)...

...as opposed to 29% of straight and cisgender individuals (Stop Our Silence)...

...yet 41% of these LGBT people say they were not treated well when they sought help. (Stop Our Silence

Both asexuals, non-binary people and bisexuals are often told their sexuality or gender identity is "just a phase", "unnatural", they're "confused" or "doesn't exist" (Gay Star News) ...

...and asexuals are often invalidated with "You're just a late bloomer". (Gay Star News)

In fact, if you go to type in "non-binary bullying" or "asexual bullying" into Google, the recommended search result is "non-binary/asexual bullsh*t". (I found this one out on my own)

Photo Credit: Amygdala

Gender neutral pronouns such as they/them/their, xe/xem/xyr, ze/zir/zes are often called "improper", "ridiculous", or "made up". (Everyday Feminism)

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Gender Identity: A person's personal perception of their own gender

Sexuality/Sexual Identity: A person's sexual orientation, preference, or capacity for sexual feelings


Sexual Expression: The way a person presents themself as a sexual being; sometimes wrongfully thought to be visible by actions, words, voice, clothing, etc.


Gender Expression: The way a person externally presents their gender identity, or concept of masculinity vs. femininity.


LGBTQA+: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, asexual, plus


Coming Out: "Coming out of the closet"; when someone tells another or many others that they are LGBTQA+


Transitioning: Typically thought of as the time when someone stops identifying as the sex they were assigned at birth and starts identifying with their gender identity; may or may not include hormones, surgeries, etc.; can mean something different to every transgender person


Gay: Someone who identifies as male and is sexually attracted to other males, or an umbrella term for anyone who is sexually attracted to their own sex


Bisexual: Someone who is sexually attracted to both males and females


Transgender: Someone whose gender identity does not align with the sex they were assigned at birth


Trans-woman: A transgender woman, also called as MtF (Male to Female)


Straight: Someone who is attracted to the opposite gender


Cisgender: Someone whose sex assigned at birth aligns with their gender identity


Asexual: Someone who does not desire or experience sexual attraction


Non-Binary: A gender that is not specifically male or female


Gender Neutral Pronouns: Pronouns applicable to any or all genders













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