Thursday, December 9, 2010

Statistics: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (GLBT)



GLBT Youth
  • 97 % of students in public high schools report regularly hearing homophobic remarks from their peers
  • 53% of students report hearing homophobic comments made by school staff
  • 80% of prospective teachers report negative attitudes toward gay and lesbian people
  • 2/3 of guidance counselors harbor negative feelings toward gay and lesbian people
  • 11.5% of gay and lesbian youth report being physically attacked by family members
  • 42% of homeless youth self-identify as gay/lesbian
  • 27% moved away from home because of conflict with family members over sexual orientation
  • 44% of report having been the target of anti-gay physical abuse, discrimination and/or harassment in their family of origin
  • 80% of lesbian, gay and bisexual youth report severe isolation problems
  • 39% report hate acts such as vandalism, threats or assault in their neighborhoods and communities
  • 30% of gay and bisexual adolescent males attempt suicide at least once
  • 53% percent of transsexuals surveyed had made suicide attempts
  • 83% of adolescent lesbians use alcohol, 56% use other drugs, 11% use crack and/or cocaine
  • 55% of gay men have had a substance abuse problem sometime in their life
  • Lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender are five times more likely to miss school because of feeling unsafe
  • Gay youth are 2 to 3 times more likely to commit suicide than any other young person during their youth
  • Substantially higher proportions of homosexual people use alcohol, marijuana or cocaine than is the case in the general population
Reference:
Generation Out.org. (2010). LGBT Statistics. Retrieved November 23, 2010 from, http://generationout.org/our-resources/statistics.html

Americans Views on GLBT
  • In 1997 43% of Americans thought same-sex relations between consenting adults should be legal. Then in 2007 went up to 59%.
  • In 1977 56% of Americans thought that gay people should have equal rights in terms of job opportunities. As of 2007 that number increased to 89%.
  • In 1982 34% thought that homosexuality should be considered an acceptable lifestyle. As of 2007 that number is 54%.
  • In 1997 27% of Americans thought that same-sex marriages should be legal. That number is 46% as of 2007.
  • In 1977 13% of Americans thought that sexual orientation is "something a person is born with"; as of 2007 number increased to 42%.
Reference:
GALLUP. (2007).Tolerance for Gay Rights at High-Water Mark. Retrieved December 7, 2010 from, http://www.gallup.com/poll/27694/Tolerance-Gay-Rights-HighWater-Mark.aspx.

Marriage

United States
  • Recognize marriage equality
    • Massachusetts (2004)
    • Connecticut (2008)
    • Iowa (2009)
    • Vermont (2009)
    • New Hampshire (2010)
    • District of Columbia (2010)
    • Civil unions
    •  New Jersey
  • Domestic partnership laws
    • Oregon
    • Maine
    • Washington
Other Countries
  • 2001- Netherlands was first to legalize marriage between same-sex couples
  • Spain is the only country in the world that recognizes same-sex marriage and heterosexual marriage under the same law

Reference:
Gay Rights Change. (2008). A few LGBT statistics. Retrieved November 28, 2010 from http://gayrights.change.org/blog/view/a_few_statistics_on_lgbt_issues

-Ashley Martin

Politcs: Don’t Ask Don’t Tell-Lady Gaga


Article Link:
http://articles.cnn.com/2010-09-20/entertainment/gaga.gays.military_1_repeal-don-t-republican-filibuster-senators?_s=PM:SHOWBIZ

Lady Gaga spoke at a rally in Portland, Maine on September 20, 2010 and also posted a video on her YouTube website asking her senators in Maine and also senators from other states to break McCain’s filibuster on legislation concerning openly homosexual service members in the military.  She feels that any citizen wanting to serve in the military should be allowed to do so regardless of their sexual orientation and they should not have to hide their identity to serve their country.  She tried to motivate her fans to call their senators in response to the filibuster.  I found it really interesting that she called the senators on her video and neither of them answered.  It kind of made it feel that the senators were unavailable to be contacted on this issue. The Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy originated in 1993 in the Clinton Administration in order to protect members in the military from revealing their sexual orientation and being harassed for it or discharged.  Lady Gaga wanted us to go further than this however by removing this policy but still giving gay service people the same rights to serve their country with dignity as straight people.  However, Don’t Ask Don’t Tell still remains in effect as it was not found unconstitutional.  I don't understand this as homosexuals are not being given the same rights as heterosexuals with this policy and so it should be unconstitutional.

-Denise Stanton

Politcs: Proposition 8

 Article Link:
 http://www.dallasvoice.com/viewers-guide-proposition-8-arguments-1054724.html

Proposition 8, also known as the California Marriage Protection Act was a proposition and amendment to the constitution in the November 2008 state elections in California.  The exact provision is that “only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California”.  This overturned the California Supreme Court’s original ruling that same sex couples were recognized in marriage.  Many protests were done after the proposition was passed and those especially of high school and college age were upset and spoke out against it. 

I know that this really affected me and my friends from California and Washington.  We could not believe that our supposedly liberal state could pass a proposition like this.  Recently, on August 4, 2010 the United States district court overturned Proposition 8 .  Now on December 6th, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals will hear arguments for the appeal of Proposition 8.  The issue has obviously stirred a lot of unrest from American citizens and caused a lot of debates and arguments of the constitutionality of the proposition.  This issue has also attracted a lot of media attention which can only be good for proponents of GLBT rights.  This one issue has helped other issues move to the forefront of media attention which can give hope for people giving their attention to increasing GLBT rights.  We can only hope that the proposition will be overturned and same sex couples will once again have the right to marry in California.  I hope with time, other states will continue that trend and not go backwards like California has.

-Denise Stanton

Media: GLBT in the Media

The emerging flood of GLBT news has really caught my attention but why is it happening now?  It’s not like the GLBTQ community hasn’t been around or that they haven’t been dealing with the same issues that current members are facing.  Could it be that the media is shifting its focus because this once extremely hidden and confidential subject is now being acknowledged with different feelings? 

Jerel P. Calzo and L. Monique Ward reported in the Entrepreneur that, “40% of American adults” with no personal connections to the GLBT community rely on media as “a primary source of information.”  And with shows shifting to include more members of the GLTB community, it might become possible to show the unknowing world a piece of hidden culture never before seen.  (http://www.entrepreneur.com/tradejournals/article/203027125_1.html)

The President of GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) Jarrett Barrios believes that the “success of shows like…Glee clearly indicate that mainstream audiences embrace gay characters and want to see well-crafted stories about their lives.” However, he also stated that “many members of our community still do not see stories reflecting their lives” (http://greginhollywood.com/lgbt-characters-up-to-3-9-percent-on-broadcast-networks-according-to-just-released-glaad-report-38232).

In the latest media the only truth to the story seems to be very depressing.  Benjamin Radford of LiveScience’s Bad Science tries to make more sense of all the teen suicides that seemed to show up after the death of Tyler Clementi.  He says that the statistics have been skewed for main reasons that include not knowing for sure if the teen was a homosexual or not.  (See the following story: http://www.livescience.com/culture/gay-teen-suicide-epidemic-101008.html)  However, many groups and programs have been established with outreach to these issues.  Take for instance the It Gets Better program.  By going to http://www.itgetsbetter.org one can watch video after video of encouraging words that not only come from gays but their allies, from common citizens to the President of the United States.



Even the military is being hit by media waves as the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy is under review to be banned.  I know this is a step toward equality and we are asking our troops to be open and hold true to all things they honor BUT not everyone in the services agree with homosexuality as a way of life.  Could we be putting our gay troops in more danger than they are already in?  Shouldn’t we fight one war at a time with our armed forces? (For more information on the ban please see: http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/dec/01/pentagon-wants-ban-lifted/)

I believe the media can help change people’s perceptions of how to look at the GLBTQ community.  Only time will tell.

-Jamie Gray & Andrew Frey

Local: Safety Message to WSU

http://thecenter.wsu.edu/Content/Documents/giesorc/giesorc%20statement.pdf

This is a letter that GIESORC sent out to the community in 2008 in response to 5 separate hate crimes that were committed in the Palouse area.  These events, while separate, appeared to have the common thread of hated toward the LGBT community.  The events ranged from anti-gay vandalism to physical assaults on three individuals.  Washington State and the University of Idaho were outraged at this violence and acted immediately to notify the public that this behavior is neither tolerated nor acceptable.

As part of the immediate response, many departments on the WSU campus held informational meetings and raised awareness.  These departments included Residence Life, the Center for Fraternity and Sorority Life, GIESORC, the Women’s Resource Center, Counseling Services, Health and Wellness Services and many more.  It was around this time that the WSU community really began to be a voice for the GLBT.  Women’s Transit, once only open to females, became affirming and allowed members of the GLBT community to use their free resource so no one would be left alone in the dark.  Other initiatives that stemmed from these unforgivable acts included SafeWalk which is sponsored by ASWSU and was started in Spring of 2009, Cougar Security and WSU Police began patrolling more frequently, and WSU installed more Blue Lights in less trafficked areas.

While we are not perfect, WSU takes pride in the amount of security they offer, which has led to Washington State University campus being named as the Safest Campus in the PAC 10, according to www.thedailybeast.com and is the safest campus in the state of Washington.


 -Brianna Tottenhoff

Local: Straight Pride Movement a Joke


A recent article struck my attention, while thumbing through the Daily Evergreen, with the title, “Straight Pride Movement a Joke”. I read through it and was shocked to be reading about the Youth for Western Civilization (YWC) and WSU Republicans associating and supporting the “Straight Pride Movement”. I did not know one existed, and agreed with the writer, asking myself why there even is one? The YWC group is brining awareness for the heterosexual lifestyle, but I did not know that there was need for any. Heterosexuals have more rights, are socially accepted and have no serious ramifications for being heterosexual, while homosexuals are harassed and discriminated for being who they are. Phil Tignino, the president of YWC was quoted staying, “We wanted one simple moth for our little niche too...Youth for Wester Civilization and College Republicans have and will continue to present a refreshingly traditional political viewpoint.” It is this kind of this ignorant mentality that our society has stuck in their minds that gives need to supporting programs and recognized events such as “It Gets Better Project” and The Gay Pride Movement; because the homosexual society does need support and it is sad that some, will poke fun at such a thought as equality and declare the month of November as a legit movement to bring awareness to a large majority in our society, as if it is a minority.

-Tyler Brooks