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Abstract
Suicide has been identified as the third leading cause of death among youths between 10 to 24 years of age. Gay teens contemplation of suicide is three times higher than that of heterosexual youths. The disparities in suicide rates and attempts between heterosexuals and LGBT youths have been a subject of many studies. Gay teens are struggling with the issue of societal acceptance that has seen them sink to depression, alcohol and drug abuse, as well as suicide. During the adolescent stage, youths undergo significant social and sexual developments. It is at this point in time that many of them begin to be attracted to people of the opposite or same gender. The adolescent period is also characterized by increased risks of drug and alcohol abuse and mental health problems. However, these risks are more pronounced among LGBT youths. Incidentally, these youths are ruthlessly bullied and teased by their peers in their respective schools once they come out. This proposal will recommend appropriate ways of rescuing these youths from toxic environments that drive them to depression and committing suicide. The paper will propose various therapeutic activities that will help them come out successfully.
Introduction
On October 1, 2019, ABC News reported that a 16-year-old teen from Coffee County Central High School in Manchester, Tennessee committed suicide. The late Channing Smith was gay and had attempted to solicit a romantic friendship from his classmate, who ended up releasing the details of his message on social media (Allen, 2019). This action led to constant bullying and threats directed towards Smith for being gay. Smiths case highlights the shocking reality of what gay teens go through. Research has found that suicide rates among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) teens are alarmingly higher than the general population. It is also reported that approximately 48% of LGBT students have at one point in their lives seriously considered committing suicide against 13% of their heterosexual counterparts (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017).
In many cases, they are forced to resort to this deadly measure because of the negative implications of constant homophobia. Studies have indeed shown that members of this community perform very dismally in their academic works. Some are also engaged in alcohol and substance abuse. Many countries still have countries with laws that discriminate against gays. All these have contributed to increased negative mental and physical health impacts of the LGBT. Such grim realities indicate that society has abandoned this remarkable group and instead subjected them to harsh treatments.
The gay community is on its own, and the situation gets worse if the victim is underage who cannot stand up for his or her rights. It is against this backdrop that it is vital to create a rescue center for these youth. This center will offer those who are persecuted and are contemplating suicide a home to settle. They will be counsel and guided appropriately, in addition to being given a place where they can call home and the love that society has robbed them. Consequently, this proposal aims to establish a resource center for the LGBT community, particularly gay teens who have been undergoing constant harassment and bullying at school and in their neighborhoods.
Purpose and Rationale
The incidences of gay teens ending their lives after undergoing different bullying forms have surged in recent years. Hardly does a day pass before reports of a youth who has committed suicide emerge, a clear indication that this is a widespread problem affecting the entire country. Suicide ranks among the top three leading causes of death among teens (Wozolek et al., 2017). However, gay teens are four times more likely to commit suicide than heterosexual youths (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017).
It is, therefore, imperative that the issue of gay suicide is handled properly to avoid more deaths from any cause by any means necessary. The pain and trauma that gay teens undergo when bullied and taunted by society affect them and their people. Some teens have a common characteristic of wanting to be like the other person. They always have a powerful feeling to fit in with the rest of their peers (Damon, 2020). Therefore, seeing a fellow gay bullied because of their differences causes them many worries. Family, school, and any social gathering, rarely discuss issues of sexual orientation.
Additionally, the Center for Diseases and Control (CDC) (2017) carried out a study that established that bullying was not the only problem afflicting this group but other ills such as rape. 18% of gay teens have reported rape cases at least once in their lives (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017). That traumatizes them further, up to the point of considering suicide. Indeed, 30% of all gay teens in the US have attempted suicide (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017). Members of this group are also prone to using hard drugs more often (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017). That exposes them to various kinds of risks such as disease spread and depression. Hence, gay teens who are victims of bullying never have any option but to resort to depression and possibly suicide. Thus, this is a significant group with a unique concern that warrants a comprehensive study, hence, the proposal.
The reality is that the group members have been condemned by society and forced into loneliness with no one to confide in them. Therefore, there needs to be a support center that offers them refuge and inspires hope in them. Statistically, the teens are the most at risk due to the vulnerabilities, a situation catalyzed by the school environment (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017). That is why a resource center for gay teens will be a welcome idea.
The rescue center will act as a home where they will be given a reprieve from attacks and assaults orchestrated against them. It is apparent that due to constant bullying and teasing from their peers in school, gay teens always suffer from low self-esteem. The center will, therefore, act as a place where they will boost their confidence levels. They will also gain their sense of self-identity and self-worth and maintain a healthy intellectual connection with their peers. There will be several resources available at this resource to address their concerns and encourage them to have a positive mindset. If this is done effectively, the chances of sinking into depression, which could result in suicide, would be minimized.
The center will also be independent and exclusive from other teens. That is because members of this group experience a unique set of different circumstances from heterosexual peers. Hence, being separated from the rest of the teens allows them to strengthen their missions and fortify their resolve (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017). The center will have its doors open to members from diverse racial, religious, ethnic, and social backgrounds.
Goals and Objectives
Based on the unique set of challenges that youths in this group face, they will be expected to have exceptional objective processes. Each member will be working hard towards addressing the needs that have been identified. For an LGBT group such as this, the key objectives will include;
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Finding safe pace and safe places for their members to explore their identities in peace
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Creating a fun and social group whose members can freely interact with each other and make friends
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Anonymity and confidentiality
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Knowledgeable and trained members on their rights and unique identities
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Changing societys perception of them
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Speaking out
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Educating and informing their members as well as the general public about their need to be treated equally
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Having a sense of belonging
Overall Evaluation of the Gay Teens
Gay teens are going through a period of adolescent development stages that is characteristic of their straight counterparts. As they transition into adulthood, members of this group mature physically, socially, and emotionally. However, one of the unique development features that characterize this group is personal identity. Within their surroundings, the teens get influenced by various social interaction stages. That means that different settings, peers, communities, and individuals can significantly impact adolescents development sense of identity. However, if these influences are negative, psychological distress among this groups members may result (Harper, Brodsky, & Bruce, 2018). That situation is worse if the teen is either gay, lesbian, or bisexual. On the other hand, those in positive and supportive environments thrive during their teen years. Unfortunately, gay teens are usually not within this bracket.
Recent statistics show evidence of the existence of LGBT students in learning institutions across the country. CDC estimates that 9.5% of American adolescents between the ages of 13 to 17 are gays (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017). Gay teens are always victims of negative attitudes directed against them by judgmental society. That increases their risks of experiencing violence, physical assault, bullying, and harassment. According to CDC (2017), 10% of gay youths have been injured or threatened using a deadly weapon. 34% of these cases happen in school where these teens learn (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017). That means that they get exposed to violent incidences. Moreover, like many teens, this group is prone to spending much time on social media. It is on these platforms where they meet fellow gays as well as bullies. Due to backlash from society, many teens do not want to admit that they are gay openly. Instead, they rely on social media and other phone applications to discuss their issues and meet new partners.
Peer victimization and school-based bullying are some of the most common forms of violence associated with this group. That is primarily because of the role played by the school in teen development and socialization. That has direct consequences on their academic performances and safety. Schools report that gay students obtain lower grades as compared to their straight ones. Gay teens form a significant percentage of students prone to having trouble in school and registering lower marks. Moreover, this group also has high incidences of having trouble with the police and other law enforcement agencies. Teens who are gay get inclined to alcohol and substance abuse. Despite the case not being clear, some studies have suggested that it results from the mental distress that they receive from their peers and the wider society.
Methods
The study will mainly focus on non-experimental, qualitative design, which will detail the narrative experiences of the participants. It will primarily rely on an exploratory research approach. They will collect data through one on one interviews with the participants. The data gathered will be analyzed in many facets on several issues surrounding gay youths. In addition to the responses given by the participants, observations will also be used to collect vital information from them. The study will also focus on the culture and language that is most preferred within the community. Therefore, the interview schedule will also dwell much on these crucial aspects.
Logistics of the Group
Several logistical elements will be required when establishing this group. Some of these elements will include transport, time, catering, venue, access, and toilets. Not all participants will be living near the venue. They will require most of them to commute to and from the venue. They will provide transport arrangements such as a minibus or a van. In some cases, they will give some transport allowances in the form of cash. It will also be vital to deliberate the timer that the group will be in session. People must note that almost all members of this group are full-time school attendees. Therefore, the best time will be during weekends when schools are not in session. It will also be necessary to schedule the meetings around the school area to minimize disruptions.
Depending on the length of time that the group will run, it will be necessary to offer food to the participants. Since the sessions will be taking place away from their homes, the participants will have to eat outside. Saving time used by the participants to go and look for food will be essential to offer them the same at the venue. Securing the platform to run the session will also be another significant point of consideration. The size of the space to be procured will depend on the number of participants that will be available. If possible, the educational institution will provide the venue (Clark & Herbert, 2017). The arrangement is made early enough to establish if there will be any fees to be paid or if it will be free and its condition in terms of availability of chairs and other training materials.
The venue will have to be cleaned regularly by the participants themselves. That will save on the cost of hiring a cleaner. It will also be significant to ensure that the venue can be accessed by the disabled as well. Additionally, it will need to have accessible toilets for diverse people.
Sampling
The study will be based in a community in Manchester, Tennessee state. It will target 20 students (8 females, ten males, and two transgender) from different schools across the town. They will not choose the samples randomly but through referrals from their colleagues. They must be willing to take part in the study. To qualify as a participant, he or she will have to be between 14 to 17 years of age. The responses received from the participants will form the basis of this studys qualitative data. Before participating in the interview, the participants will be given an overview of what is expected of them and consent forms to their parents for signing. The semi-structured interviews will be audio recorded. Each interview session with the participant will last between 20 to 30 minutes and touch several issues connecting this community. They will then transcribe the interview questions, comments, and the participants. The data obtained will be protected by placing it in a locked file cabinet. After transcribing the data, the audiotapes will be destroyed to ensure that the confidentiality of the participants is protected and to keep them anonymous. They will then use a grounded theory thematic research approach to analyze the data collected.
Description of 10 Group Sessions/Activities
Sessions Topics
There will be about five topics for the entire session of the program. The topics will include suicide, online and physical bullying, self-esteem and body image, anxiety, drugs and alcohol, depression, and academic performance (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017). These are critical issues that weigh heavily on this group. From the above discussions, it has emerged that suicide rates among this group have been on the rise over recent years. Thus, it will be significant to give this topic a priority and explain it to the youths. Some gay teens who have attempted to come out and declare their sexual orientations have been bullied and teased, especially in schools. It will, therefore, be essential to empowering the participants with sufficient knowledge and skills on how they can handle themselves in such environments (Gegenfurtner & Gebhardt, 2017).
Moreover, the training module will be designed in such a way that it includes strategies for building self-esteem among the group. This will be targeted at restoring their confidence levels and subsequently preventing them from falling into depression. It will also be significant to take the youths through drugs and alcohol abuse training sessions to expose them to different kinds of substances that can potentially ruin their health and ways of avoiding them (Gegenfurtner & Gebhardt, 2017). Finally, the trainees will be advised on proper time management skills that can be utilized to improve their academic performances in school.
Goals and Objectives
The group activities they will select for this specific group will be therapeutic. That is a group afflicted by psychosocial and emotional issues, causing them into loneliness and isolation. Since this is a group of traumatized youths, the activities will help them rejuvenate and embrace a positive mindset. Therefore, the activities will be therapeutic strategically selected to help them fight depression, rejection, neglect, and trauma from bullying.
Session Activities
The Fear Cap
That is a simple activity used as an icebreaker and intended to help them recognize and identify their negative thoughts and fears. It will also help them develop self-esteem, trust, and confidence. Since the group members will be drawn from a single neighborhood, it is expected that some members of the group will be familiar with each other. In this activity, the teens will be asked to sit down randomly and pick a pen and a piece of paper. They will be accorded about ten minutes to write down their darkest and deepest fears on the broadsheet. The form will then be collected and placed in a cap. Each member will be expected to draw one paper, read its contents aloud randomly, and then guess the person who has written it. This way, the teens will be able to share their complex emotions and thoughts. They will also get to know each other better.
Mindful Speaking
That will focus on the mindfulness and communication of the participants. These are two essential elements that help to manage emotions. A group of teens will be made to sit in a circle. They will inform the group about the activitys rationale-they will be told that the activitys objective is to develop mindful speaking. Each teen will be given three minutes to speak as the others listen. The speaker will not be restricted on what topic to talk about- he or she will choose any topic of his liking (Harper et al., 2018). After everyone has spoken, a reflective moment will follow. Here, the instructor will allow the members to openly discuss their thoughts on mindful speaking Vis a Vis their usual talks.
Spot the Strength
That is a group activity that will be intended to assist the teens in identifying and recognizing their character and psychological strength and those of others. It will involve receiving feedback from others about their strengths. It will commence by forming a group of five teens and making them sit in a circle. The participants will then be asked to share any positive story they have, one after the other. The report may include any successful accomplishments that they have had in any life domain. As each participant tells his or her story, the listeners note down the strengths they have picked from such reports. Members of the group provide feedback on the vital point and why they choose them. Each member will be allowed to read his notes to the rest and explain why he or she decided on the respective strengths. The teens will then discuss where they will share their feelings about the stories they have heard, what they have observed and learned. From this activity, members will know the strengths of each other and ways through which they can teach them. It is expected that positive responses from their peers will help them heal.
Gratitude Mapping
The activity will be geared towards helping the teens to be creative and focus on their positive emotions in their expressions. Groups comprising of five teens will be formed. They will instruct the groups to remember at least five positive things that they feel they should be thankful for in their lives. Every group will be obliged to pick a set of between three to five positive things and why they consider the elements of their gratitude (McDermott & Roen, 2016). Each group will then be required to list down these items on a whiteboard and the reasons behind the reasoning. The remaining groups will not be allowed to see what the other groups are writing.
The leaders will then invite the next group to observe what the previous group has written and see if they can draw connections. They will then ask the group to list down five of their favorite things as the next group maps the gratitude. Activities will continue until all the groups have had a chance to map their appreciation and list the good things in their lives. They will then turn the whiteboard towards all the groups. They will be allowed to discuss what gratitude is, how they feel about it, and it helps them boost their self-esteem.
Two Truths and a Lie
This activity will require familiarity among members that will be at the center. The members will be allowed to share three things about themselves, two of which are true and one is false. The other members of the group should identify the lie and state it. That is an exciting way of learning from each other. The group members will have five minutes to settle down and imagine exciting things about every aspect of their lives. They will then take three minutes to note down three facts from all parts of their lives. Out of the three things, two will be accurate, and the other one a lie. A group will then be selected randomly and requested to read out their two truths and one lie (McDermott & Roen, 2016). The other group members will guess which of the three is a lie. This activity will be expected to enhance positive social interactions among the teens.
The Postcard Activity
That activity will allow the members to express their conflicting opinions or positive feelings to someone without mentioning it directly. Each teen will have a postcard bought for him or her. As the postcards are distributed among the team members, they will be asked to recapture a person or a situation that they feel frustrated, upset, anxious, or angry. The participants will be allowed to reflect on the past and reflect on their past experiences. They will then be asked to draw these experiences on another side of the postcard that is blank. They will use the lined side to state what they wished they could have said. They will then be allowed the freedom to express their feelings or still have concerning those experiences. It will be essential to use what they write or draw to express their feelings.
Creative Collage
The teens will be asked to emphasize their core values after explaining those using examples of core values. These are things that make someone feel excellent or strong. The teens will then be asked to answer the positive words about their focus on their core values and the shapes and images they associate with core values. They will answer the questions through a collage, which they will then share with the rest. This activity will be aimed at encouraging self-expression and instilling self-confidence among the teens.
Alter the Photo
The teens will be provided with such materials as newspapers, edges, glue, pens, magazines, cutters, colors, among others, and asked to play in groups. The magazine will select an image, and the teens are allowed to alter the image, which will take ten minutes (Damon, 2020). The teens will then be asked to discuss why they changed the image and the ideas behind their new vision.
Drumming
The center will provide the teens with a drum and a drum stick. They will then be asked to close their eyes and hit the drum as a way of venting out. As they begin to vent their emotions, it is expected that there will be a change in the rhythms in the drumming.
Genogram
The center will provide the teens with a pen and a piece of paper together with various colors. Each family member will have a shape assigned to him or her. For instance, the father could be allocated a rectangle and the mother a square. Each member will be required to draw the shape of themselves on one side of the paper and other forms representing different family members on the other side of the article. They will follow that by assigning a code using a separate color line. For instance, one blue line could mean the family member is friendly. The participant will then be asked to draw respective lines to reflect their description of the family member as evidence of how the member treats them. They will then be allowed to sit in groups and discuss why they arrived at such conclusions.
Cultural Implications
Sexuality issues are treated differently by various cultures across the globe. The participants who will report to the center will be expected to have questions regarding their sexuality based on their cultural stereotypes and assumptions. That is one of the primary objectives why the support group will be established; to create a positive self-identity sense for these teens (Clark & Herbert, 2017). Members of the LGBT who gather the courage to come out and publicly declare their sexual orientation lose their familys support and their cultural support group. The teens of color and those drawn from the Hispanic community will be the most affected. That is based on the thick cultural dogmas that still afflict these communities.
The support center will therefore take the issue of the cultural backgrounds of the participants very seriously. They should also remember that the center will be open for migrant students. These are students drawn from diverse cultural backgrounds, some of which have stringent protocols on sexuality. Most cultures provide definitive roles for every member of the family, which might put more pressure on questioning the sexual orientation of the participant. For instance, in Chinese traditional culture, the first son is charged with marrying and advancing the familys surnames. That will surely be unrealistic if that first son is gay (Allen, 2019). The center management will also pay close attention to the participants vocabularies to learn what different words are construed in their cultures. That will help avoid instances where the participant feels that the support center is judgmental or insensitive to his or her culture.
Many gay teens will be enthusiastic about attending the support program. However, this will only happen if they will assure them that they will not use their cultural background against them. Students of color are indeed susceptible to issues of being treated as the other one, and the only one. That triggers a feeling of being different from even the group he or she is running to seek refuge. Therefore, the participant will be isolated and left to struggle with the battle of trying to fit in (Harper et al., 2018). As a result, the participant will lose interest and be discouraged from participating in the sessions. Therefore, cultural implications will be a very vital point to be considered.
Ethical Implications
The ethical implications will mainly revolve around the issue of obtaining consent. Many families do not want their children to come out as gay because of the harsh treatment from the public members. Nonetheless, for those who will allow their children to join the support group, a consent form will have to be signed. The contents of this consent form will have to do with confidentiality (Clark & Herbert, 2017). The support team will undertake to safeguard the information obtained from these teens and commit not to share it with third parties.
The establishment of a resource center for members of this group is prone to be confronted by various legal and ethical issues, mainly because these are youngsters who are yet to attain the legal age of eighteen and are still under the care of their parents and guidance. Therefore, various legal and ethical issues are associated with forming and working with such a unique group. First, this is a group of people that are widely unaccepted by society. Second, they are teens, most of whom are yet to attain 18 years old. These are Gay teens from an oppressed group of people with special needs.
People should thus use careful consideration to delineate them. The idea coming out is one of the most pressing legal issues. It involves disclosing oneself and revealing to the public or close friends and family members regarding their sexual orientation. Before gay teens come out, they will be forced to weigh several pros and cons. Several legal implications characterize these (McDermott & Roen, 2016). However, in many cases, these youths are forced to come out irrespective of the impact of such actions.
The legal implications of this group are best witnessed from the US legal justice system, where it is significantly overrepresented. Every year, more than 300,000 gay and transgender teens are apprehended and detained. 60% of this number comprises Latinos and Blacks. Although this group consists of only 5 to 7% of the nations overall population, about 13 to 15% are presently in the juvenile justice system (Allen, 2019). That is a significantly disproportionate number that reinforces the argument that gay teens experience discrimination.
The high rates of juvenile involvement in the justice system rise from the fact that the families and communities of this group have abandoned them. It is also attributed to increased victimization in their educational institutions. It is indeed a sad reality that gay teens face a heightened risk of transiting to prison from school. However, despite the disproportionate numbers of this group in the countrys juvenile justice system, the system does not have the resources to manage the unique challenges and experiences.
The law enforcement officers, the juvenile defenders, the school administrators, and the district attorneys are not legally or ethically equipped to handle these people. As a result, the system is designed to cause more harm to them than their straight counterparts. The system criminalizes them by branding them as sex offenders, arresting and detaining them for minor offenses, and imposing strict, harsh sanctions at school (McDermott & Roen, 2016). Besides, this group is usually subjected to harmful and discriminatory treatments that rob them of their fundamental human rights.
Since members of this group are still under the care of their parents, they are expected to seek their parents permission before undertaking to join any self-help or advocacy group. The law requires persons under the age of 18 to obtain their parents consent before engaging in certain activities such as group formation. However, it is not easy to get the parents to accept that their children are gay, leave alone permitting them to go public with the idea. These children are often seen as some special breed that is embarrassing to the family (Damon, 2020). Therefore, parents will try everything possible to prevent their gay teens from exposing their families to public ridicule.
There are also issues to deal with confidentiality when it comes to coming out. Undoubtedly, society has not entirely accepted same-sex orientations. Many people still consider members of this group as outcasts who should not live among straight people. Consequently, these youths are subjected to huge stigmas, which, in turn, affects their wish to come out. In some cases, they have faced physical violence perpetrated against them by even their close family members. All these will be anticipated to prevent these teens from joining groups to enable them to seek help. That raises the fundamental question of whether there are enough confidentiality safeguards to protect them against discrimination and public disgust (Harper et al., 2018). Unfortunately, this is not the case since the group members are rebuke if they reveal their sexual orientations. Therefore, there are no confidentiality safeguards that will prevent them from public ridicule.
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