Special Issue Introduction: New Research on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Youth: Studying Lives in Context
The Journal of Youth and Adolescence is a multidisciplinary Research Publication. The Journal is written for psychologists, psychiatrists, biologists, criminologists, educators, and professionals in many other allied disciplines who address the subject of youth and adolescence. This scholarly source is based on quantitative analyses, theoretical papers, and comprehensive review article. Therefore the source addresses the issue in formal respective manner.
The research on LGBT youth by Stacy Horn, Joseph Kosciw and Stephen Russell explores the paradigms of risk and challenges LGBT youth face as to any population of youth. The key aspect of this research is to move beyond studying LGBT youth as at-risk, but instead for exploration and understanding the ways LGBT youth convey their development within various social contexts. The Journal shows evidence of in depth examination of the issue through consideration of diverse external and internal influences that may hostile school environment for LGBT students. The authors of the source displays empathetic approach on the paper. This is evident through their aim to understand context of victimization whereby they continually mention throughout the paper.
Source 2.
Out Law: What LGBT Youth Should Know About Their Legal Rights
Lisa Keen, an award-winning vetern Journalist and Chief Correspondent for Keen News Service write an accessible guide for LGBT youth called Out Law: What LGBT Youth Should Know about Their Legal Rights. Although our civil rights have advanced significantly over many years, consequently these movements has unfortunately led to countless legal issues such as freedom of expression, sexual harassment, and even right to privacy within ones own families.
Keen’s experience in covering LGBT issues and gay legislation for over 20 years is exceptionally showcased through her book Out Law What LGBT Youth Should Know About Their Legal Rights. The book explores the rights of LGBT youth for their protection and responsibility. She position herself to empower LGBT youth to not only know aware of their rights but to also stand up for themselves.
Bibliography
Keen, Lisa. Out Law: What LGBT Youth Should Know about Their Legal Rights . Boston: Beacon Press, 2007.
Stacey S. Horn, Joseph G. Kosciw, Stephen T. Russell. “Special Issue Introduction: New Research on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Youth: Studying Lives in Context.” 6 June 2009. Springer Link. 9 August 2016 <http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10964-009-9420-1?LI=true>.
According to the human rights campaign, 4 in 10 LGBT youth say the community they live in does not accept them and LGBT people. Growing up, I would’ve never considered LGBTIQ issues as something serious if I hadn’t witnessed a close friend of mine go through social ostracism and personal denial due her homophobic community and culture. After reading various secondary sources on LGBTIQ rights it was disappointing to see that there were still strong negative perspectives on this issue today.
Article 1.
Sonia Kruger calls scholarship program ‘reverse discrimination’
Dana McCauley is a finance Editor at new.com.au. She is responsible for breaking stories about all things business, work and money related. Prior to her current position she has been an award-winning Journalist for 3 years at Leader Community Newspapers. Her education in Arts, Law and Journalism ensures her as a profound writer for new.com.au.
McCauley has written this article due to the controversy Sonia Kruger has raised on LGBTIQ scholarship program. The article is mainly built up on Sonia Kruger’s commentary on the scholarship as “reverse discrimination” on the Today Extra show. The article is followed by other relevant but mixed commentaries on the LGBTIQ Scholarship. The commentaries that are mentioned in the article show two opposite standpoints on the LGBTIQ financial incentive. The argument circulates around if the incentive is appropriate or not for youth and if this is an example of ideological activism.
Although the article shows strong opposing standpoints of various commentators the author herself does not show particular bias towards the issue. But rather writes the article in a respectful tone that is critical of ideas, and not of commentators.
Article 2.
Schools embrace controversial gender program that the LGBT community says ‘saves lives’
In contrast to article one, Lisa Schefman from Frankston Standard Leader writes a supportive outlook towards gender programs offered at schools in Frankston. Schefman is a Journalist at Leader Newspapers, covering Frankston area in metropolitan Melbourne.
As a local of Frankston municipality for 32 years and a Journalist at Frankston, Schefman was motivated to write this article due to the attention that has sparked from growing number LGBTIQ programs embraced in Frankston schools. The controversy began after a Frankston High School parent withdrew her children from the school due to her disapproval of the gender diversity program. However the article does not flourish the negative take on the program, but alternatively mentions statements from LGBT organizations and stakeholders that encourages why we should have safe schools coalition on board.
The article shows preference towards pro safe schools coalition through several mentioning of improved statistics on discrimination and bullying against same-sex attracted and gender diverse (SSAIGD). Overall, the article is embracing the safe schools program to general public and voices that it should be something we all need to be humbled about being offered at schools.
Article 3.
Rainbow Votes: Where The Parties Stand On LGBTI Youth
This article was written by the Gay News Network (GNN). They are also the online home of Evo media, Australia’s largest national media company focusing on the gay and lesbian market. The GNN writes about latest news, stories, trends and gossip that affect the LGBTIQ community in an informative way to connect the community together.
This article was written to provide in-depth facts about major parties on LGBTI youth for the LGBTIQ community in preparation for the upcoming federal Election Day. The Gay News Network strongly believes that it is essential to reduce violence and harassment against LGBTIQ students. Therefore they give us an outline of what each major parties are doing to combat homophobia, biphobia and transphobia occurring in schools. Additionally it is evident that this article is a well-researched piece as it aims to provide comprehensive information for LGBTIQ voters.
The 2016 Federal Election is said to be one of the most important election for the LGBTIQ communities. Overall the author profoundly writes to make rainbow votes count. Their main aim for this article is to help LGBTIQ people in deciding how to make their vote count.
Article 4.
NSW Safe Schools ‘harassed’ into hiding: youth foundation
Sarah Elks is a Queensland political reporter at The Australian with 9 years of Journalism experience. She has received several awards and honors for excellence in investigative report, coverage and feature writing. In this article she reports about Safe Schools Coalition Australia after NSW pull its schools out from being public on the program’s official website.
This is Elks’ first article based on LGBTIQ rights that is related to Queensland politics. The article is presented in a straightforward style without bias commentary or opinion. Elks was motivated to write this article as NSW become the second state after QLD to no longer be publicly listed on the Safe Schools Coalition Australia website due to harassment experienced by some schools. Similarly Queensland member schools have been hidden from the website for several months after institutions started receiving hate calls.
The concise article indicates the unfortunate struggles the Department of Education goes through for recommending Safe Schools program. It shows that there is still serious disagreement in the community against this program and shaken political agendas.
Article 5.
LGBT Youths Are Turning To Facebook To Find A Safe Place To Live
Lane Sainty is a reporter at Buzzfeed Australia, focusing on LGBTIQ issues. She has written several issues raising the LGBTIQ rights issue in Australia already. Sainty, herself has been part of LGBT campus society as a Sydney University student before becoming a reporter. During her Arts in Media and Communications studies she has published several articles and collected pieces related to LGBT issue.
Sainty is well aware on the issues based around this topic and is pro LGBT in her articles. In this article Sainty writes about queer housing groups awareness due to the increasing number of LGBT community turning to Facebook to find trust worthy and accepting housemates. The article is presented in a sympathetic stance through various statements from struggling LGBT people looking for homes. The article further communicates the hardship the LGBT people through emphasis on homeless LGBT youth population.
The well-investigated article indicates that the author is writing to bring awareness of this issue to the readers in a sympathetic manner. The article highlights the disadvantages undeniably.
LGBTIQ rights is an issue that I personally involved with. During my high school, I had a group of best friends who were all tomboys. And two of them came out in year 10. I have been supporting the LGBTIQ community since then. Therefore, I really want to learn and understand deeper about this issue. I had no hesitate to choose this topic and I feel very excited to apply all my research data into design term that can raise the awareness of LGBTIQ rights, especially in Vietnam.
Articles 1: Vietnam Has Been Praised As A Leader In LGBT Rights. Activists Beg To Differ
Dominique Mosbergen
Dominique Mosbergen is a Reporter at The Huffington Post. She loves languages, travelling and telling stories. She has lived and worked in different countries such as India, Russia and the United States. This article is the 8th part of a 10-part series on LGBT rights in Southeast Asia, written while she lived in Singapore. The series uncovers the challenges facing the LBGT community and praise the effort of activists there.
“Trying to add sexuality education to the formal program is difficult and needs to be advocated for from the highest level” (Luong, cited in Mosbergen 2015).
A protester in Phnom Penh, Cambodia tapes his mouth shut in support of LGBT rights on Nov. 16, 2012. Activists across Southeast Asia have been fighting for years to win greater protections for LGBT people. (Mosbergen 2015)
In this article, she uncovered the real story behind the positive headlines of Vietnam being called ‘The Leader in Gay rights’ or ‘More Progressive than America’. Although Vietnam was the first country in Southeast Asia who abolished the ban on same-sex marriage on Jan 2015, in fact, it’s certainly not the leader in gay rights. Lots of LGBT people are facing discrimination and widespread abuse, especially right in their home. 20 percent of LGBT respondent said they had beaten by their family members (iSEE survey, 2008). I agree with this survey because I have seen lots of my friends who went through discrimination in their high school and in their family. People called them as ‘social evils’ or ‘illness’. Mosbergen revealed many issues that Vietnamese journalists couldn’t report due to the lack of basic freedoms (freedom of press). Mosbergen stated that the LGBT activists in Vietnam were facing a lot of challenges, one of them was ‘Sexuality education in public schools’. All schools in Vietnam are controlled by the government.
Articles 2: A hard silence to break: LGBT Vietnamese struggle for understanding
Vo Thy
Thy is a staff writer at Voice of OC, a nonprofit investigative news agency in Santa Ana, California. In addition to reporting on municipal politics and government, Thy writes about community health and quality of life issues affecting OC’s underserved immigrant communities.
Lotus Dao and his partner, Jayelle Greathouse. Photo by Ash Ngu. (Vo 2016)
The Vietnamese American community, although living in the Western country where is more open about this issue, is also facing a lot of challenges and discrimination, start from their families.
“We were called ‘sick,’ that this is a ‘western disease,’ ‘your parents didn’t teach you right,'” said Hieu Nguyen
Living in the Vietnamese community in Sydney, I have more understanding about the gulf of language and culture within immigrant families. I agree with those stories told in this article that the boundary between 2 generations is commonly hard to emerge. This text tells 3 different stories but same one main issue: Sexual education.The article made me feel hurt and shocked about the lack of sex education that starts from Vietnamese parents, causing more intense when LGBT people want to come out. What makes me angry is that this is the basic education everyone must learn. After reading this article, I would like to raise more awareness of sex and sexual health in order to help the future LGBTIQ generation a better life.
Articles 3: For our kids’ sake, it’s time to scrap school chaplains
Rober Simms and Janet Rice.
After reading those 2 articles above, I wanted to know deeper about Sex and Sexual Health Education. This article is published on the Gay News Networks, the Australia’s largest gay and lesbian publishing house. The text was written by Rober Simms and Janet Rice. They are both the Greens’ spokespersons for LGBTI and Marriage Equality. Robert is the first out gay man to represent SA in the Federal Parliament.
Unlike to Vietnam, Australia is one of the happiest country in the world where human rights are higher protected. However, a multicultural country has its own difficulties. One of them is pointed in this article. The authors stated that the government should scrap school chaplains, whose religion prevents them from accepting or recognising LGBTIQ people.“This is putting our young LGBTIQ people at more severe risk of mental ill-health”. (Simms & Rice 2016) The authors also made an action: pledge $32 million over the next four years for Safe Schools to build respect and ensure wellbeing in LGBTIQ youth.
This is a good idea. Not only does it show the 2 side of school chaplains but also it gives the option to replace them with trained professionals who are qualified in youth work, social work or mental health support. I am very excited to see positive movement from the government toward this idea in order to protect best to keep our young generation a healthy life.
Articles 4: Orlando, Paris massacres were attacks on freedom
Frank Bruni
Frank Bruni is a New York Times columnist who specialises in politics, gender equality and food culture. This article was written 2 days after the incidents happened in Orlando and Paris. By using short, strong statements, Frank states that both were attacked by freedom itself. His voice of writing is quite upset with what is happening to LGBT rights in the world, not only in USA or Franch. Different from other articles, Frank give his own voice instead of giving facts and statistics. He shows how emergent this issue is, that is not a moment for identity politics, it is a terror that everyone must recognise. Frank also includes Obama speech speaking about the victims:
Illustration: Andrew Dyson 2016 – drawn for LGBTIQ community in Orlando
“The place where they were attacked is more than a nightclub. It is a place of solidarity and empowerment where people have come together to raise awareness, to speak their minds and to advocate for their civil rights. So this is a sobering reminder that attacks on any American, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation, is an attack on all of us and on the fundamental values of equality and dignity that define us as a country.” (Obama, cited in Bruni 2016)
Frank’s article is very emotional as it was written just 2 days after the incidents. He criticises The Islamic State. In their world, ‘To be gay is to be in mortal danger. To embrace love is to court death’. I agree with him that LGBTIQ rights are equal to other gender equality rights, that is a basic right to protect people from discrimination and violent, to be treated equally and to be loved equally.
Articles 5:Australian schools must promote LGBT-inclusive education
The Drum
After reading the 3rd article: ‘For our kids’ sake, it’s time to scrap school chaplains’, I looked up the Safe Schools Coalitionto know more about this program. This article is reported from The Drum show which is the Australian analysis & opinion, and commentary news on ABC channel. When I first heard about the Safe Schools program, I thought this would be a great move to educate young generation to respect for gay, intersex and gender diverse students. However, after reading this article, I questioned about the value core of this program. Whether or not it has gone far beyond the point of protecting and respecting LGBT. Liberal Senator Eric Abetz appeared in this show and gave his opinion and concern to this program. He stated that this program is unhealthy and unhelpful. A clear distinction between girls and boys should be protected, especially in primary school. He argued:
“[There are] circumstances where this program suggests that if a boy feels like being a girl, he should be allowed to use the girls’ toilet facilities, which might be good for him, but what about all the girls that are then submitted to a boy being in their change rooms or in their toilets?
I disagree with his opinion. I think that the Safe Schools is designed to stop bullying and to help children to be themselves. It is not to influence them to doubt themselves to be in different genders. It is created change attitude and allow kids to live without fear, that they can freely come out without fear of being bashed.
3 positions I think are worth investigating further:
1. The progression of changing perception towards LGBTIQ community in Vietnam from the past to present. It is very interesting for me because the attitude of Vietnamese people to this community has changed positively and dramatically. I would like to know more about what activists in Vietnam have done to protect themselves from discrimination.
2. Sex and sexual health education. What and how we should educate the young generation about LGBTIQ rights without influence them of doubting their genders.
3. Existing campaigns that educate people about LGBTIQ rights. Investigating this position would help me apply my research and data to design practice.
Emergent Practices 
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