From Knowledge Center
Resources on Sexual and Gender Minorities in Connecticut
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1. “It Gets Better” Project: Positive effort to reach out to gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) teens. President Obama recently recorded a message for this important project: http://www.itgetsbetterproject.com/video/entry/geyafbsdpvk/
2. Our True Colors: Sexual & gender minority youth & family advocacy organization based in CT that has received national attention. True Colors is a non-profit organization that works with other social service agencies, schools, organizations, and within communities to ensure that the needs of sexual and gender minority youth are both recognized and competently met. The organization trains more than 2400 people annually, organizes the largest LGBT youth conference in the country with more than 2000 attendees and manages the state’s only LGBT mentoring program. True Colors has been spotlighted by both national and local media for their expertise in LGBTI / LGBTQ youth issues, including most recently CNN. http://www.ourtruecolors.org/About
3. GLSEN Connecticut: Chapter of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN). GLSEN works to ensure safe schools for ALL students, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity. There are over 40 Chapters around the country, which work closely with the national staff of GLSEN to implement programs, and to keep national staff informed of local events. The work that chapters do covers a variety of subjects and issues, from public policy to teacher training to supporting students and educators around the country. http://chapters.glsen.org/cgi-bin/iowa/connecticut/home.html
4. Hartford Gay and Lesbian Health Collective: Advocate for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues and is proud to maintain a prominent presence at community meetings, events and other venues where issues of relevance to HGLHC's constituency are discussed, decided or celebrated. http://www.hglhc.org/
Related Statistics
Statistics from the It Gets Better website:
- 9 out of 10 LGBT students have experienced harassment at school.
- LGBT teens are bullied 2 to 3 times as much as straight teens.
- More than 1/3 of LGBT kids have attempted to commit suicide.
- LGBT kids are 4 times as likely to attempt suicide then our straight peers.
- LGBT youth with “highly rejecting” families are 8 times more likely to attempt suicide than those whose families accept them.
