Program for lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth

Abstract

From a very early age in American society, social institutions and the media communicate negative attitudes that stigmatize homosexuality. Concomitantly, youth learn negative attitudes from other supposedly credible sources such as their families, teachers, religious leaders, and friends. Consequently, lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth may deny themselves validation socially and, more importantly, emotionally. Such denial adds to society's cultural exclusion and stigmatization of homosexuality. Further, when youth internalize the prejudice, hatred, and fear related to the stigma of homosexuality, they suffer social, behavioral, and health-related consequences. Stigma, not deficit, separates lesbian, gay, and bisexual adolescents from their heterosexual peers. Members of victimized groups develop a series of coping strategies in response to prejudice, including withdrawal and passivity, vigilance, self-hate, denial of membership in one's group or aggression against one's group, and the expectation of rejection, discrimination, and violence. Other common health-related psychological reactions to stigma include adjustment problems, impaired psychosocial development, family alienation, inadequate interpersonal relationships, alcohol and drug abuse, depression, suicidal ideation, and acting out sexually. All reactions are common social and psychological responses to managing the stigma of a lesbian, gay, or bisexual identity, particularly in the earlier stages of identity development. Further, these reactions often lead to health problems for lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth. Consequently, lesbian, gay, and bisexual adolescents present a formidable challenge to public health and education specialists. Although lesbian, gay, and bisexual adolescents mature physically, many of them do not mature psychologically, cognitively, or emotionally at the same time. With appropriate support, including access to accurate information, assistance in developing positive coping, decision making, and social skills, exploring sexuality, and enhancing the quality of interpersonal relationships, youth can begin to resolve the aforementioned psychological reactions to stigma. In fact, lesbian, gay, and bisexual adolescents with integrated positive identities demonstrate better psychological adjustment, greater self-esteem, a higher self-concept, and lower rates of health-related psychological reactions to stigma than lesbian, gay, and bisexual adolescents in conflict with their identity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)