Living Proud! Growing Up LGBTQ

What is gender? What are gender stereotypes? What's the difference between being a tomboy or an effeminate man and being transgender? What are your options when you feel like your physical sex is out of sync with who you are? Explore the answers to these questions and more with an in-depth look at what it means to be transgender. Learn from the personal experiences of people who have taken steps to transition from the sex they were assigned at birth and transgender young people who have made the difficult choice to live openly as their authentic gender while still in high school. Understand better the realities of this often-misunderstood group and how it fits into the gay community.

"That's so gay!" is a put down sadly still heard in the hallways of many schools. Words have power and can be used to hurt people or make them feel good about themselves. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) young people know this all too well. If you let them, stereotypes can hold you back from being the full individual that you are. This book explores common LGBT stereotypes that persist both outside and inside the community. Explore where they come from and what they mean to you. Learn how you can do your part to reduce hurtful name-calling and appreciate LGBT people in all their diversity. Find out about resources that can help and how young people are taking action against stereotypes in their schools and communities.

The horrific 1998 murder of 21-year-old college freshman Matthew Shepard brought the issue of hate crimes against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people to the attention of the American people. The Matthew Shepard Foundation lobbied hard along with other LGBT groups, and in 2009 the federal hate crimes law was amended to include violence against LGBT people for the first time. In spite of the legal victory, however, the fear and hatred of LGBT people persists around the world. Learn about the fight for LGBT civil rights and why an end to prejudice against LGBT people is important for all Americans. And learn about the ways young people––straight and gay––are working together toward mutual understanding, respect, and a better future for all of us by ending homophobia.

Feeling good inside and out should be everyone's goal. But lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people often have a tougher time of it as they grapple with issues such as shame, rejection, and low self-esteem. This book discusses the unique pressures that lead too many LGBT youth to alcohol, drug, and tobacco abuse as well as eating disorders, unsafe sex, and unwanted pregnancy. Learn how to cope with feelings of alienation and depression, confusion about gender and orientation, and the struggle to integrate your sexual and gender identity with your larger self. Liking yourself for who you are is the key to getting and staying physically healthy. And having the support of family, friends, or trusted mentors can make all the difference for LGBT people learning to respect themselves and each other to lead healthy, happy, and productive lives.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) young people in the 21st century can find unprecedented support in a proud, vibrant, and diverse community both online and off. The resources and ability to connect with LGBT people around the world are exciting and very new. This book explores the history of the LGBT community in America from its roots in the free-thinking seaport cities of the 1800s, through the social revolution of World War II, the early activists of the 1950s, the Pride movements of the 1970s, the AIDS crisis, and today's move toward integration with mainstream communities. It is a story of courage in the face of oppression, demanding civil rights, and LGBT people making meaningful and authentic lives for themselves––while having fun too. LGBT people today are the heirs of the hopes and dreams and hard work of past generations. This is an inspiring story of an American minority group that is still fighting for full equality.

The Internet, news media, television shows, music, and films feature more positive images of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people today than ever before. But less than a generation ago, the situation was very different. How did we get to this point of increasing visibility and respect? This book explores the history of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) struggle to live openly with dignity and equal rights from the mid-20th century efforts of the Mattachine Society and Daughters of Bilitis to the 1969 Stonewall Riots and the international LGBT movement for equality. While celebrating the recent victories for marriage equality and the right to serve openly in the military, it's important to recognize that the struggle is ongoing both on a legal level and in people's everyday lives. For instance, LGBT people are still not protected from workplace discrimination in many places In the United States. And around the world LGBT people still face physical danger daily because of who they are.

As part of the normal experience of growing up, many teenagers feel significant stress, confusion, and self-doubt. These intense emotions can be overwhelming for anyone but are often that much more challenging for LGBT youth. Without the resources or support they need, too many will suffer the depression and self-hatred that lead to alcohol and drug abuse, unsafe sex, and suicidal thoughts. The good news is that there are more sources of help to turn to today than ever before for struggling LGBT youth-both online and off. Learn about groups such as the Trevor Project, Empty Closets, PFLAG, and other organizations that are there to assist young LGBT people and their friends make positive choices. The It Gets Better Project grew from a single YouTube video into a worldwide movement with more than 50,000 user-created videos that have been viewed more than 50 million times. It does, indeed, get better.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people have long struggled with the conflict of being able to participate fully in their religious faith while remaining true to themselves. The good news is that today many LGBT people of faith are finding support and inclusion in religious communities that have entered the 21st century committed to the full inclusion of LGBT people. Learn how the world's major religious traditions––Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism––view homosexuality, and how LGBT people of faith navigate within those traditions. Examine why some religious groups still condemn homosexuality and reject LGBT people. And discover that while certain religions have always had a place for gay and lesbian people in their communities, others are working hard to create a place.

When Sarah recognized she was a lesbian, she found support first from a gay teacher in her high school. Ed was sent to an ex-gay ministry when he first told his family he was gay. Comedian Ellen DeGeneres confirmed her sexual orientation on national television, and international pop star Ricky Martin announced to the world that he was gay on his website. The experience of publicly identifying oneself as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) is deeply personal for each individual. But while the particulars vary, there are issues and questions shared by all. Should I come out? When should I come out? Who should I come out to first? The most important thing to know is that you're not alone. In addition to friends, family, and teachers, groups such as GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network and PFLAG (formerly known as Parents, Friends, and Families of Lesbians and Gays) are there to provide support to young people coming out.

Until relatively recently homosexuality was considered a mental illness or a biological disorder, or worse. Today, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people have the evidence of scientific research and their authentic experiences of happy and fulfilling lives to support the pride of identity that is their right. This book traces the "nature versus nurture" debate over the origin of same-sex attraction and gender identity. The theories put forth over the years-that there's a gay gene, that the way a child is raised can "turn" her gay, or that being gay is somehow a "choice"-all came to be used in the service of political agendas, often harming LGBT people. Examining the major genetic, biological, and psychological theories of the origins of homosexuality, this book questions those traditional notions of gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation that are at the center of LGBT people's sense of identity and their struggle for civil rights and a happy and fulfilling life.