LGBTQ youth are reaching coming out milestones at younger ages than in previous years

According to the Trevor Project @trevorproject report on “Age of Sexual Orientation Outness and Suicide Risk” October 10, 2022: “LGBTQ youth are not inherently prone to poor mental health and suicide risk because of their LGBTQ identity but rather placed at higher risk because of the stigma and mistreatment they face on the basis of their identity (Meyer, 2003)…LGBTQ youth are reaching coming out milestones at younger ages than in previous years (Meyer et al., 2021)...These findings further convey that coming out in and of itself is not harmful to youth, at any age. Rather, it is the harmful environments in which LGBTQ youth find themselves that contribute to the negative outcomes we see. Overall, this suggests that instead of insisting that younger LGBTQ youth not come out for fear of exposure to bullying and harassment, the people in their lives should create environments in which they can do so safely. This is particularly true given that choosing to delay coming out, for a variety of valid reasons, was also associated with increased suicide risk. The constant is that LGBTQ youth who have support from others report better outcomes, suggesting that parents and family members, teachers, school administrators, and other direct service providers must ensure that the spaces LGBTQ youth find themselves in are affirming and supportive of their identities. For example, they can help advocate for and implement LGBTQ-inclusive school policies, from zero tolerance for anti-LGBTQ bullying and harassment and bystander intervention training to non-discrimination protections and suicide prevention policies and classroom curricula that reflect the experiences of LGBTQ students”

Learn more at www.thetrevorproject.com

#Lgbtq #lgbt #latterdaysaints #latterdaysaint #lds #ldschurch #ldsparents #ldsparenting #ldsysa #lgbtqysa #lgbtqlds #ldslgbtq #liftandloveorg #nationalcomingoutday #NationalComingOutDay #ComingOutDay #HappyComingOutDay #HappyNationalComingOutDay

What can i do to prepare for Sunday lessons about the temple?

If you are a Young Women Leader, a member of the Bishopric, or other youth leader involved with the Sunday lessons, please take special care to remember that this could be a sensitive topic for many of the youth (whether you are aware of their concerns or not). Love and teach like the Savior, and let the Spirit guide you in teaching this important (but sensitive) lesson.

Here are some suggestions:

PS-
If you’re not sure why this subject might be sensitive for some youth (and adults), see the graphics below for more info!

LGBTQ FOSTER KIDS

42% of LGBTQ youth in foster care say they aren’t able to be themselves in their foster home. LGBTQ-friendly foster parents are desperately needed in every state.

If you’re interested in becoming a foster parent and you live in Utah, visit https://utahfostercare.org for more information.

For LGBTQ resources for foster parents in Utah (including Latter-Day Saint specific resources like Lift+Love) visit https://utahfostercare.org/lgbtq/ @utahfostercare

In all other US states, contact your local foster care office to learn more about becoming a foster parent. Local contact information available here: https://www.childwelfare.gov/organizations/?CWIGFunctionsaction=rols:main.dspList&rolType=Custom&RS_ID=17

Is "Conversion Therapy" still a thing?

***Trigger warnings - discussion of suicide / suicide attempts and conversion therapy***

Is “conversion therapy” for LGBTQ individuals still happening? According to the recent Trevor Project LGBTQ Mental Health Survey, 17% of current LGBTQ youth have been threatened with or have been forced to undergo these types of therapies. 

Did you know that LGBTQ kids who are threatened with and/or undergo these conversion therapies are more than TWICE  as likely to attempt suicide?

What is the church* policy on “conversion therapy”?

Methods of “fixing” LGBTQ+ are not effective and are harmful. A change in attraction should not be expected or demanded.

"Family Services has a longstanding and express policy against using therapies that seek to repair, 'convert," or 'change' sexual orientation (such as from homosexual to heterosexual). Research demonstrates that electric shock, aversion therapy, and other analogous therapies are ineffective and harmful to youth who experience same-sex attraction" (Church Website Official Statement)

For more information about therapy that could be helpful to LGBTQ+ individuals and their families, we recommend seeking counsel from licensed professionals. You can find a list of resources on our website here.

*the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Do your friends, relatives, and church leaders know about Lift+Love?

There are so many Latter-day Saint LGBTQ individuals & families, ward & stake leaders, and friends & allies who are LOOKING for resources & support, but just don’t know WHERE to find it!

Help us get the word out about Lift+Love! Send your friends & ward members to our website www.liftandlove.org and our social media accounts @liftandloveorg. We’ve got support groups, podcasts, definitions, book & talk recommendations, q+a, family stories, links to resources, and MUCH more!!!).

#lgbtq #lgbt #latterdaysaints #latterdaysaint #lds #ldschurch #ldsparents #ldsparenting #ldsysa #lgbtqysa #lgbtqlds #ldslgbtq #liftandloveorg

60% of LGBTQ youth lack access to mental health care

*LGBTQ youth are at higher risk for depression & anxiety (largely because of the added stresses of bullying and lack of family/community acceptance), yet they are one of the groups with the least access to mental health care. They might not know where to get help, may not be able to afford it, may be worried about confidentiality, or may be afraid of being discriminated against. You can help by sharing these resources (GRAPHIC BELOW)!
Source: the Trevor project 2021 youth mental health survey

#Lgbtq #lgbt #latterdaysaints #latterdaysaint #lds #ldschurch #ldsparents #ldsparenting #ldsysa #lgbtqysa #lgbtqlds #ldslgbtq #liftandloveorg

45% of LGBTQ teens have considered suicide in the past year - What can we DO?

45% of LGBTQ teens have considered suicide in the past year. We have to do something - we need every one of those wonderful kids and their unique talents & perspectives in our families, our neighborhoods, our schools, our churches, and our workplaces. But what can we DO?

FIRST STEP: Head over to the Lift+Love website and find the "QPR Suicide Prevention" section (pink circle on the home page). Sign up for a FREE online class to learn practical skills for preventing suicide. The class takes only 1 1/2 hours, but it has the potential to save lives- literally. The classes are held multiple times every month, so you can find one that works with your schedule.

TELL YOUR FRIENDS! Everyone 18+ is welcome.

Source: The Trevor Project LGBTQ Youth Mental Health Survey 2022

#Lgbtq #lgbt #latterdaysaints #latterdaysaint #lds #ldschurch #ldsparents #ldsparenting #ldsysa #lgbtqysa #lgbtqlds #ldslgbtq #liftandloveorg #qpr #qprsuicideprevention #qprsuicidepreventiontraining #suicideprevention #lgbtqsuicideprevention #lgbtqsuicideawareness.

5 WAYS TO HELP EVERYONE FEEL WELCOME & INCLUDED AT CHURCH

5 ways to help everyone feel welcome & included at church:

When you notice someone is new, go out of your way to warmly greet them, interact with them, and introduce them to other members.

If you notice someone is sitting alone, ask if you can sit with them (or invite them to sit with you).

Consider inviting a family or individual (who you don’t know well) to your home for dinner or FHE.

Wear a rainbow pin (or a rainbow bracelet, etc) to identify yourself as an ally to those who are LGBTQ (whether they are out or not)

If someone looks different than the norm in your ward (perhaps clothing that you don’t normally see in church, or a hairstyle or piercings/tattoos that are not customary in your area), refrain from pointing it out to them. It doesn’t matter. Criticism is not welcoming, even if you mean well.

HOW DO YOU HELP YOUR KIDS FRIENDS FEEL WELCOME IN YOUR HOME?

We asked Lift+Love followers, “How do you help your kids’ friends feel welcome in your home?”

Thank you to everyone who responded! We love learning from you! Here are some of your most popular answers (in the graphic above) and also a few of our personal favorite unique responses (below):

“I have a bulletin board with all their pictures! Then they feel like part of our family!”

“I have a chocolate chip drawer. All friends known where it is and they can have any time they want”

“hug all of them when they get there and when they leave”

#Lgbtq #lgbt #latterdaysaints #latterdaysaint #lds #ldschurch #ldsparents #ldsparenting #ldsysa #lgbtqysa #lgbtqlds #ldslgbtq #liftandloveorg

“I think my child may be gay, but they haven’t come out to me… What can I do to be a safe person for them?”

“I think my child may be gay, but they haven’t come out to me… What can I do to be a safe person for them?” Lift+Love contributors answer this question (and many more!) in the Q+A section of the Lift+Love website HERE

#lgbtq #lgbt #latterdaysaints #latterdaysaint #lds #ldschurch #ldsparents #ldsparenting #ldsysa #lgbtqysa #lgbtqlds #ldslgbtq #liftandloveorg #pride #pridemonth

What can you do if you & your spouse aren’t on the same page about your LGBTQ child?

What can you do if you & your spouse aren’t on the same page about your LGBTQ child?

Lift+Love contributors answer this question (and many more!) in the Q+A section of the Lift+Love website HERE.

#Lgbtq #lgbt #latterdaysaints #latterdaysaint #lds #ldschurch #ldsparents #ldsparenting #ldsysa #lgbtqysa #lgbtqlds #ldslgbtq #liftandloveorg

Dial 988 - Nationwide mental health crisis / suicide prevention hotline

There is a new nation-wide (United States) phone number for suicide-prevention and mental health crisis. “All telecommunications carriers must provide access to 988 by July 16. The number will direct calls to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, a switchboard that provides free crisis counseling and emotional support. It also connects people to one of more than 180 crisis centers nationwide. It will serve as a universal entry point so that anyone can reach a trained crisis counselor who can provide care no matter where you live”

Similar to “911”, “988” will be easy to remember and can be used be anyone - call OR text! Help spread the word about this new resource!

https://www.ksl.com/article/50439367/how-to-get-help-new-988-suicide-prevention-mental-health-crisis-hotline-to-go-live
#988 #mentalhealth #dial988 #dial988forhelp #suicideprevention