The most significant problems an individual may face when presenting themselves to the LGBT community are faults in the educational system, underrepresentation of gay role models, and failure to change the establishment only until after a tragic event has occurred. All these factors can be debilitating for LGBT youth who are isolated and afraid of a world that labels them as different. What, if any type of outreach programs are available to LGBT youth, and are they effective in addressing bullying and lack of tolerance?
To be effective outreach, most outreach programs directed toward LGBT youth have to take place at a young age before they are pressured to form a sexual identity for themselves. “Schools can be difficult environments for students, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, but they are often especially unwelcoming …show more content…
The mission of Savage’s outreach program is to demonstrate to LGBT youth that their own lives are one that is worth living. The reason Savage had trouble implementing his outreach program is that he could not access his targeted audience of LGBT youth because of prejudice in the educational system directed toward LGBT role models. Finally, when Savage expanded the horizons of his outreach programs to the internet the It Gets Better Project was a huge success. “Suddenly hay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender adults all over the country- all over the world- were speaking to LGBT youth. We weren’t waiting for anyone’s permission anymore. We found our voices” (Savage 409). Savage had finally done it, created a forum for LGBT role models to reach out to the LGBT who needed it. The educational system had no longer presented itself an issue because in 2010, when the It Gets Better Project was founded, almost every teenager had internet access and was able to reached by the empowering messaged of Savage’s outreach
To be effective outreach, most outreach programs directed toward LGBT youth have to take place at a young age before they are pressured to form a sexual identity for themselves. “Schools can be difficult environments for students, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, but they are often especially unwelcoming …show more content…
The mission of Savage’s outreach program is to demonstrate to LGBT youth that their own lives are one that is worth living. The reason Savage had trouble implementing his outreach program is that he could not access his targeted audience of LGBT youth because of prejudice in the educational system directed toward LGBT role models. Finally, when Savage expanded the horizons of his outreach programs to the internet the It Gets Better Project was a huge success. “Suddenly hay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender adults all over the country- all over the world- were speaking to LGBT youth. We weren’t waiting for anyone’s permission anymore. We found our voices” (Savage 409). Savage had finally done it, created a forum for LGBT role models to reach out to the LGBT who needed it. The educational system had no longer presented itself an issue because in 2010, when the It Gets Better Project was founded, almost every teenager had internet access and was able to reached by the empowering messaged of Savage’s outreach