Last month I was privileged to participate in a meeting of the Massachusetts Commission on Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Questioning Youth (let’s call it the commission).

The meeting was part of a listening tour conducted periodically by the commission, and it was hosted by MVCS/Island Wide Youth Collaborative and Health Imperatives/Family Planning of MV. It was the first time they had come to the Island as part of their tour. The commission performs important functions in local communities, including assessing the needs of LGBTQ youth and making recommendations for actions to support these young people. If anyone wonders why there is a need for this, the results of the 2015 Youth Risk Behavior Survey convey a sense of urgency: Twice as many LGBTQ youth are bullied at school; they are three times more likely to be threatened or injured at school and to hurt themselves on purpose. In addition, they are higher risk for homelessness and substance use disorder. Perhaps most devastatingly, these youth are four times more likely to consider or attempt suicide. The commission offers support to school groups via their Safe Schools program, which in turn helps schools to conduct trainings and develop gay-straight alliances (GSA). These programs provide education and safe spaces for LGBTQ students, which are critically important due to the risk factors listed above. Our public schools provide some support and programs for our LGBTQ young people, however, more education and support for faculty and students alike may be beneficial for what appears to be a growing number of kids with varied gender identities.

As the parent of a transgender teen, I am also interested in furthering a conversation for parents and the broader community about how to encourage an accepting, safe and inclusive environment that celebrates all of our kids. Anyone who is interested can reach me at skuh@vineyard.net. People can also contact the Island Wide Youth Collaborative to find out more about support groups and related services for youth and their families.

Sarah Kuh
Chilmark