THE IMPACT OF HOMOPHOBIA ON LESBIAN AND GAY YOUTH 0

• 97% of students in public high schools report regularly hearing homophobic remarks from their peers.

• Two-thirds of guidance counselors harbor negative feelings toward lesbians and gay males.

• 42% of homeless youth self-identify as lesbian or gay.

• 19% of lesbian and gay youth report suffering physical attacks based on their sexual orientation.

• 42% of adolescent lesbians and 34% of adolescent gay males who have suffered physical attack also attempt suicide.

• Gay and lesbian youth represent 30% of all completed teen suicide.

Information pulled from www.glsen.org.   

aCIVIL MARRIAGE FOR THE (LGBT) COMMUNITY1

Marriage is a civil right that affects over 1,049 Federal laws and 1,300 Pennsylvania laws.
No legal documents can provide all the benefits of marriage.

• file joint tax returns

• obtain joint health, home, and auto insurance policies

• apply for immigration and residency for partners from other countries

• make medical decisions on a partner’s behalf in event of illness

• take bereavement or sick leave to care for a partner or a partner’s child

• inherit jointly owned property from a partner without paying an inheritance tax

• have joint child custody, visitation, adoption, and foster care

• obtain domestic violence protective orders

Information pulled from ACLU’s website: www.aclu.org/library/aagaymarriage.html and the
Western Pennsylvania Freedom to Marry Coalition. 11/17/00   

• 14% of all hate crimes reported were committed because of the victim’s sexual orientation: 12% anti-lesbian/gay, l% anti-bisexual, and 1% anti-heterosexual (FBI report for 1997). This is an 8% increase over the percentage committed in 1996, despite a decrease in serious crimes of 2%. These statistics probably under-represent the incidents of anti-lgbt hate crime incidents since many lgbt people are reluctant to report such crimes for fear of exposure and a feeling that nothing will be done anyway.

• A report for the U.S. Department of Justice noted that "Homosexuals are probably the most frequent victims" of hate violence.

• Juries and judges often give more lenient sentences for gay-bashing than in other assault
  and murder cases.

• Pennsylvania recognized the need for hate crime legislation when it passed the Ethnic Intimidation Act, covering race, color, religion, and national origin. Sexual orientation has been added to this list as of December 2002.

Updated January 2003

Information pulled from the League of Gay and Lesbian Voters     

cNEEDS OF TRANSGENDERED INDIVIDUALS3

11/17/00