Fitting in. It’s what most teenagers aspire to do. Sure, there are outliers who do things like dye their hair bright colors and pierce multiple body parts to draw attention to themselves. But very few teens want to be too different. And being on the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, questioning) spectrum definitely qualifies as different. Most recent statistics estimate that just 3.5 percent of adults identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual; 0.3 percent identify as transgender. As for the under-18 population, statistics on sexual orientation are hard to find. That comes as no surprise, given that many teenagers on the LGBTQ spectrum have yet to come out to themselves, let alone anyone else. But that’s changing. Teenagers are coming out earlier than ever, some as young as 13 and 14. In many cases, they’re finding a supportive environment upon sharing their sexual orientation—with family, friends, and at school. Three students… Read More
The post LGBTQ Teens: Going Public in the Private Schools appeared first on Baltimore Fishbowl.