KNOWhomo

LGBTQ* By The Numbers

1 out of 4 LGBTQ* youth may be asked by their family to leave/forced out of a familiar home for coming out

Sometimes it isn’t enough for something to “get better.” Many times an embracing environment and safe space is needed immediately so a youth may grow and flourish later in life.

Allies are more than just a vote. Being an ally means being a support system and helping create safe spaces. KNOWhomo is a proud family of allies, no matter our gender identity or sexual orientation.

Source: Zebra Coalition

LGBTQ* Marriage/Civil Union Equality Info Graphics

Equality Statistics from the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force:

Here are the numbers:

• 53% to 17 %. If you’re a state or local worker with union representation you are more likely to have access to health care coverage for your same-sex partner. Fifty-three percent of state/local workers in a union had access to domestic partner benefits compared to just 17 percent for non-union employees.
• 46% to 28%. In private industry you’re more likely to have same-sex domestic partner benefits with a union (46%) than if you lack the collective bargaining power of a union (28%).
• 54% to 47%. You’re more likely to have same-sex partner survivor benefits in retirement as a state/local worker if you’re represented by a union (54%) than if you are not in a union (47%).

There are benefits beyond health insurance or retirement security that unions offer LGBT workers. Union workers can be fired only with just cause and often have access to grievance procedures and arbitration. Additionally, many union contracts do what federal law does not: prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. And unions are out front to ensure that transgender people have equal access to benefits

LGBTQ* Infographics You May Have Missed

It is in the numbers! #

Based on 2010 Census information
from Andrew Lee, 2011

LGBTQ* Infographics

The Cost of Marriage Inequality

1, 136 benefits are given to legally married couples (paired against only 200 for civil unions)

16.8 billion lost per annual from not having LGBTQ* marriage ceremonies

*for larger image click LINK OF POST, then click the graphic*

LGBTQ* Stats You Should Know 

(2012, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force)

LBGTQ* Charts and Stats

Gay Britain 

Lesbian/Gay British Statistical Life/Lifestyle Breakdown

2009-2010 

LBGTQ* Charts and Graphs

Hate Crime Statistics

(Graph from Daily Kos)

LGBTQ* Statistics We Can No Longer Ignore

Irish school polls find 1 in 5 lbgtq* students skip school because they are bullied(picture above)

It is estimate 160,000 students skip school in the US each day because of bullying

LGBTQ* Maps and Same-Sex Marriage

Northeast, 7.2-7.5 per 1,000 divorce
South (Bible Belt), 20.3 per 1,000 divorce
West, 20.7 per 1,000 divorce


Statistics from Huffington Post

LGBTQ* KNOW Your Status

Statistics from AIDS.gov

Gay, Bisexual, and Other

Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM):

By risk group, gay, bisexual, and other MSM of all races remain the population most severely affected by HIV.

• MSM account for more than half (53%) of all new HIV infections in the U.S. each year, as well as nearly half (48%) of people living with HIV.
• While CDC estimates that MSM account for just 4% of the U.S. male population aged 13 and older, the rate of new HIV diagnoses among MSM in the U.S. is more than 44 times that of other men and more than 40 times that of women.
• White MSM account for the largest number of annual new HIV infections of any group in the U.S., followed closely by black MSM.
• MSM is the only risk group in the U.S. in which new HIV infections have been increasing since the early 1990s.

Note: You sexual education is often left to your own research. Many schools do not provide strong Sexual Education classes. More schools do not offer any safe sex information for the LGBTQ* community. 

Educate Yourself. 

Be an example. Be a better person. Be Safe!

To find an HIV/AIDS testing center near you, check in with the National HIV and STD Testing Resource Page.

Statistics You Should Know

The National Mental Health Association (NMHA) (2007)

• Suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15 - 24 year olds (approx 5,000 young people) and the sixth leading cause of death for five - 15 year olds. 
- American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

• Between 1980 and 1996, the suicide rate among children aged 10–14 years increased by 100%. Suicide is the sixth leading cause of death for 5 to 15-year-olds and the third leading cause of death for 15 to 24-year olds. 
- A Month of Mental Health Facts:  Prepared by the staff of the Child Study Center

• Twenty-four percent of high school students have seriously thought about attempting suicide.
- A Month of Mental Health Facts:  Prepared by the staff of the Child Study Center

• The rate of suicide for this age group has nearly tripled since 1960, making it the third leading cause of death in adolescents and the second leading cause of death among college age youth. 
- American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

• More teenagers and young adults died as a result of suicide in 1999 than cancer, heart disease, HIV/AIDS, birth defects, stroke and chronic lung disease combined. 
- U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention

• For every older teen and young adult who takes his or her own life, 100-200 of their peers attempts suicide. Between 500,000 and 1 million young people attempt suicide each year. 
- American Association of Suicidology

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Rebecca (Moderator of KnowHomo): I realize there has been a lot of information about teenage and queer suicide statistics the last few years. I’m going to share a few more with you. Why? It is information you should know. There are people you know who struggle. Because as loved and supported as I may be, I have battled with depression for the majority of my life.

I am a survivor. I am still fighting. I want YOU to keep fighting. I need to know you are.

Support is ALWAYS one of the most important things in a person’s life. It is vital that people find someone with whom they can communicate and who will listen to the chaos that surrounds random statements. Remember, the battle may be yours but you never need to charge into it alone. 

           1-800-273-8255      National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

LGBTQ*  — Rights and Where You Stand (United States)

From GayRights.org

(at the bottom of gayrights.org there are links to every state which include information on equality and pro-lgbtq* organizations)

Here is a chart to show the condition of the USA in 2011

(updated daily with any changes in national law):

NATIONAL LAWS
Employment Non-Discrimination: No
Military Non-Discrimination: No (even with Repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, which remains in effect pending certification process followed by 60 day waiting period)
Housing Non-Discrimination: No
Education Non-Discrimination: No
Public Accommodations Non-Discrimination: No
Spousal Non-Discrimination: No (despite erroneous reports, federal government still defending discriminatory DOMA in court)
Parental Non-Discrimination: No
Health Non-Discrimination: No
Hate Crimes Coverage: Yes
Uphold Equal Protection under Law: No
Uphold Freedom of Religion: No
Uphold Equal Benefits for Taxpayers: No
Uphold Universal Declaration of Human Rights: No

PRO-DISCRIMINATION NATIONAL LAWS
Laws Requiring Americans to Discriminate: Yes in areas of Employment, Military, Housing, Education, Public Accommodations, Spousal, Parental, Health, Taxes
Actively Violates Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Yes
Higher Taxes: Employees are taxed for partner health benefits, which state- and federally-recognized spouses are not taxed

U.S. STATES
States Violating Human Rights: 45 out of 50
States Not Meeting Minimum Requirements of Democracy: 45 out of 50
Percent of USA Population living in States Violating Human Rights: 95%*
Percent of USA Population living in State Not Meeting Minimum Requirements of Democracy: 95%*

* if you set aside national government violating human rights and not meeting minimum requirements of democracy. Otherwise it would be 100%.

Lesbigay Youth Facts

(from lamda.org)

—It is estimated that in the U.S., a teen takes their own life every 5 hours because they are gay, bisexual, transgender, or lesbian, and cannot deal with the added stresses that society puts upon them.

—Several studies have found that approximately 40% of homeless “street” teens self-identify as gay/lesbian yet there are relatively few resources specifically aimed at meeting their needs.

—Homeless GLBT teens face increased risk for a variety of health and emotional problems.

—GLB youth are two to three times more likely to attempt suicide than non-gay teens, according to a 1989 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services study.

—The same study found that 30 percent of successful teen suicides are by gay or lesbian youths.

—GLBT youth are attacked at alarmingly high rates nationwide.

—Queer youth are more likely to be attacked physically.

—Queer youth are at increased risk for drug/alcohol problems and dropping out of school.

—An estimated 40% of street kids are lesbian or gay.  These youth have either run away or been thrown out of their homes.  Many get involved with prostitution and other abusive behaviors as a way of surviving

—Many bisexual, gay and lesbian youth drop out of school due to harassment or low self-esteem, and fear of “being found out.”

—Studies have found that more than 25% of gay and lesbian youth have severe drug and alcohol problems.

—Those who believe they don’t know someone who is gay are more likely than those who do to reject equal rights for, and equal treatment of, GLBT people.

—Early exposure to diversity and sexuality issues helps to reduce prejudice and homophobia, including internalized homophobia which often leads to self-destructive behaviors.

—Teenagers and young adults are among the leading perpetrators of anti-gay violence.