Bullying and sexism: Amazon center fights for queer youth rights!

Bullying and sexism: Amazon center fights for queer youth rights!

The Girl*Impulse Day In the Amazonzentrum, great popularity enjoyed today. The event devoted itself to the challenges with which girls and queer young people are faced. A central topic was the increasing pressure, which young people are exposed to by politics, social media and social backlash. Above all, bullying, sexism and discrimination are increasing.

The high number of reports of sexual harassment on the Internet is particularly worrying. Many girls and queer adolescents describe experiences with verbal attacks and bullying at school. In addition, they often express fear of talking to their parents about problems in social media, which could indicate a lack of support from the social environment.

discrimination experiences of queer adolescents

In view of the stressful life situation of young LSBTIQ* (lesbians, gays, bisexuals, trans*, intersex and queer persons) in Germany shows a survey that around 9% of 14 to 15 year olds do not only identify heterosexual. This corresponds to about 1.25 million young queer people. reported it is not uncommon for young people to experience discrimination in their social environment.

Around 1.4% of adolescents aged 13 to 17 identify as trans*, which corresponds to almost 200,000 young trans* and non-binary persons. Many of them become aware of their gender identity in early childhood. The period between the internal and external coming-out is an average of 7 years for trans* girls, 4 years for trans* boys and almost 3 years for gender diverse young people. According to another study , almost half of the young trans* and non-binary people say that they recognize their identity in primary school age.

challenges and support needs

Many young LSBTIQ* have to struggle with conflicts in their families and desperately search for suitable advice centers, especially in rural areas. The courage to come-out is often caught in the circle of friends, followed by the attempt to come out in the family. The fear of negative reactions is great and leads to many young people under pressure.

The recommendations to improve the situation of young queer people are diverse. This includes considering your needs in child and youth welfare and creating specific support options. The young people often find support in queer communities and through an exchange with like -minded people.

summarized it is shown that the challenges with which girls and queer adolescents are confronted urgently require more public attention and measures. In order to counter discrimination, not only the education of initiatives such as the Amazon Association, but also a social change that promotes the visibility and acceptance of LSBTIQ*ways of life.