A person might think that homosexuality is no longer a taboo in the 21st century, but the sad truth is that many people from all over the globe still nurture prejudice and hatred towards the LGBTQ community.
It’s a major issue, particularly if you know that over 1.8 million LGBTQ youth between the ages of 13 and 24 in the US seriously consider suicide each year. The main reason is that 92% of young homosexuals report hearing negative messages about being a member of the non-heterosexual cohort. At the same time, nearly 30% of gay and lesbian teens drop out of high school because of social discomfort.
As a student, you should be prepared for it and know what to expect when you enroll in a new school or college. The fact that you are a homosexual can make a major impact on your student life, so keep reading to see five common problems you will have to deal with.
1. Discrimination and Harassment
If there is one thing every homosexual student is facing, it must be discrimination paired with harassment. If you don’t find an LGBTQ-friendly school or college, rest assured you will bump into colleagues who don’t share your attitudes and can’t wait to tell it to your face.
Of course, this issue comes in many forms. Jake Gardner, an assignment help expert at the paper service agency, pinpoints the most frequent types of discrimination:
- Social avoidance: This is the easiest case of discrimination, but it is not any less awkward.
- Bullying: Most individuals with anti-LGBTQ attitudes will try to bully homosexuals using jokes and sarcastic remarks.
- Harassment and violence: The worst-case scenario is to experience direct violence and harassment.
2. Problems with Mental Health
Discrimination is the main cause of mental health issues because a lot of homosexuals cannot deal with so much hatred and social isolation.
First of all, you might start feeling lonely since there are not enough friends you can hang out with. It often leads to complete isolation and alienation. This problem can ruin your self-esteem and destroy your social confidence.
Secondly, you could gradually fall into despair, anxiety, and depression. According to the report, the prevalence of depression among gay men is three times higher than the general adult population. When combined, all these factors can inspire suicidal thoughts.
3. Relationship Issues
Another thing you need to be aware of is that homosexuals frequently go through various relationship issues. How can this affect you during your student years? Let’s take a look:
- Trouble making friends: Gays will rarely hang out with male friends because of the widespread discrimination against homosexuals.
- Trouble finding a partner: Bearing in mind that the LGBTQ community is relatively small, it might not be so easy to find a partner and establish a genuine relationship.
- Safe sex issues: Young gays usually don’t have enough knowledge about safe sex, which in turn leads to STDs.
- Violence: Violence is present both in hetero and homosexual relationships, but gay men are less likely to report it.
4. Homosexuals Can Become Addicts Easily
A typical gay student has to deal with too many problems in everyday life, so it’s not a surprise to learn that homosexuals can easily fall into the addiction trap.
A report shows that LGBT youths are more likely than heterosexual students to report high levels of drug use and feelings of depression. This goes for everything from cigarettes to alcohol to drug abuse, so you better be careful not to surrender to the feeling and try to find an escape in substance abuse.
5. Family Rejection
Finally, one of the worst things that can happen to young homosexuals is to experience rejection from their family members. Researchers found that 50% of gay people faced negative reactions when coming out to their parents.
Needless to say, victimization is the last thing you need from your family. Although the issue is still neglected by the majority of health institutions, it is clear that family support means the world to homosexuals and prevents suicidal behavior and substance abuse in many cases.
The Bottom Line
Being a homosexual in school or college is not easy. You need to be aware of it and prepare for the challenges every member of the LGBTQ community faces sooner or later. In this article, we highlighted the five most common ways your student life can be affected because of your homosexuality. Keep it in mind and don’t hesitate to ask for help and support if you need it!
AUTHOR BIO
Michael Gorman is a paper writer and one of the best essay writers in London, UK. As a member of the best essay writing services UK, Michael is a passionate analyst of psychology and human rights. He is the father of a lovely toddler and a dedicated long-distance runner.
