LGBT Youth & Youth Participation

Globallove Youth Trust (Wales, UK) & Center for Intercultural Dialogue (MK) – Youth in Action Programme: Action 3.1

LGBT Youth & Youth Participation A Facilitation Handbook Gianni Dibiase, Troodia Theodorou, Jovanna Zdravkovic, Elisabetta D’Angelo, Milica Dimitrijevic & Ionna Vasiliou

th

rd

“ACTive YOUth!!!” 16 -23 of June 2013 Mavrovo, Macedonia Youth in action Programme: Action 3.1 Seminar

LGBT Youth

By Vievela from Deviant art

LGBT is the acronyms that refers to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community. The aim of this handbook is to provide general tools and a methodology for people working in young organization and environments.

The main purpose is to improve the situation of LGBT community, in order to include people in social life of their own countries.

The LGBT situation is different all over the world, in each country, town and local community, and most of the time the LGBT people suffer of violence, hate speech consequences.

Although all, there are some common aspects related to the other that can be taken into account and be analyzed. th

rd

“ACTive YOUth!!!� 16 -23 of June 2013 Mavrovo, Macedonia Youth in action Programme: Action 3.1 Seminar

It is very important to identify the main obstacles that prevent the social inclusion of the LGBT people. This step is fundamental in order to understand which are the conditions that can facilitate the LGBT life, and take the appropriate solutions to their needs.

Finally there are some simple suggestions for LGBT people and their wonderful friends to make the acceptance of sexual orientations easier.

Overview contains three parts List of obstacles that affects youth participation; list of conditions that encourage youth participation and list of solutions for the overcoming obstacles and let youth GLBT participate wider.

List of obstacles:            

Homophobic people Lack of laws Religion Unemployment Discrimination Bulling Lack of knowledge Feeling different (alone, excluded) Prejudice (stereotypes) Homophobia inside the LGBT community Lack of organizations No acceptance

By Shanonaut from Deviant Art

th

rd

“ACTive YOUth!!!” 16 -23 of June 2013 Mavrovo, Macedonia Youth in action Programme: Action 3.1 Seminar

List of conditions that encourage youth participation:        

Promoting LGBT issues and make people know about them, in order to break stereotypes Presence of law that protect LGBT community Support of politicians and straight people Support from friends and family because they have big physic influence Raising awareness of people about how much words can hurt Promotion of social events Have LGBT model to refer to Support LGBT organizations in different countries

List of solutions for overcoming the obstacles:      

Psychological support for LGBT More social networks in homophobic country Law implementation in real life Creating of new LGBT organization and connecting with other organizations Shelter for endangered people Financial support from government

Tool, tips, tricks and communication methods: Acceptance of yourself sexual orientation in an homophobic country/ culture These tips are aimed to LGBT people who may be listening to, or reading them; as well as to people who want to forward them to their friends and people they work with.

In no way these few lines are addressed to make people feel forced to be out or have homosexual behavior in public putting themselves in dangerous situations. All these sentences must be taken for their general meaning and adapted to everyone’ life and contexts.

th

rd

“ACTive YOUth!!!” 16 -23 of June 2013 Mavrovo, Macedonia Youth in action Programme: Action 3.1 Seminar

By neonstz from Deviant art

    

   

Being gay is more something about feelings and emotions than sex. Start breaking your own stereotypes and leave your own homophobia away.

Understand that there is only one life and maybe you are not living yours. There will not be another chance to be yourself.

Understand that being gay does not invades others’ freedom, thus you do not need to feel sorry and guilty for it.

Understand that you can be gay and happy at the same time.

If the previous point does not work, just take it easier thinking that your sexual orientation is just a part of yourself, even if an important one, but your are much more. Thus try to concentrate also on things of yourself you can easily accept and that you like. So enjoy your time!

Never give up and give yourself always and other chance to be happy.

The tunnel always ends with a bend; you may be just few steps before the end, even if you cannot see the light, yet. So just turn around, change your point of view and step out.

If you are really lost and you do not know what direction to take, your emotions never lies, follow them, the one that makes you feel better and they will lead you trough your way.

This point refers to all the wonderful people around the LGBT community. It is very easy to see panic in their eyes when questioned by their gay friends in trouble with some questions they have no idea how to answer to. They just need to know that often listening to their friends is very important and supportive as their human touch can reach goals that no word, academy and books can do. th

rd

“ACTive YOUth!!!” 16 -23 of June 2013 Mavrovo, Macedonia Youth in action Programme: Action 3.1 Seminar

Authors: Gianni Dibiase (Italy), Troodia Theodorou (Cyprus), Jovanna Zdravkovic (Serbia), Elisabetta D’Angelo (Italy), Milica Dimitrijevic (Serbia) & Ionna Vasiliou (Cyprus)

th

rd

“ACTive YOUth!!!” 16 -23 of June 2013 Mavrovo, Macedonia Youth in action Programme: Action 3.1 Seminar