Students combat anti-LGBTQ hate

By Jessie Wang and Lisa Chasanov Assistant News Editor and Staff Writer

A recent poll by the Trevor Project, a nonprofit organization that aims to reduce suicide rates among LGBTQ+ youth, reported that 86% of transgender and nonbinary youth experience worsened mental health resulting from political discussion surrounding transgender issues.

In response to anti-LGBTQ+ messaging in the media and the resulting dangers being faced by the queer community, advocacy groups across the country are promoting the interests of affected youth through programming, social media outreach and events in their communities.

Nicole Frydman is the director of operations at Uniting Pride of Champaign County, a local nonprofit organization that provides LGBTQ+ support, advocacy and education.

According to Frydman, LGBTQ+ youth are in greater danger now than they have been in recent years.

“Queer and trans youth are a target in a way they never have been before in some very scary ways,” Frydman said.

Frydman emphasized that youth voices are an integral part of advocacy for LGBTQ+ issues.

“It’s one thing to, as adults, be speaking about these things … but it’s another thing to allow young people to lead and to have a voice in this conversation,” Frydman said.

According to research conducted by the Trevor Project, some of those most affected by political discussions targeting LGBTQ+ issues are young people living in rural communities.

Aydin Tariq, sophomore at Mattoon High School, said that being a queer student in Mattoon, a rural town with a population of about 17,000, can be trying.

“Students living in these rural communities are feeling a lack of representation by the people who lead them and they’re feeling very isolated and alienated,” Tariq said.

“It is our job to help the leaders and the people making decisions about our schools,” Tariq said. “Passion has the ability to change minds, laws and the future of this country.”

Tariq said that because their peers will soon have the power to influence many social issues, it is crucial for young people to stay informed and engaged.

“The future generation — they’re the next group of critical thinkers and leaders destined to take positions in power and leadership,” Tariq said. “We’re the ones that are going into the workforce and becoming voters … It’s our responsibility to take (on) a lot of the issues that are plaguing the world today.”

In Tariq’s opinion, youth have not been sufficiently included in impor - tant discussions in the past, but social media has given many young people a necessary platform.

“For so long, the youth voice has been sort of silenced and quiet because we haven’t had the opportunities to speak out,” Tariq said.

Though social media provides the opportunity to speak out on important issues, it has also amplified existing voices with hateful intentions.

According to research published in 2022 by the Human Rights Campaign, hateful “grooming” rhetoric against the LGBTQ+ community on social media has increased by 400% since the passing of Florida’s recently controversial “Don’t Say Gay” bill.

Such comments have not only come from individual users of social media — elected officials have also promoted similar anti-LGBTQ+ messaging to their constituents.

Tariq said that in a conservative town like Mattoon, people are less likely to be exposed to diverse perspectives.

“When we look at students — specifically queer students in Mattoon — they’re dealing with a student body that looks at them with animosity,” Tariq said.

Tariq said that representation in the media is important because it creates a sense of belonging and combats discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community.

“Our media needs to accurately represent society as a whole,” Tariq said. lisamc3@dailyillini.com jessiew4@dailyillini.com

Tariq has made LGBTQ+ advocacy a personal priority throughout their life. Most recently, as part of the PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs Advisory Team, Tariq has engaged with queer students from diverse communities across the country.

Tariq is also a member of Mattoon High School’s Spectrum Alliance, an organization meant to help queeridentifying peers feel supported in a political climate that normally alienates them.

Tariq met Frydman at a Uniting Pride event hosted at a local summer camp. Afterwards, Tariq reached out to Frydman in the hopes of collaborating with Uniting Pride on a Transgender Day of Visibility rally.

According to Frydman, the Board’s response toward the rally was overwhelmingly positive.

The rally, scheduled for Friday at the McKinley Memorial Presbyterian Church, was postponed due to inclement weather, but the organizers still believe that it is “incredibly important” for the local LGBTQ+ community.

“We want to do everything we can to make space, not just for this local teenager, but for all the youth in our community,” Frydman said.