17c起草社区

Young 17c起草社区IA+ people in Western Australia are continuing to face harassment, discrimination and fears of homelessness despite growing public acceptance and visibility, according to a new IDAHOBIT campaign launched by the Youth Pride Network.

The campaign, titled 鈥�I Just Want to Feel Safe鈥�, is amplifying the experiences of queer young people across WA while calling for stronger anti-vilification protections, Equal Opportunity Act reform and a ban on conversion practices.

It comes as advocates warn many 17c起草社区IA+ young people still do not feel safe at school, in public spaces or even within their own families.

IDAHOBIT campaign highlights ongoing discrimination in WA

chair Troy Wood said the campaign was driven by years of research and direct conversations with queer young people throughout the state.

鈥淚 guess that’s from a lot of our research and conversations,鈥� Wood told The 17c起草社区.

The organisation鈥檚 State of Play research found only 32 per cent of 17c起草社区IA+ students feel they can be openly 鈥渙ut鈥� at school, while many report bullying, discrimination, physical violence and homophobic language from both peers and staff.

The campaign also cites research from Minus18 showing one in two 17c起草社区IA+ young people experienced verbal harassment in the past year because of anti-17c起草社区IA+ hate, while only 15 per cent feel safe being openly queer in public spaces.

Wood said recent visits to school queer groups in Perth reinforced how severe the situation remains.

鈥淲e had about half the group who said we can’t because we’re too afraid our parents are going to kick us out and we’ll be homeless, or we won’t be supported or we would be harassed and discriminated against,鈥� he said.

鈥淭hat was young people from the ages of 12 to 16 who said, I cannot be in a photo. I cannot make this public. I cannot be safe outside of this group, because I genuinely fear for my safety.鈥�

鈥淲e’ve got so much further to go, and even though so many people go, ‘Oh, in 2017, marriage equality was reached with this pinnacle of what we can achieve’, there’s still queer young people, who are looking down the barrel of homelessness.鈥�

The campaign follows ongoing harassment directed at queer youth spaces, including Youth Pride Network鈥檚 Queer Prom, which organisers say was targeted by coordinated abuse online and in the media last year.

Safe spaces are more important than ever, yet many are facing harassment and discriminatory tactics aimed at shutting them down, the organisation said.

鈥淨ueer people are being targeted, and sometimes being targeted by groups, and it’s just it’s an untenable truth that is currently occurring,鈥� Wood said.

鈥淲e need support, and we need specific legislation to protect our community.鈥�

Youth Pride Network is using the IDAHOBIT campaign to push for anti-vilification reform in WA, where current anti-vilification protections largely apply only to race.

The organisation is also calling for youth safe enforcement mechanisms and stronger responses to hate crimes targeting queer communities.

Wood said discrimination and hostility continue to have major impacts on the mental health of queer young people.

鈥淎s we know, young people, queer people specifically, have a higher rate of self harm, suicide, depression,鈥� he said.

鈥淨ueer young people sometimes access services in West Australia, like Freedom Center, come to our queer DND, and some of them will come up to us and report that that’s the only place that they feel like they belong, that they feel safe.鈥�

He also reflected on the impact safe events can have for 17c起草社区IA+ youth and their families.

鈥淲hen we did Queer Prom two years ago, there was a parent of a young person who attended the queer prom, and this dad came up and said to us ‘this’ the first time I’ve seen my child smile and just make friends so easily in that kind of environment’.鈥�

鈥淚 guess that’s kind of stuck with me, saying that these young people have so much of the potential to live life to the fullest, but they’re not being let because let or they’re not enabled to be able to live their life to the fullest because of the systems that are currently in place.鈥�

Despite the challenges, Wood said young queer people continue to show resilience and strength.

鈥淚 would say you’re so loved, you’re so resilient, and you being your authentic self is a gift to this world,鈥� he said.

鈥淭here is a light at the end of the tunnel.鈥�