Credible resources are important. This is always the case. Believe me, I’m an English teacher.
Unfortunately, credible resources are not exactly simple.
Some topics have a wealth of resources which create a variety of conflicting opinions you have to tease through. Other issues have a small pool of resources to pick from causing you to lose out on valuable, silenced perspectives.
Especially where the LGBT+ minority is concerned.
Unfortunately, credible resources are not exactly simple.
Some topics have a wealth of resources which create a variety of conflicting opinions you have to tease through. Other issues have a small pool of resources to pick from causing you to lose out on valuable, silenced perspectives.
Especially where the LGBT+ minority is concerned.
So why does this matter?
When it comes to your identity, having a variety of resources, opinions, and people to learn from is vital, but can give you more misinformation. And on the other hand, you cannot, or at least should not, tailor yourself to fit a smaller pool of resources that could be incorrect.
So in this blog, we’re going to teach you how to identify credible information, and deal with the regrettably low amount of information out there for LGBTQ+ people.
So in this blog, we’re going to teach you how to identify credible information, and deal with the regrettably low amount of information out there for LGBTQ+ people.
Now, there are three types of resources for information.
1. Primary sources are fist-hand accounts of individual stories. are necessary because they are the easiest to empathize with.
They’re people telling you stories about who they are. They can come from friends, family, or even some random blogger, but their stories are raw and authentic to themselves.
2. Secondary sources like articles, reviews, and academic papers, break down the stories, identify trends among similar stories, and provide validation to a single person’s or group’s experience.
3. Tertiary resources like Wikipedia pages, textbooks and encyclopedias zoom out and compile all of the first-person data, and reviews to present it in a bigger format. Conflicting stories can be put together to establish the pros and cons. They can more reliably illustrate the complexity of situations. They make it easier to access and to trust.
They’re people telling you stories about who they are. They can come from friends, family, or even some random blogger, but their stories are raw and authentic to themselves.
2. Secondary sources like articles, reviews, and academic papers, break down the stories, identify trends among similar stories, and provide validation to a single person’s or group’s experience.
3. Tertiary resources like Wikipedia pages, textbooks and encyclopedias zoom out and compile all of the first-person data, and reviews to present it in a bigger format. Conflicting stories can be put together to establish the pros and cons. They can more reliably illustrate the complexity of situations. They make it easier to access and to trust.
How this works in LGBTQ+ Communities
The problem that LGBTQ+ folks face is a blatant lack of resources about identity.
There are medical, social, and legal questions, among others that people can’t find answers to in a simple google search. There isn’t really a good way to “google” a feeling.
Attempting to do so can also be dangerous. Our blog on safe internet browsing practices explains how dangerous it can be to find high-quality resources if you are stealth/closeted and share a computer with not-so-friendly people.
While this problem affects everyone, LGBTQ+ youth are at an extreme disadvantage. So let’s talk about resources in the context of youth.
There are medical, social, and legal questions, among others that people can’t find answers to in a simple google search. There isn’t really a good way to “google” a feeling.
Attempting to do so can also be dangerous. Our blog on safe internet browsing practices explains how dangerous it can be to find high-quality resources if you are stealth/closeted and share a computer with not-so-friendly people.
While this problem affects everyone, LGBTQ+ youth are at an extreme disadvantage. So let’s talk about resources in the context of youth.
Example: Youth Access to LGBTQ+ Resources
They are out in the world, discovering themselves for the first time, and want help but they're not getting it.
The map below lists all of the states with “no promo homo” laws. While the name sounds hilarious, the intentions are more nefarious.
These “no promo homo” laws silence students and teachers from talking about LGBTQ+ issues.
The map below lists all of the states with “no promo homo” laws. While the name sounds hilarious, the intentions are more nefarious.
These “no promo homo” laws silence students and teachers from talking about LGBTQ+ issues.
Sources: Human Rights Watch | Lambda Legal
They prevent critical information from being taught to LGBTQ youth.
And sadly, This only records policy. Not Culture. This information is not being taught in tons of grey states either.
These laws directly impact students’ health and well-being. The red states showed actively suppress LGBTQ sex education. If you, a student or a parent of an LGBT+ student, find yourself in want or need of better sex education, you’ll have to find better resources.
And sadly, This only records policy. Not Culture. This information is not being taught in tons of grey states either.
These laws directly impact students’ health and well-being. The red states showed actively suppress LGBTQ sex education. If you, a student or a parent of an LGBT+ student, find yourself in want or need of better sex education, you’ll have to find better resources.
As an immediate resource, might we suggest the Queer Sex Ed podcast?!"
Without proper curriculum in place for youth to learn about different identities that may apply to them, we end up in one of several places. The darkest of these places is self-harm and suicide.
Take these resources which offer rare but insightful data on how a lack of resources affect youth:
Take these resources which offer rare but insightful data on how a lack of resources affect youth:
Why finding Quality Resources is VITAL
Despite these studies being crucial resources necessary for schools to provide to suicidal youth, they were, unfortunately, tricky to find.
And it’s not going to get any easier.
The Census Bureau, our nation’s primary source for data, announced in March of 2017, that it would not include LGBTQ questions on the 2020 census.
After reading the Planned 2020 census, the only whisper of sexuality I found was in the “relationship to housemates section,” So LGBTQ+ people would have to be married to and/or living with a same-sex partner to count as LGBTQ if they even report their marriage, to begin with. There is no mention of gender identity.
This may be looking pretty grim for you if you are an LGBTQ-identified person searching for resources. But we at RESCQU NET are working on it.
And it’s not going to get any easier.
The Census Bureau, our nation’s primary source for data, announced in March of 2017, that it would not include LGBTQ questions on the 2020 census.
After reading the Planned 2020 census, the only whisper of sexuality I found was in the “relationship to housemates section,” So LGBTQ+ people would have to be married to and/or living with a same-sex partner to count as LGBTQ if they even report their marriage, to begin with. There is no mention of gender identity.
This may be looking pretty grim for you if you are an LGBTQ-identified person searching for resources. But we at RESCQU NET are working on it.
Check out our impressive LGBTQ resource database which has vetted primary and secondary sources for your needs. And if you’d need some 1-on-1 support finding resources, check out our online support groups!
About the Author: Erin Tschudi
Erin is the volunteer with the largest tenure here at RESCQU.NET because it allows her to keep connected with the LGBT+ community. As a bi woman who is soon to be getting married to her future husband she feels deeply for the community and wants to keep that connection. So she works to train our volunteers, welcome our new community members, and keep the wheels turning.
RSS Feed
