Most people experience challenges while growing up. It is the same with many LGBT youth, only more so. In School, most of these kids experience harassment, bullying and cyberbullying, hostile environments and a lack of support from teachers and school staff. One survey found nearly two thirds of LGBTQ students felt unsafe because of their gender expression and many have missed school for this reason. There are also higher levels of depression reported among students victimized for their sexual orientation or gender expression. One study showed that LGBTQ youth are four times more likely to attempt suicide that their peers, and nearly half of these youth have seriously considered taking their lives. Advocates say that these issues are far from resolved despite the national attention on bullying and suicide in recent years. They say LGBTQ children need supportive educators, enactment of comprehensive bullying and harassment policies, and safe spaces such as Gay-Straight Alliances integrated into our schools to solve some of the problems LGBTQ youths face while growing up.

Proposed Legislation: Reintroduction of H.R.1379 - Protecting LGBTQ Youth Act (117th Congress 2021-2022)
Prospective Sponsor: Rep. David Scott (GA)

• I oppose reforming current LGBTQ youth policy and wish to donate resources to the campaign committee of Speaker Mike Johnson (LA).
• I support expanding programs that prevent and treat child abuse and neglect to address issues facing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth by including:
  
  1.) Research and reporting requirements.
  2.) Providing technical assistance.
  3.) Grants to states and local agencies to train child-welfare personnel.
  4.) Community-based prevention-service grants.
  
  And wish to donate resources to the campaign committee of Rep. David Scott (GA) and/or to an advocate group currently working with this issue.