Do you hope your child isnt gay? These statistics have many saying yes. We love our gay friends and family members, and it may be uncomfortable to tell them something like this. They may take offense to it or even claim that you are "homophobic", yes, the term that is thrown around whenever something perceived as negative about the GLBTC is mentioned. But this has nothing to do with how one feels about homosexuals, and only a heterophobic would think it does.
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force "National Anti-Gay/Lesbian Victimization Report" concludes from its survey: 45% of gay males and 20% of lesbians surveyed reported having experienced verbal harrassment and or physical violence during high school as a result of their sexual orientation.
In a survey of lesbians and gay men in Pennsylvania, 33% of gay men and 34% of lesbians reported suffering physical violence at the hands of a family member as a result of their sexual orientation.
In a psychological study of 484 students at six community colleges conducted by Dr Karen Franklin, 18% of the men interviewed admitted that they had committed physical violence or threats against men and or women they perceived to be gay or lesbian.
Gay statistic studies over the past 7 years have indicated that 25% to 40% of young lesbians and gays have attempted suicide. ("Here For Life" Youth Sexuality Project)
Although homosexuals account for less than two percent of the population. they constitute about a third of child molesters.6 (6. K. Freund and R.I. Watson, "The Proportions of Heterosexual and Homosexual Pedophiles Among Sex Offenders Against Children: An Exploratory Study," )
In 2007 the Los Angeles Times reported the frequency of methamphetamine use is twenty times greater among homosexuals than in the general population
a national survey of female homosexuals was published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology which found that 75 percent of the approximate 2,000 respondents had pursued psychological counseling of some type, many for treatment of long-term depression or sadness
Eighty-four percent of GLBT students report being verbally harassed — name-calling, threats etc. — at school (GLSEN 2003).
Hate crimes against GLBT Americans are on the rise, even as other violent crimes continue to decline (FBI Hate Crimes Statistics 2004)
80% of lesbian, gay and bisexual youth report severe isolation problems. They experience social isolation, emotional isolation and cognitive isolation. (Hetrick. E.S. Martin.A.D., Journal of Homosexuality)
97% of students in public high schools report regularly hearing homophobic remarks from their peers. (Making Schools Safe for Gay and Lesbian Youth: Report of Mass. Governor's Commission)
53% of students report hearing homophobic comments made by school staff. (Making Schools Safe for Gay and Lesbian Youth: Report of Mass. Governor's Commission)
68% of adolescent gay males use alcohol and 44% use other drugs; 83% of lesbians use alcohol and 56% use other drugs. (Hunter. J. Unpublished research by the Columbia University HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies)
In a study of depression and gay youth, researchers found depression strikes homosexual youth four to five times more severely than their non-gay peers. (Making Schools Safe for Gay and Lesbian Youth: Report of Mass. Governor's Commission)
In closing, i ask you to be objective when asking yourselves this question. I also ask that our gay friends not to be offended by this question, as many of us feel it to be important. A yes to this question in NO WAY constitutes homophobia. Thank you for your time.