Transitions: Working with GLBTQ Youth
Volume 14, No. 4, June 2002 This Transitions is also available in [PDF] format. By Kael Parker, 21, Former Online Peer Educator with www.YouthResource.com, Advocates for Youth
Recently, an old friend reminded me that, when I first came out as queer, I thought I'd never be a part of "that activist scene." It's funny to see how much my life has changed since then, and how much of that change I owe to my experiences with GLBT youth activism.
In the beginning, activism was more of a social activity for me than anything else; I did it because my friends did it. That might never have changed if I hadn't come out as transgendered. Living as a transguy in rural Maine isn't easy, and I knew I needed support. I turned to the Internet and met a lot of other young guys like me. It was incredible, and I believe that, were it not for their courage and openness, I would have been unable to be honest with myself and my friends and family about my own life.
I built a Web site as a way to communicate with online friends and share a little more about myself. Then, I began getting e-mail from people who appreciated what I was doing, which really made all my time and effort worthwhile. Now, through my site—which started out just as a way to keep in touch with my friends—I am able to help other people.
After launching my Web site, I started working with a queer youth/adult collaborative based in Portland, Maine, that provides peer support, education, and outreach in the local community. Through the speakers bureau, I have 40 to 50 yearly speaking engagements at schools and conferences for medical and mental health professionals and others. Speaking and, hopefully, leaving audiences with something to think about is probably the most rewarding work I do. I think about how much it would have meant to me if someone had come into my high school and talked about sexuality and gender identity in a positive way, and I feel lucky to have the opportunity to do that for other youth.
I also work as an online peer educator with Advocates for Youth's Web site, www.youthresource.com, fielding questions from visitors to the site. I love being a part of the Advocates family, knowing that I've been well trained and that I have a strong support system to enable me to help other youth with their concerns. I enjoy the opportunity to reach a wide range of people, and I've had only positive experiences working as a peer educator.
I learned early on that networking—connecting with other people doing similar work—is critical to successful activism. Each time I meet someone new, whether that's a teacher, a young person asking how to make an organization more trans-inclusive, or someone whose partner has just come out as trans, a door opens up to possibilities that weren't there before.
Of course, there are some drawbacks to being open about my life. A lot of people don't agree with who I am and the causes I support, and I am an easy target for them as a result of being so "out." I've gotten nasty e-mail and snide remarks, and there have been times when I've felt physically unsafe. These things make me see even more clearly how important this work really is. I am glad to feel strong and proud and able to put myself out there to help other people. I know activism will continue to be a big part of my life. Sometimes I feel like there is great change … in the right direction, but then there are other days, like when I realize the partners of the gay September 11th victims aren't going to get federal relief, that I feel like a second class citizen.
Youth interviewed online3 Click here to view the endnotes.
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Transitions (ISSN 1097-1254) © 2002, is a quarterly publication of Advocates for Youth—Helping young people make safe and responsible decisions about sex. For permission to reprint, contact Transitions' editor at 202.419.3420.
Editor: Sue Alford
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