LGBTQ+ Youth Resources
Maybe you are a b
oy and you like other boys, or you are a girl and you like other girls.
Maybe you feel like the body you were born into… does not match how you think or feel your body should be. Or… maybe you have no idea how you feel sexually, and are looking for what to call it.
Regardless of what your situation is, there are places you can go for help, and you are not alone. I know it can feel that way. I know you feel like you will be judged if you ever tell anyone about how you feel. But the simple fact is that there are people you can go to for help, and you might just find that your friends and family will care about you even if they know what your sexual feelings are.
I Like Other Boys/Girls Like Me or I Feel Like My Body Does Not Fit Me
LGBTQ stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning. You can find resources in your area to help you by searching here and plugging in your city or area. If you have a school counselor, they can have resources to help you. You need to know that there are thousands of other kids who feel the same way you do.
No one gets to tell you how you feel. Only you know that. If you have never told anyone about how you feel, it can be really scary to even think about talking to someone, but I promise you will feel better if you tell someone you know that really, really cares about you.
How do you go about telling someone how you feel? There are lots and lots of tools you can use, and telling people how you feel is called “coming out of the closet”. I am not sure who started that phrase, but your feelings do not belong in a closet, and talking to people can help you. There are some people that are not safe to “come out” to, but chances are you already know who they are. Maybe they are a boy and they make fun of others who like boys by calling them names, or maybe they just like to make fun of people in general.
No matter what your situation is, there is help! You cannot control who you like or how you feel, and maybe you still are not sure how you feel yet. No problem! You can still talk to people about it, and there are even phone numbers you can call or websites that can help you. Search around!
Some hotlines you can call are:
1-800-850-8078 – This is the Trevor Helpline Crisis Intervention, open to calls any time of day.
1-888-843-4564 – This is the Gay and Lesbian National Hotline, open Monday-Friday, from 6 pm-11 pm Eastern time.