Hot on HuffPost Parents:
Charlotte Robinson: LISTEN: How Gay And Lesbian Couples Become…
New Turnaround Teacher 'Trying To Get It Right' In Tough School
Gay Teens Engage in Destructive Behavior, CDC Reports
Filed under: In The News, Alcohol & Drugs, Relationships
Gay, lesbian and bisexual teenagers are more likely to engage in self-destructive behavior. Credit: AFP/Getty Images
Gay teenagers are routinely harassed, bullied and ostracized, as we've often seen in the news. And then there are their own emotional conflicts and doubts piled upon the usual adolescent angst.
It is no wonder that a study, released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, concludes that gay, lesbian and bisexual teenagers are more likely to engage in self-destructive behavior -- smoking, drinking, illegal drugs, unprotected sex and attempted suicide -- than their straight peers.
The new study is based on data from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveys, Time magazine reports. The surveys were conducted from 2001 to 2009 among high school students in New York City, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco, Milwaukee and San Diego.
Teens were asked about everything from whether or not they used heroin to whether or not they buckled their seat belts.
"This report should be a wake-up call," Dr. Howell Wechsler, the director of CDC's Division of Adolescent and School Health, tells Time. "We are very concerned that these students face such dramatic disparities for so many different health risks."
A cause of these risky behaviors is a lack of safe and supportive environments, according to the Advocate, a gay publication.
CDC officials call for state and local governments to take action, such as creating gay-straight alliances.
Better information is also needed, the Advocate indicates. In 2009, the last year the survey was taken, only 10 states and seven large school districts asked whether students were gay or bisexual.
Your<span>Voice</span>
Ask Us Anything About Parenting
TheTalkies:RelatedVideos
-
Cheat! GTA: The Ballad of Gay Tony Phone Number Cheats
Kristin Adams gives you tips and tricks for navigating the rough streets of Liberty City in 'Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony'. Get cheat codes to enter into your in-game cell phone to get the Parachute, Buzzard, Bullet GT, NRG 900 and more.
-
Importance of Support for the Gay Youth
Gay teenagers need the support from their parents when they are coming out and trying to figure out what their place will be in society.
-
Rob Reiner and Michele Reiner Honored By GLSEN
Filmmaker Rob Reiner and his wife Michele will be honored by GLSEN during the organization's annual event on October 21, 2011. GLSEN is the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network and the organization works with educators, policy makers, community leaders and students on the urgent need to address anti-LGBT behavior and bias in schools. Speaking on what he likes most about the organization.
-
Nandoism on Gay Teenage Suicide
Nando discusses his thoughts on gay teenage suicide.
SitesWeLove
- Site Map
- |
- Staff
- |
- Terms of Service
- |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Trademarks
- |
- Advertise With Us
- |
- About Our Ads
- |
- AOL Downloads
- |
- Contact Us
- |
© Copyright 2012 AOL Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Aol Family