Networks Available To Help Bullied Gay Teens

The AP (10/5, Italie) reports that advocates for gay teenagers say that recent suicides of "teens who were believed to have been victims of anti-gay bullying point to the need for even more widespread help" for these students. The AP points out some existing programs aimed at helping gay teens. They include Gay-Straight Alliances (GLSEN) in about 4,000 schools nationwide. "Another nonprofit focused on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth, the Trevor Project, operates a free, confidential hotline (866 4-U-Trevor) for counseling and suicide prevention around the clock." Eliza Byard, executive director of GLSEN, told the AP, "The single most important line of defense for young people in crisis is a network of visibly supportive adults, in their own community, in school, at home. ... We're talking about a very big country, and far too few young people have access to those supports."