At age 16 I began questioning my sexual orientation and sought out community to find safe and accepting spaces.
Trying to process and better understand my identity was a confusing and isolating experience. In an effort to find support, I began attending weekly queer youth groups at the Diversity Center, which shifted to attending regional youth summits, and then state-wide conferences. In my senior year of high school I began an internship with the Queer Youth Task Force (QYTF) to organize queer social events and a student summit.
This activism led to being honored with a Queer Youth Leadership Award and becoming a Equality Scholarship recipient in 2008.
When I eventually came out to my family at 17, it was labeled as “just a phase” and I wasn’t taken seriously. Overall, I was fortunate to encounter passivity rather than resistance; as for many LGBTQIA2S+ youth coming out can be challenging. Santa Cruz County has many incredible organizations that uplift queer and trans youth and has taken great strides in creating safe and supportive spaces, but work is always needed to reach youth who don’t feel safe or comfortable expressing their true selves.
Having access to safe spaces and uplifting queer and trans youth has fueled my activism. In July 2013 while attending UC Santa Cruz, I reconnected with the QYTF and began writing an email newsletter for the Safe Schools Project called Queer Youth Updates.
This newsletter serves as a platform to share local LGBTQIA2S+ youth friendly resources and events in one centralized location. In high school I remember feeling frustrated that there were opportunities to connect with my community and develop leadership skills, but neither I, nor my peers, had the tools to find them all. Queer Youth Updates, a labor of love, has now been a source of visibility to queer and trans youth in Santa Cruz County for over 10 years.
If you are interested in receiving the Queer Youth Updates newsletter you can subscribe at QYTF.org. We always welcome new queer and trans youth friendly events, resources, and content. If you have something to share, please email [email protected].
The holidays can be especially challenging for LGBTQIA2S+ youth as they are often juggling their true identity and the expectations their family has of them, which aren’t always aligned. We’ve shared several wellbeing resources below that you can hopefully also share with the youth in your life.
Sarananda S. Osheim (she/her) is a 2008 Harbor High graduate and 2014 UCSC graduate with a B.A. in psychology. Sarananda identifies as queer and writes a monthly newsletter called “Queer Youth Updates” to promote visibility and share resources with local LGBTQIA2S+ youth in Santa Cruz County.
Holiday Wellbeing Resources for LGBTQ+ Youth
Safe Schools Project
Resources for Queer Youth and Educators in Santa Cruz County
SafeSchoolsProject.org
The Trevor Project
Holiday Self-Care Tips for LGBTQ Youth
TheTrevorProject.org/blog/holiday-self-care-tips-for-lgbtq-youth/
GSA Network
Holiday Self Care Tips
GSAnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Journaling-for-Beginners.pdf
Journaling for Beginners
GSAnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Journaling-for-Beginners.pdf
Emotional Safety Plan
GSAnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Wellness-Wednesday-Emotional-Safety-Plan.pdf
Imi.guide
Guides built for and with LGBTQ+ teens to help you explore your identity and support your mental health.
IMI.guide
It Gets Better Project
The It Gets Better Project’s mission is to uplift, empower, and connect lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) youth around the globe.
ItGetsBetter.org
