MILWAUKEE — Communities across the country recognized Spirit Day on Thursday in an effort to fight bullying and empower LGBTQ + youth.
Justin Roby, finance director with Milwaukee non-profit Diverse and Resilient, remembers his own struggles with bullies growing up.
"Bullying for me was a continuous thing, a tumultuous process to go through. There were days where I was at home crying," said Roby. "It even took my mom a while to accept who I was, my LGBTQ identity. My core identity. But we were still a family regardless."
Roby said not everyone finds that understanding or support at home. So organizations like Diverse and Resilient are there to offer it.
"Bullying is a construct that no child should have to deal with," said Roby.
Roby said they provide drop-in support groups, resources for local schools, an anti-violence program as well as free, licensed professional counselors on-site.
"For any young person to believe they are alone, or to believe that there are not enough adults who love them because of their identity — that's untrue," said Roby. "There is someone out here who will support you and love you."
For those who are struggling and using substances or considering hurting themselves, said Roby, Diverse and Resilient has one of Milwaukee County's 11 Harm Reduction Vending Machines. The machines dispense fentanyl test strips, nasal naloxone, medication deactivation pouches, medication lock bags, and gun locks.
According to the suicide prevention non-profit The Trevor Project,1.8 million LGBTQ youth (13-24) consider suicide each year in the U.S. At least one, according to the Project, attempts suicide every 45 seconds.
Children's Wisconsin reported that in 2019, 62 percent of transgender or non-binary youth in Wisconsin reported attempting or considering suicide. For cisgender youth (a person whose gender aligns with the sex assigned at birth), 18 percent had attempted or considered suicide, according to Children's.
"It's not OK to bully anyone regardless of if they're LGBTQ or not," said Sarah Nygren, Clinical Services Director at the Milwaukee LGBT Community Center.
Nygren said the Center offers individual counseling and family counseling, tailored to a young person's needs. They also offer, she said, Project Q, a safe space program for youth within the LGBTQ + umbrella to connect.
"I feel like it's a parent's responsibility to teach their children, we're all just people, and bullying is unacceptable regardless. Especially toward LGBTQ youth who are still struggling with their own identity issues," said Nygren.
Nygren said the Center also offers letters for hormone replacement therapy for teens who are looking to get started on estrogen or testosterone with the support of their parents.
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