asinineabsurditycomplex:
What the fuck does it matter?
It matters because growing up, we’re told we will be attracted to the opposite sex when we’re older, and all of our education and socialisation covers only this possibility.
It matters because it promotes the idea that straightness is normal, and in contrast, queerness is not. Feeling like you’re not normal is obviously not good for mental health and general wellbeing. “The LGBTI community reports higher levels of depression, anxiety and other mental health problems with evidence suggesting they are 3.5 to 14 times more likely to attempt suicide than the general community.“ (Butler, 2011)
It matters because 50% of LGBTQ youth experience a negative reaction when coming out to their parents.
It matters because 26% of LGBTQ youth are kicked out of their homes when they come out.
It matters because this, among other reasons, is why between 20 and 40% of homeless youth in the United States identify as LGBTQ.
On top of this, it matters because coming out is an uncomfortable, awkward, and potentially terrifying experience. In our current society, coming out as queer means having to face the possibility of losing friends, family, your home, or even your life, and the fact that queer people have to go through this while straight people are safely assumed to be straight is a huge injustice.