write an article on gay-straight alliances in high school Paper must be at least 1250 words

Studies conducted have shown that gay, bisexuals, lesbians, questioning or transgender teenagers are at a risk of conducting suicides due to the high amount of harassments, assaults, and bullying that they experience at school. In addition, some conduct suicide due to the negative messages they receive from their families and society at large. Thus, Gay-straight alliances in high school are important in ensuring that all students are emotionally stable and are successful in academics.

I researched the impact gay-straight alliances have on students by interviewing students who are gay and straight from different high schools, and I was able to get various responses that were crucial. School days can be very problematic for some students especially when they are teenagers (Plante 18). At this age, bullying is very common and can become very severe if a student is a GLBTQ, and most of the time it leads to harassment. Most states seem to be reluctant in dealing with this situation. “only nine states and the District of Columbia have comprehensive anti-bullying laws that specifically address bullying and harassment based on sexual orientation”(GLSEN 18). As a result, many GLBTQ students are forced to not attend school, their self-esteem goes down, and also their performance in school is affected negatively.

Not only do these teenagers face suicidal attempts, but also, they suffer from depression. This leader further listed some warning signs of depression that most teenagers face before they join the alliance. He categorized them in various forms like physical, cognitive, behavioral as well as emotional signs. He then suggested those signs that he thought were common in LGBTQ teenagers. They include concentration problems, hygiene problems, loneliness, aggression, a change in eating and sleeping habits, guilt, and anger, loss of interest in enjoyable things, and drugs and alcohol abuse. Often, severe depression might lead to suicidal ideation.