Date: Wed, 17 Dec 1997 17:02:13 -0800 From: Jean Richter Subject: 12/17/97 P.E.R.S.O.N. Project news 1. IA: Youth Lobby Day planned 2. WA: Marysville sex education policy criticized 3. Update on Canadian gay youth suicide study 4. Input wanted on safe schools coalition ==================================================== From: YOUTHLOBBY Date: Tue, 16 Dec 1997 21:22:23 EST Subject: Iowa Youth Lobby Day For Immediate Release Monday, December 15, 1997 Contact : Joey Potter 888 - 596-2493, 515 - 281-0634 Iowa's First Annual Youth Lobby Day State Capitol January 21, 1997 10:30 am - 7:30 pm On January 21st, honoring Martin Luther King Jrs birthday, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, queer, questioning, and supportive straight youth from across Iowa will gather in Des Moines for the first annual youth lobby day. A day to empower and educate as we as have fun. There will be a rally at noon, followed by legislative visits, discussion groups, and a party for attendees that evening. All individuals interested in empowering youth are encouraged to join us. Please contact us at 1-888-596-2493 or 515-281-0634 if you can help. Sponsored by the Youth Alliance, whose goal is to build a safe, secure community for and to enhance the self-esteem of youth who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and friends of LGBT youth. Youth Alliance Youth Lobby Day PO BOX 1358 Des Moines, Ia 50305 email : YOUTHLOBBY@aol.com Phone : 888-596-2493 or 515-281-0634 ==================================================================== Seattle Times, December 16, 1997 P. O. Box 70,Seattle,WA,98111 (Fax 206-382-6760, print run 237,735) (E-MAIL: opinion@seatimes.com) (300 word limit) Controversial Marysville sex-ed policy irks teachers by Nancy Montgomery [Deleted article. filemanager@qrd.org] (Nancy Montgomery's phone message number is 425-745-7803. Her e-mail address is: nmon-new@seatimes.com.) ======================================================================= X-Sender: a1a73358@mail.bctel.ca Date: Wed, 17 Dec 1997 01:38:12 -0800 From: David Browning Subject: FYI Canadian study on gay male suicide SUICIDALITY PROBLEMS OF GAY AND BISEXUAL MALES: EVIDENCE FROM A RANDOM COMMUNITY SURVEY OF 750 MEN AGED 18 TO 27 Christopher Bagley, Ph.D. and Pierre Tremblay, B.Sc., B.Ed. Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary ABSTRACT: A stratified random sample of 750 males aged 18 to 27 in Calgary, Canada included questions on sexual activity and orientation. Mental health questions included a measure of suicidality, and of acts of deliberate self-harm. A computerized response format (established as a good method for eliciting sensitive personal data) ensured anonymity. Almost 13 percent of males were classified homosexual or bisexual on the basis of being currently homosexually active and/or by self-identification. Significantly higher rates of past suicidal ideas and action were reported by homosexually oriented males compared to heterosexual males. These findings, indicating that homosexual and bisexual males are 13.9 times more at risk for a serious suicide attempt, are consonant with previous findings. Homosexually oriented males accounted for 62.5 percent of suicide attempters. We speculate that the predominant reason for the suicidality of these young males may be linked to the "coming out" process occurring in a highly homophobic society. Related issues are resolved for some, but may not be for others having high levels of current depression. These results underscore the need for qualified services rarely available to homosexually oriented youth. NOTE: Published as "Chapter 12" in C. Bagley & R. Ramsay, Eds. (1997) Suicidal Behaviours in adolescent and adults: taxonomy, understanding and prevention. Brookfield, Vermont: Avebury. The article can be accessed at: http://www.virtualcity.com/youthsuicide/suicide.htm /* Trust Me... */ /* Never trust anyone who says "Trust Me" */ /* only my words - unless noted otherwise */ /* (C) 1997 David Joseph Browning */ /* of Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada */ ======================================================================= From: "David Mariner" Organization: Advocates for Youth Date: Wed, 17 Dec 1997 10:53:14 +1100, EST Subject: Re: please share this announcement with the group I'm in the process of working on a proposal here at Advocates for Youth around Safe Schools Coalitions. I'm the chair of the DC Safe Schools coalition so I have a pretty good idea what's going on here and what our needs are, but I would love to get input from folks involved in other coalitions. Would anybody on the list be interested in reviewing my work and giving Advocates for Youth some direction in this area ? ? ? If so, please e-mail me ..... Thanks-- David Mariner david@advocatesforyouth.org aka ouryouth@aol.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ David Mariner - Legislative Associate - Advocates for Youth 1025 Vermont Ave - Suite 200 - Washington DC 20005 202-783-4165 ext 38 (w) 202-347-2263 (f) 202-986-6049 (h) www.advocatesforyouth.org support for GLBT youth: www.youthresource.com ==================================================================== Jean Richter -- richter@eecs.berkeley.edu The P.E.R.S.O.N. Project (Public Education Regarding Sexual Orientation Nationally) CHECK OUT OUR INFO-LOADED WEB PAGE AT: http://www.youth.org/loco/PERSONProject/