Talking Stick - March/April 2011 - 11

Research Highlights Youths’ Similarities
With the tragic incidents over the past couple of years related to bullying of LGBT teens and young adults, it can be easy to assume that the experience of gay youth is universally characterized by pain, depression, and suicide. But current research on the subject seems to indicate quite the opposite. In a recent article in the New York Times, experts explain that gay and straight teens are far more similar than different – it’s the preponderance of research on clinical populations among gay youth, as well as the newsworthy nature of events like freshman Tyler Clementi’s suicide at Rutgers University in 2010, that tends to characterize gay teens as more troubled than they actually are. While there are certainly differences in experience based on sexual preference, many of the fundamental anxieties and challenges that teenagers face are similar across the spectrum, as are the risk factors for teen suicide. With all this in mind, researchers hope to change the perception that adolescence for gay teens is a non-stop struggle they must survive before they can begin to be happy. Rather, they want to promote the message that the majority of gay teens are as well-adjusted, productive, and happy as their straight peers and that the reaction of parents to their children’s sexuality can be a major factor in the distress that the child may experience. Nonetheless, colleges and universities are working to address and eliminate the kind of bullying that has made the news so much recently. A January 2011 law passed in New Jersey, the home of Rutgers University, requires state university codes of conduct to define the school’s policy on bullying, while a bill – the “Student Non-Discrimination Act” – has been introduced in both the House and the Senate to provide federal protections for LGBT students. David Tirella, a Florida attorney, adjunct law professor, and anti-bullying advocate, said in an interview with College Planning & Management magazine (October 2010) that institutions must stress – verbally, in written policies, and in their actions – that bullying in any form is unacceptable and will be dealt with seriously. He recommends formal and informal discussions and lectures throughout the year, along with clearly defined expectations and consequences related to student behavior. To read the articles in full, visit http://www.nytimes. com/2011/01/04/health/04brody.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&emc=eta 1&adxnnlx=1294336804-GAvKsTgvxh/cMvsfLeQntA and http:// www.peterli.com/cpm/resources/articles/archive.php?article_ id=2784. — Lily Birkhimer

Learn More
ACUHO-I and ACPA will host a webinar from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. (Eastern) “How to Understand and Deal with Cyberbullies” (www.acuho-i.org).
DOES THE TALKING STICK REACH ENOUGH OF YOUR STAFF? Call (614) 292-0099 or e-mail talkingstick@ acuho-i.org for more information about additional membership subscriptions.

IN THE NEXT TALKING STICK
Coming in the May-June issue: · · · How social media is used on campus and who manages it. The Art of Renovation: A photo essay. How to help transfer students make a positive transition to your campus.

MARCH + APRIL 2011

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/04/health/04brody.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&emc=eta1&adxnnlx=1294336804-GAvKsTgvxh/cMvsfLeQntA http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/04/health/04brody.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&emc=eta1&adxnnlx=1294336804-GAvKsTgvxh/cMvsfLeQntA http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/04/health/04brody.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&emc=eta1&adxnnlx=1294336804-GAvKsTgvxh/cMvsfLeQntA http://www.peterli.com/cpm/resources/articles/archive.php?article_id=2784 http://www.peterli.com/cpm/resources/articles/archive.php?article_id=2784 http://www.acuho-i.org

Talking Stick - March/April 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Talking Stick - March/April 2011