The Gay Youth Corner is a top international gay youth website. It is a fantastic resource dedicated to providing gay youth with up-to-date information and a sense of community. It exists as a healthy medium in which to discuss any issues confronting LGBTQ youth. Importantly,it has tools in place for members to report and prevent potential online predators. With their members' safety in mind, the GYC works closely with law enforcement agencies. Topics are tagged to enable topic searching.
Youth Resource is hosted by Advocates for Youth. It was created to be a space in which LGBTQ youth can access information untainted by unfair prejudice.Updated monthly, the site provides "information on activism, culture, sexual health, and other issues that are important to [LGBTQ youth]." The site has an online peer education program that points questioners to appropriate resources without dispensing medical advice. Young people are encouraged to write articles and opinion pieces for the site.
The Advocate is a US-based news organization focused on the news that affects those who identify as LGBTQ. It covers sports, politics, entertainment, travel, and more. The stories are free to access online. There are rules in place to protect youth visitors to the site.
Queerty is a blog containing news pertaining to LGBTQ issues. Its tag line reads, "Free of an agenda, except that gay one." Visitors to Queerty can expect to find stories on everything from politics to celebrities to gay history to pop culture. Subject matter varies between the serious and fun. Members can participate in online discussions and comment on posts.
Xtra covers news of interest across the world, but also focuses on specific cities: Toronto, Ottawa, and Vancouver. Members can post specific events for any of the three cities. Some of its news categories include: "Gay Content," "Lesbian Content," and "Trans Content."
PFLAG Canada "is there when it seems like no one else is." It provides education and support for LGBTQ people and their families. There are local chapters all across Canada. Search the site for one near you.
Started in September 2010 by Dan Savage in response to Tyler Clementi's and others' suicides, It Gets Better has thousands of videos giving hope and inspiration to gay youth. Videos are made by both famous and everyday people with one salient message: "hold on, for life gets better than what you're going through now." The project encourages the participation of not only LGBTQ people but also their straight allies.
Started by the creators of The It Gets Better Project, The Trevor Project is a 24/7 Crisis hotline for LGBTQ youth. Primary values include: acceptance, commitment and innovation. According to the website, "The Trevor Project was founded by writer James Lecesne, director/producer Peggy Rajski and producer Randy Stone, creators of the 1994 Academy Award®-winning short film, Trevor, a comedy/drama about a gay 13-year-old boy who, when rejected by friends because of his sexuality, makes an attempt to take his life."
Gay YA: GLBT Characters and Pairingsis a blog devoted to reviewing and discussing LGBTQ literature for young adults. A new blog, it was only started in April 2011. Its mission is to spark deeper discussions of what it means to be a gay teenager:"Through the blog, the forum community, and the input of you all, we’re hoping to start a conversation about what gay in YA means, what it means to be a gay teen, and what straight allies can do to help and participate. It’s not an LGBTQ issue: it’s a human issue. And what explores humanity better than books?"
I'm Here, I'm Queer. Now What the Hell do I Read is for "teens (queer or not), for librarians, for teachers, for booksellers, for people with teens in their lives and for anyone interested in YA books with GLBTQ characters and themes." It includes a section of banned books and in 2009 was voted the best GLBTQ Review Blog.
Queer YA is a blog that reviews books of fiction that would be of interest to LGBTQ young adults. There is a long list of links to favourite authors' sites,archived posts dating back to June 2009, and a way to search for books by category.
REFERENCE
GLBTQ: The World's Largest Encyclopedia of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Culture
The GLBTQ encyclopedia contains a plethora of useful information. It contains everything from definitions to movie and literature spotlights, to renowned artists and authors. Edited by two professors at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, Claude J. Summers and Ted-Larry Pebworth, this site is trustworthy and accurate.
TRANSGENDER BLOGS AND BIBLIOGRAPHIES
Rooster Tails: Words and Pictures from a New Zealand Transboy
Rooster Tails is a weekly webcomic that explores the life of a transgender man living in New Zealand. He details his adventures in a fun, readable way, complete with puns, nerds, and New Zealand facts.
TRANScending Identities: A Bibliography of Resources on Transgender and Intersex Topics (.pdf)
Put together by the American Library Association, this comprehensive bibliography "lists resources for the transgendered communities,including gay, lesbian, bisexual, and heterosexual transsexuals and transvestites/crossdressers; drag kings and queens; self-defined “gender queers;” and their allies. It also includes resources for and about intersexed individuals. Because of the blurring of lines between these groups, the bibliography has only been separated into fiction and nonfiction materials, and internet resources" (1)
Online Resources!
HELPFUL LINKS FOR LGBTQ YOUTH
The websites listed below include online social networks, news sites related to all things LGBTQ, reference resources, support and resource sites, YA LGBTQ book review blogs, and transgender sites.
The sites were chosen for their currency, accuracy, and appropriateness. Click on the address or logo to visit the sites.
Visit the Online Resources Symbaloo
NETWORKING
The GYChttp://www.thegyc.com/
The Gay Youth Corner is a top international gay youth website. It is a fantastic resource dedicated to providing gay youth with up-to-date information and a sense of community. It exists as a healthy medium in which to discuss any issues confronting LGBTQ youth. Importantly,it has tools in place for members to report and prevent potential online predators. With their members' safety in mind, the GYC works closely with law enforcement agencies. Topics are tagged to enable topic searching.
Youth Resource
http://www.amplifyyourvoice.org/youthresource
Youth Resource is hosted by Advocates for Youth. It was created to be a space in which LGBTQ youth can access information untainted by unfair prejudice.Updated monthly, the site provides "information on activism, culture, sexual health, and other issues that are important to [LGBTQ youth]." The site has an online peer education program that points questioners to appropriate resources without dispensing medical advice. Young people are encouraged to write articles and opinion pieces for the site.
LGBTQ NEWS
The Advocate
http://www.advocate.com/
The Advocate is a US-based news organization focused on the news that affects those who identify as LGBTQ. It covers sports, politics, entertainment, travel, and more. The stories are free to access online. There are rules in place to protect youth visitors to the site.Queerty
http://www.queerty.com/
Queerty is a blog containing news pertaining to LGBTQ issues. Its tag line reads, "Free of an agenda, except that gay one." Visitors to Queerty can expect to find stories on everything from politics to celebrities to gay history to pop culture. Subject matter varies between the serious and fun. Members can participate in online discussions and comment on posts.
Xtra: Canada's Gay and Lesbian News
http://www.xtra.ca/public/National.aspx
Xtra covers news of interest across the world, but also focuses on specific cities: Toronto, Ottawa, and Vancouver. Members can post specific events for any of the three cities. Some of its news categories include: "Gay Content," "Lesbian Content," and "Trans Content."
SUPPORT
PFLAG Canada
http://www.pflagcanada.ca/en/index-e.asp
PFLAG Canada "is there when it seems like no one else is." It provides education and support for LGBTQ people and their families. There are local chapters all across Canada. Search the site for one near you.
The It Gets Better Project
http://www.itgetsbetter.org/
Started in September 2010 by Dan Savage in response to Tyler Clementi's and others' suicides, It Gets Better has thousands of videos giving hope and inspiration to gay youth. Videos are made by both famous and everyday people with one salient message: "hold on, for life gets better than what you're going through now." The project encourages the participation of not only LGBTQ people but also their straight allies.
Here's an example:
The Trevor Project
http://www.thetrevorproject.org/
Started by the creators of The It Gets Better Project, The Trevor Project is a 24/7 Crisis hotline for LGBTQ youth. Primary values include: acceptance, commitment and innovation. According to the website, "The Trevor Project was founded by writer James Lecesne, director/producer Peggy Rajski and producer Randy Stone, creators of the 1994 Academy Award®-winning short film, Trevor, a comedy/drama about a gay 13-year-old boy who, when rejected by friends because of his sexuality, makes an attempt to take his life."
YA LGBTQ LITERATURE BLOGS
Gay YA: GLBT Characters & Pairings
http://www.gayya.org/
Gay YA: GLBT Characters and Pairingsis a blog devoted to reviewing and discussing LGBTQ literature for young adults. A new blog, it was only started in April 2011. Its mission is to spark deeper discussions of what it means to be a gay teenager:"Through the blog, the forum community, and the input of you all, we’re hoping to start a conversation about what gay in YA means, what it means to be a gay teen, and what straight allies can do to help and participate. It’s not an LGBTQ issue: it’s a human issue. And what explores humanity better than books?"
I'm Here. I'm Queer. What the Hell do I Read?
http://www.leewind.org/
I'm Here, I'm Queer. Now What the Hell do I Read is for "teens (queer or not), for librarians, for teachers, for booksellers, for people with teens in their lives and for anyone interested in YA books with GLBTQ characters and themes." It includes a section of banned books and in 2009 was voted the best GLBTQ Review Blog.
Queer YA: Fiction for LGBTQ Teens
http://daisyporter.org/queerya/
Queer YA is a blog that reviews books of fiction that would be of interest to LGBTQ young adults. There is a long list of links to favourite authors' sites,archived posts dating back to June 2009, and a way to search for books by category.
REFERENCE
GLBTQ: The World's Largest Encyclopedia of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Culture
http://www.glbtq.com/
The GLBTQ encyclopedia contains a plethora of useful information. It contains everything from definitions to movie and literature spotlights, to renowned artists and authors. Edited by two professors at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, Claude J. Summers and Ted-Larry Pebworth, this site is trustworthy and accurate.
TRANSGENDER BLOGS AND BIBLIOGRAPHIES
Rooster Tails: Words and Pictures from a New Zealand Transboy
http://roostertails.wordpress.com/
Rooster Tails is a weekly webcomic that explores the life of a transgender man living in New Zealand. He details his adventures in a fun, readable way, complete with puns, nerds, and New Zealand facts.
TRANScending Identities: A Bibliography of Resources on Transgender and Intersex Topics (.pdf)
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/rts/glbtrt/popularresources/glbtrt_trans_08.pdf
Put together by the American Library Association, this comprehensive bibliography "lists resources for the transgendered communities,including gay, lesbian, bisexual, and heterosexual transsexuals and transvestites/crossdressers; drag kings and queens; self-defined “gender queers;” and their allies. It also includes resources for and about intersexed individuals. Because of the blurring of lines between these groups, the bibliography has only been separated into fiction and nonfiction materials, and internet resources" (1)