Sexuality and youth suicide: Coalition denies reality
By Anthony Benbow
PERTH — Every year in Australia as many people commit suicide as die in road accidents. In Western Australia, in 1995 (the most recent figures), there were 209 road deaths and 218 suicides. The suicide rate is highest among young people, particularly in rural areas.
The national "Here for Life" youth suicide prevention campaign, and its "Trust Your Feelings" youth sexuality project was an initiative of the WA AIDS Council. It is a response to many studies carried out over the last decade, mostly in Australia but also in Canada and the USA, which show that young people dealing with sexuality issues are much more at risk of suicide and self-harm than others.
The research shows that for young lesbian, gay and bisexual people, coming to terms with their sexuality brings them squarely up against prejudice and discrimination, and in many cases violence.
Lack of visible support or positive community experiences reinforce feelings of marginalisation and alienation. Support is not forthcoming from families either — 80% of lesbian and gay adolescents don't tell their parents about their sexuality, mainly because of their fear of the same rejection and/or punishment that they experience in broader society.
Young gay, lesbian and bisexual people end up isolated, and feeling inferior. It's hard enough making contact with lesbian and gay support networks in larger cities, but in rural centres it's often impossible. The harassment and abuse become unbearable.
Figures on exactly how many young people kill themselves in the face of this relentless pressure are yet to be compiled. The few figures that are available, however, are chilling. According to information collected by the WA AIDS Council, released in a media statement on August 21, over the past seven years between 25% and 40% of young gay and lesbian people have attempted suicide and approximately another 70% have felt suicidal for a period of time.
The "Trust Your Feelings" project aims, through a poster and leaflet campaign, to present positive images and information for young gay , lesbian and bisexual people — images which might minimise the pain that drives so many of them to suicide.
However, a fortnight ago, the federal minister for family services, Judi Moylan, vetoed the "Trust Your Feelings" publicity material. She claims that the images used — a young woman kissing another woman's cheek, side by side with a young man kissing another man's cheek — "promote a homosexual lifestyle".
When questioned about her response, Moylan said that all campaigns had to have "wide community acceptance", and that the central issue was "preventing youth suicide". Negotiations are under way, and it is unclear whether Moylan will insist that the campaign be totally changed before she will approve funding.
The total budget for the "Trust Your Feelings" campaign is around $200 000. That is just 1% of the total "Here for Life" funding. At least 10% of young people are gay, lesbian or bisexual.
Moylan has provided no evidence that the "wider community" will not accept a tiny slice of available funding going to a project that might save the lives of young homosexuals. Nor has she produced any evidence of how the proposed outreach and counselling services will overcome massive prejudice and homophobia to "recruit" young people to homosexuality. The Coalition's aim seems to be to define "community acceptance", not respond to it.
WA gay activist and Democratic Socialist Party member Leon Harrison told Green Left Weekly: "Homosexuality in WA is currently a criminal offence for people under 21. We have the most reactionary laws in Australia and this is no doubt a factor in the shocking suicide figures.
"The state Liberal government's age of consent laws and the federal government's refusal to fund this campaign are part of the Coalition parties' right-wing political agenda.
"They are attempting to turn the clock back to 1950s-style family life so that they can reimpose the cost of care of children, the aged and disabled and others on to families and cut social welfare spending. Anything that conflicts with that 'family first' ideology is opposed by them. Real facts and problems are ignored, in this case at the cost of more young lesbian, gay and bisexual people's lives."