Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 1, 1995)
ju st o u t ▼ so p tem b o r 1, 1 9 9 5 T 17 YOUTH School is hell , But for sexual minority youth at least a new advocate may make the agony a little easier to deal with ▼ by Inga Sorensen gay, lesbian and bisexual youth are at risk for being eptember is a month that many young turned out onto the streets by unaccepting family people look forward to. It marks a time members, dropping out of school, as well as drug when they return to school and rejoin the and alcohol abuse and suicide. friends they left behind a few months “These kids are up against a lot. They often go earlier. But for sexual minority youth, heading back to school is often synonymous without with support from family or schools. They feel isolated by peers who won’t accept them. It’s ostracism and harassment. “Every kid I have worked with has been ha tough out there,” says Beige. Another disturbing conclusion in the Oregon rassed at school. Regardless of the gains we’ve report, which was based on numerous interviews made in terms of more people being out in this with young people, is that support systems for society, high school is a still a hellish place for sexual minority youth are woefully lacking. Many sexual minority youth,” says 30-year-old Kathy Beige, a counselor with Roots and Branches, a health and child welfare specialists say this prob Portland-based nonprofit program that provides coun seling services to lesbian, gay and bisexual young people. “These kids often feel like they have no one to talk to and no support whatsoever. We want them to know that’s not the case.” Thanks to funding from Multnomah County, Roots and Branches is providing a new service to youth: a case manager/support person who will act as an advocate for sexual m inority young people. According to the agency, this is the first time that gay, lesbian and bisexual youth in Multnomah County have had an advocate spe cifically designated to assist them in meeting their goals. The service is free to sexual minority youth between the ages of 13 and 17 who live in the county. “These are young people who have been identified as being at-risk. My main goal is to keep them in school, Kathy Beige employed and out of the ju lem often stems from a lack of awareness about the venile justice system,” says Beige, who may assist needs of sexual minority youth. as many as 40 sexual minority youth and their “Multnomah County has a real commitment to families during the next year. “It’s easy for a kid serving these kids,” says Li. “We’re delighted the who has no support to wind up in some sort of funding has become available to us to serve this trouble.” population which has historically gone According to Mary Li, a senior program spe underserved.” cialist with the Multnomah County Community Beige says she is currently working with eight and Family Services Division, $40,000 has been young people “dealing with all sorts of issues.” made available to fund the post. (An additional “I may help them stay employed or stay in $50,000 is being directed toward other programs school. If they need to get into a shelter, I’ll help assisting this particular population in Multnomah them with that. Some may eventually end up in County.) trouble for very minor things like violating the Li says the county has received $ 1.5 million in curfew or riding Tri-Met without paying the fare. state funds for 1995-% for what is known as Level If they have to go to court. I’ll be there. If they 7 programs. "The [state] Children’s Services Divi simply need an adult to talk to, I’ll be there for that sion has designated seven at-risk levels, Level 7 is as well,” she says. the lowest-risk of these high-risk designations,” says Li. “In September I plan to do more outreach into “In other words,” she says, “these are young the schools. I think it’s critical that teachers and people who are acting out, but haven’t yet made counselors know that they have a place to refer their way into the system. Forexample, they haven’t sexual minority youth who need assistance,” says done anything bad enough to wind up in the cus Beige, who came out at 19 and says she can relate tody of CSD, but potentially could.” to some of the hardships faced by these kids. “I Li says the funding is being used to provide didn’t have to go through all the tough times in high support to several populations that have been school because I came out when I was older, but deemed at-risk, including ethnic minorities and my parents didn’t have the easiest time with it, and gay, lesbian and bisexual young people. I’m also easily identifiable on the street as a les According to a comprehensive 1991 Oregon bian. In many ways I can relate to these kids.” study, there are at least 50,000 sexual minority For more information about the new service, youth statewide, many of whom face hardship and contact Roots and Branches at 238-0780. discrimination. Studies have repeatedly shown that S "Basic Astrology - Understanding Yourself & Others" A 10 Everyone Welcome WEEK COURSE 236-4321 W ednesdays 7 - 9 PM Septem ber 20 - November 22 Centerg ee's - 2015 NE 39th Avenue $120 - A d van ced Registration Required Big Screen Sports TV (Mon. nite 1/2 price nite) Electronics Darts • 2 Pool Tables Large Dance Floor Deli Sandwiches Leam to interpret the language o f astrology and how to ' read' y o u r own birth ch a rt Lecture, students' chart examples, in-class exercises and guided meditations w ill be used in this course. Special Live Entertainment Call f o r information Open at 1pm Daily 2845 SE S t a r k • P o r t l a n d "Creating Clarity Out of Chaos" A 7 WEEK SATURN RETURN GROUP Tuesdays 7 - 9 PM September 26 - November 7 3443 NE 17th Avenue $20 Per Session A dvanced Registration Required For women bom 3/64 - 3/67. Leam about this m ajor astrological life cy cle and use astrological sym bolism to help re-discover your ow n em otional strengths and access your inner wisdom. Brian M arki Framing aryjean Kidd, MS • Sensitive, Innovative Designs • Welded Steel Frames C halet colens • Personal Evolution Through Astrology 2236 NE Broadway, Portland 503-249-5659 (503) 288-7633 'Later. Once y o u ’ve ow ned a H o t Spring spa, life w ithout one seems crazy. A fter all, there is no better w ay to escape the pressures o f time, meetings, demands and deadlines than a daily visit to y o u r very own relaxation sanctuary. W ith the most advanced hydrotherapy technology in the industry, exclusive E n d u ro l1" comfort surface and 5-year w arranty to back it up, i t ’s no wonder H o t Spring Spas are the nation’s nl selling spa. C all now to arrange fo r a free private test soak. You’d be crazy not to. Oregon HotSpring Spas PORTLAND: 1904 NE 82nd, Just North of I 84, 253-3551 BEAVERTON: 10367 SW Canyon Rd., Just East of 217, 643 5002 SALEM: 3966 Silverton Rd. NE, Just West of Lancaster, 363 4000 BEND: 61249 S. HWY. 97, Just South of Factory Stores, 388 0905 ------- ------ . . . . - - W » **.’ iHUtW