LGBT Youth Issues Today: A Reference Handbook • ABC-CLIO

The increasing numbers of LGBT teenagers who choose to live their lives as 'out' youth face unique issues within their schools, families, and communities. This book provides information that will help LGBT youth overcome their challenges and give non-LGBT youth a better understanding of sexual identities different from their own.

While all youth are likely to face traumatic or stressful situations in their transition to adulthood, lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgendered (LGBT) youth face significant and specific challenges in their lives—a result of living in a society that has yet to accept or be comfortable with the idea of same-sex or other “non-heterosexual” attraction, especially among young people. LGBT Youth Issues Today: A Reference Handbook presents historical background on the topic, provides an up-to-date examination of the issues of concern to LGBT youth, and offers in-depth information and resources for further research.

In addition to providing frank, accessible information about the problems, controversies, and solutions facing today’s LGBT teenagers, the work contains a chapter of essays from informed individuals regarding same-sex relationships among youth, voicing the experiences and opinions of activists, social workers, psychologists, educators, parents of LGBT youth, and LGBT youth themselves. Also included is a chapter profiling about 20 individuals and organizations that have been involved in discussions about gay and lesbian youth, such as Tony Perkins, Kevin Jennings, Robert Parlin, the GLBT National Help Center, It Gets Better, Gay Lesbian Straight Educational Network (GLSEN), Family Pride Coalition, Out Scouts, Family Research Council, and the National Organization for Marriage (NOM).

Features

Addresses the major issues faced by LGBT youth, such as gaining acceptance of their sexual identity in the school environment or finding a means to survive after rejection by their family members
Examines historic societal attitudes toward same-sex relationships involving young people, allowing readers to grasp how the general population's thinking has evolved
Reviews and discusses the findings of literature on the causes of homelessness and suicidal ideation among LGBT youth
Presents examples of ways in which LGBT youth have developed the skills that enable them to deal with their unique issues and concerns
Includes an extensive list of resources and organizations that can provide additional information and assistance to both LGBT and non-LGBT individuals

David E. Newton has been a freelance writer of nonfiction books and ancillary materials for young adults for nearly 55 years. He has published more than 400 textbooks, encyclopedias, and encyclopedia articles as well as lab manuals, problems books, and other publications. Newton was formerly a teacher of high school science and mathematics in Grand Rapids, MI; professor of chemistry and physics at Salem State College; and adjunct professor at the University of San Francisco. He holds a doctorate in science education from Harvard University.

Reviews

"Part of the Contemporary World Issues series, this book addresses the major issues faced by LGBT youth, such as gaining acceptance of their sexual identity, coping with a hostile school environment, or dealing with rejection by friends or family members. . . . An important resource on a popular topic, this title will most benefit high school and public libraries."—Booklist, June 1, 2014

"This one-volume handbook by independent scholar Newton offers a solid introduction to personal and political issues many American LGBT youth face. . . . 'Resources for Further Research' provides an impressive bibliography for those wishing to delve into various issues more deeply. This volume will be most valuable for high-school and college-age readers, but the bibliography makes it a useful source for other researchers as well. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower- and upper-division undergraduates, graduate students, general readers."—Choice, November 6, 2014

Contemporary World Issues

This award-winning series offers comprehensive, one-volume reference handbooks on important topics related to health, education, the environment, and social and ethical issues.

24-hour cable news. Millions of internet sites. Information overload. How can we sort through the information? Assess the analyses? Trust the sources?

A world of questions demands a library of answers. Contemporary World Issues covers the controversial topics that students, readers, and citizens want to read about, write about, and know more about.

Features

Subject coverage spans six main categories:

Criminal Justice
Environment
Gender and Ethnicity
Politics, Law, and Government
Science, Technology, and Medicine
Society

Each volume offers a rich array of resources:

A background and history essay that provides essential context and grounding for further study
A balanced summary of ongoing controversies and proposed solutions that show numerous paths for further research on pressing, contemporary questions
A forum of authoritative perspective essays by experts, offering a broad spectrum of arguments on the issues
Carefully selected annotated documents, tables, and graphs that support statistical literacy and investigation of primary sources
A chronology of events, legislation, and movements that place events in sequence and draw connections between them
Annotated lists of print, web, and multimedia resources that power the next steps for in-depth research
Profiles of key players and organizations
A glossary of key terms

Features

Reviews

Contemporary World Issues

Features

You may also like…

Hackers and Hacking: A Reference Handbook

Animal Experimentation Debate, The: A Reference Handbook

Rising Costs of Higher Education, The: A Reference Handbook

Youth and Political Participation: A Reference Handbook

MORE ABOUT ABC-CLIO

SUPPORT