<p>Hey yall, thought i would post my essay (on LGBT activism) here and see if anyone wants to offer any input before I submit it in an hour or so.</p>
<p>I'm submitting it to Carleton, which is one of the most gay friendly colleges, so no posts about how this topic could be potentially risky!</p>
<p>As I sat on the therapist couch, in a room filled with people, I couldn't help but get a little emotional as the person sitting next to me recalled the horror of receiving death threats, from students at his school and by members of his family. He like, many of the other teens who visit the Center for Equality in my town, identified as LGBT, and had come to the town's only support group specifically offered for gay and questioning youth.
Unfortunately, support groups like this didn't always exist in my town. I had been encouraged to volunteer at the center after joining my high school's gay-straight alliance last year, and was surprised to discover that many of the teens that came to the center did not have GSA's at their high schools. I decided to start a group at the center called the Youth Empowerment Group to offer LGBT teens a place of support and resources. After getting in contact with the Center's on-site therapist, we worked together to plan meetings and discussion topics for the group. The first group meeting had an excellent turn out, considering we hadn't yet advertised it. After the teens got to know each member of the group, some began to tell stories of the difficulties of being LGBT, especially in high school where there is pressure to fit in. Our group got to the heart of difficult subjects such as homophobia, coming out, religion and safe sex. This year, I have worked with the center to bridge my high school GSA and the youth group at the center. This has been a positive experience for everyone involved, because we all have gotten to know each other very well, and build a large community.
My experience with LGBT activism, hasn't been the first time I have been involved in leadership and social work. I have gained confidence by being involved in my high school's speech and drama department, having been cast in two plays, one of which opened to a full house. My experience in taking Psychology this year has helped me gain a greater perspective on how people think and interact. I have been heavily involved in marching band, where I learned that the power of a group is largely dependent on its members.
Back at the center, I learned that it takes a village of people to conquer the tough issues facing my generation. My goal is to study either Psychology or Women's and Gender studies at Carleton, expand my speaking skills through the theater department, and participate in the LGBT group on campus. I would love to attend Carleton College because of it's rich community, and it's close dynamic between social interaction and education.</p>
<p>Happy commenting!</p>