Out in the Mountains

 

OUTRIGHT Coordinator Focuses on Youth

OUTRIGHT Vermont is a support
group for lesbian and gay youth. OITM
asked Josie Juhasz, the group's Director,
what “older” lesbian and gay community
members can do to help support the work
and people of OUTRIGHT. Josie answered
as follows:

“Kids today are in great need of role
models. The thought used to be that if you
were an out lesbian

fortable enough to deal with their issues.

“Sometimes one of the young people’s
stories still hits home abit close for me. Not
all of our pains are going to go away.

“So - besides changing some of our
ideas and ways of thinking, we do have
specific jobs that someone can be doing to
help us. We need volunteers to staff the
Information Support Line. We need plan-

ners and organizers

or gay man and in
support of young

"All of a sudden I had

of alcohol-free/
chem-free func-
tions that are safe

the momentl walked into your office, a half
hour early, to the time I was dropped off at
my house, were the first eight hours of my
life, as far as I can remember, that were not
perverted my defense mechanisms. All of a
sudden I had people to talk to who don’t
know me enough to jump to the wrong
conclusions...all of a sudden I was glad to
be gay! I love being gay! Forgive me for
sounding enthusiastic, but it is something
new to me...being gay is not just about sex.
It’ s about every relationship I have with ev-
eryone I know. It reaches into every comer

people, that meant
you were ‘recnriting’
them. That is the far-
thest from the tr'uth.

people to talk to who don't
know me enough to jump to
the wrong conclusion. ..all of

of my life and until now, that life has been
tainted by phoniness and empty stagna-
tion.”

for the young folks
to attend. We need
people who will

is now vain: and a sudden I was glad to be fund-raise. We are _ “tI);m afraid ltl) ask :1r‘;yontl:)aatr)r1y {quest-‘
w we are ut: [ ' I" setting up support trons ause peop ewo pro y aug
“ S upportin g gay’ I love I%’a_I}7/[member groups throughout at me and then later wouldn't ever talk to

these kids means

the state and we

breaking their isola-

tion. Seeing an older

lesbian or gay man suddenly means they
are not alone. It means they are not invis-
ible, that people are out there living real
lives. Growing up ‘queer’ no longer seems
as filled with only negative stereotypes.
Just a little support can mean so much.
They see that it is possible for them to have
role models and mentors that are also les-
bian and gay.

“Just think of the things that would
have made a difference in your life when
you were an adolescent. The breaking
down of isolation barriers is so important-
letting kids know that there is a community
that they are apartof- a community with a
history and a culture.

“Our community is on the edge of
breaking new ground, and these kids are
already talking about it and realizing it. As
difficult as it may be, we need to find ways
to accept and integrate these youths into our
larger community. These young people are
already well aware thatbeing gay or lesbian
is so much more than having sex with a
same-sex partner. They are already begin-
ning to understand the politics and the need
for social change.

“It seems like we don’t get some of the
support we would like from the older folks
- 25 and up - because they are having some
of their own internal struggles about their
own adolescent experiences and their feel-
ings of recruitment. We need to deal with
ourselves before we will be at aplace where
we can truly support the youth that needs
us. We need to address and resolve our own
issues, internally, so that we will be com-

10

need facilitators for

those groups. The

OUTRIGHT library needs donations of

books, films, and movies. We need to find

better ways to distribute infonnation. I also

could use someone who is computer-
friendly to help out in the office.”

Anyone wishing

me again. I'm not afraid at being a lesbian
at all; it’s just the things I don’t know and
thelabelthatlcarryinthebackofmy
mind...lesbian.”

Members of OUTRIGHT Vermont
will be presenting apanel discussion on gay
youth issues at the Coming Out Day cele-
bration in Montpelier on October 13.

to find out more infor-
mation about OUT-
RIGHT or wanting to
volunteer should con-
tact Josie at the OUT-
RIGHT office in
Burlington at (802)
865-9677.

Following are
excerpts from the let-
ters of two OUT-
RIGHT members that
Josie has agreed to
share with us. They
show better than any-
thing else the powerful
influence a group like
OUTRIGHT can have
on gay, lesbian, and bi-
sexual youth:

“I have to tell you
how important my in-
troduction to OUT-
RIGHT is...I needed a
change. I felt myself
slipping into my old

TED BOHN

ATTORNEY AT LAW

Gay/ Lesbian Rights
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802-257-11-491

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vicious cycle of isola-
tion, self-hatred, and
suicidal tendencies
again when I saw your

P.O. Box 1212
Brattleboro, Vt. 05302

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