OUT IN THE MOUNTAINS — JULY 1999 — 15 Outright turns 10 continued from page eleven AT THE" ONION RIVER CO-OP. The Onion River C0-Op has a wide variety ofvit- amin supplements, herbal extracts and homeopathic reme- dies to help you stay healthy this cold 8: flu season. If you already have a cold or the flu. natural remedies along with bed rest and plenty of fluids will help alleviate symptoms. Here’s a sample of what we carry: - Source Naturals St. John's Wort 300 mg. 60 ct. SALE $6.75 30% ofil ' Zand Zinc Lozenges SALE $1.25 25% oil! Olympian Labs Ginkgo SALE $6.99 Over 40% oil! Over i,5oo aupplemento to chooae liroml Feeling better doem’t have to coat a lot. K31 .» - - (left to right) Tami Eldridge, Palmer Legare, Kerry Slora, Marck May, Tage Lilja, Duke Moulton on a 1998 lobbying trip to Washington, DC. A communlty_Owned natural market Rutland, who challenged their school to live up to its non-discrimination policies, and Palmer Legare, fea- ‘~=~_\;5.’r‘ C E L E B R A T I N G 2 7 Y E A R S tured in Time magazine for founding a GSA at his Cabot school and supporting student efforts at other o 274 North wimoski Avenue Burlington 863_3659 schools. Palmer in turn credits Outright, which, he says, “gave me the stability and confidence in myself New Hours! Mon-Sat.’9-9 . sum 11-3 to do me the things I’m doing now. If it weren’t for them, I would probably still be struggling.” VISA/Masfercard,/ATM/EBT Accepted Approximately 275 youth accessed Outright’s Direct Services in 1998, a substantial increase over 1997. Since 1991, through direct service and education, Outright has touched the lives of more than 15,000 Vennonters of all ages. Direct Services Coordinator Tage Lilja oversees weekly support groups, an 800 hotline, Reaching Out — a ‘zinc by and for GLBTQ youth, and activities in the Xando youth space. This “constellation of ways that youth can access our resources,” he says, is essential to responding to the vary- ing needs of Verrnont’s youth. Recent years have seen growth in email contacts, and a recent grant will help Outright revamp its Web site to make it more youth-friendly and perhaps enable youth to connect with each other online. ' Opportunities for support and leadership through direct services have expanded exponentially over the last few years. Some of this growth can be attributed to increased civil rights protections in Vermont over the years. One of the more exciting developments this has made possible is the Youth Planning Committee, begun in December 1998. This group of youth plans and implements activities they feel are important to them. The focus and energy this group brings to Outright’s programming contributed greatly to the success such events as the Heroes and Villains prom and Youth Pride this past spring. Lilja would like to see youth involvement grow to include “some stipend positions and opportunities for young people to join the board.” Outright youth are finding ways to be involved in the _ . broader community as well. For the last two years, an Qulte Slfnplyn, Outright-supported and youth-facilitated Queer Youth Th fin 11 . f Speak Out has been among the most powerful work- . e est C_0 echon O _ shops at the VCLGR Annual Town Meeting. The Furnlturer Carpeting & Accessones R.U.l.2? Community Center has embraced youth in Vermont involvement and leadership in its Coffeehouse series. Teens Taking Charge, a yearly HIV prevention retreat organized by Outright and Headrest of NH for GLBTQA 162 south main street rtes 11/30 ¥ In the heart of youth, educates’ connects’ and energizes youth from rutlond, Vermont 05701 monchestercenter. Vermont Vemiont, New Hampshire, and Maine. Watching this (802)775-2911 (802) 362-2001 group of kids dancing, chatting, and building friendships is one of Lilja’s most powerful memories of recent years. - Eldridge has similar favorite moments. The group proudly (and loudly) following the “Youth for Pride, The outright Vermont stajffl to r) Heather Pride for Youth” banner in June was the largest in the I Geoflwy, Tam; Eldridge’ and Tage Lilja at the parade, and the second annual Pride Ball @ City“Ha'll 1999 Hemk and VI”,-ans prom. was even more wildly successfiil than the first. It IS incredibly gratifying to march in a Pride where proud parents are can'ying our banner” Eldridge said, “and incredibly moving to see people between the ages of six and 60-something out on the dance floor having a ball at a chem-free dance.” Outright serves adults as well as youth in many ways. Few organizations play a similar role in educat- ing the educators and the larger community. Adults in the GLBT community can find in Outright a “sense of energy and synergy, a new dimension to their identity” as they take on leadership roles and carve out a space for the youth, observes Dot Brauer. Still Much to Be Done . . - Amidst the progress, there are cautionary notes. Health issues surrounding GLBTQ youth remain the same as ten years ago; the suicide rates are still far too high. “It doesn’t make the papers, but it is still hap- pening in Vennont,” laments Eldridge. “The fear, isolation, and stress, the lack of access to information is still extreme [for many youth].” In addition, today’s youth face new challenges. Brauer worries about the new climate of ‘cool to be cruel’ in schools and the possibility for violence embedded in a radical right backlash around gay marriage. Another challenge comes from within the GLBTQA youth community. Immense media attention to queer identities has created certain expectations among today’s youth. “Now when young people gather,” observes Eldridge, “they are not only giving each other support but also giving each other pressure to come out and be visible. Because of the circumstances in Vermont, there’s an attitude that it’s safe for everybody to be out.” . _ McCaffrey emphasizes that it’s “vitally important to have a place for youth as they’re coming out, [to A offer] ways of finding_a healthy community.” Outright needs volunteers, and donors, as urgently as it ever has to ensure that it survives and thrives in the years to come. 1 (Buy a giflfrom 1/ye (Bath 03. your /one will dance by fbe /lgbl ofa 4 L51‘/very 9370021 J I 207 mm AVE. “F”/M700" ~57"/3 95”) BURLINGTON, VT BY THE TRACKS 502-560-1485 HOURS: TUE5'5AT 10-6. Sun 1-5. CLOSED MONDAY THREE QLB EATS ' from all over vermont: (800) 649-2911 Telemurk Ale Covered Bridge IP11 Ox Pull Stout Sup Brew World's Fair Special Winter Expedition Ale ‘.‘. LIZ TROTT 0 JANICE MORAN As McCaffrey remembers well: Imagine hearing about this organization for gay youth, _6V€n h3Vlng Po Box 837 9 been to a meeting or two. You’re still nervous, feeling tentative, and late for your third meeting. Imagine SO, ROYALTON, VT 05068 you’ve circled the block a few times, loitered at the doorway, finally made your way up the stairs. Imagine 3o2_753_753g opening the door, looking in at the faces in the room, seeing on the couch across from you a good friend \ TOURS BY APPOINTMENT ONLY / from home. Imagine the excitement of “discovering that not only is the community [you’ve found] full of strangers, but it’s also full of friends.” V Stay Healthy Naturally