Grace’s Senior Thesis: Internet Plays a Role in Trans Youths’ Mental and Social Development
Introduction:
Have you ever been sitting in a classroom full of people but feeling completely alone? Have you been surrounded by crowds in the hallway and cannot find anyone to talk to? This is the exact mental reflection of a transgender teenager in the school community. Mental health problems, especially teenage mental health issues, have been a long lasting problem in the school community. In a variety of groups of high schoolers, the suffering of trans teenagers’ mental health issues is even more serious. Due to their special identity that is different from the traditional binary sexes, trans teenagers face more mental health issues than teenagers who identify themselves as binary genders. According to Dr. Becerra-Culqui, of the Kaiser Permanente Southern California Department of Research & Evaluation, the number of depressive disorders among trans teenagers are 4 to 7 times higher than the matched cisgender reference group. She says: “For clinicians, it is important that they are aware of possible mental health conditions that may be more common in transgender and gender-nonconforming youth compared to cisgender youth” (Trans gender youth). It is significant for people to obtain the knowledge necessary to provide social and educational support for youths who struggle with gender identities. In contemporary society, more mechanisms can be used as an efficient tool to help the confused transgender teens. Modern technology becomes one possible solution that provides support for trans teenagers’ mental health problems. In the current information age, almost everyone builds contact and establishes relationships with others on the internet; the internet and social media creates a safe space for trans youths to express themselves because they find a sense of resonance, thus effectively helping trans teens to diminish gender dilemmas.
Full Essay link:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/17x-2OIqu8oBFdUY2MMTThk4QNZf3I0j7eP9NubOCQXM/edit?usp=sharing
As an extension to my senior thesis, or if you feel the resonance of topics in my essay, you can always support the transgender youth group by starting the actions around our community. Participating in the Day of Silence, joining GSA, attending affinity groups, giving speeches at assembly… These can all help people to draw attention to the equity of social minorities.
Here are also some organizations that you might find interesting seeking support/supporting others:
https://www.communityaction.us/generation-q
Photo Citation:
Toinel, L. (2017a, August 22). Photo by Ludovic Toinel on unsplash. Boy playing at laptop inside room photo – Free Kid Image on Unsplash. https://unsplash.com/photos/boy-playing-at-laptop-inside-room-nGwyaWKFRVI?utm_content=creditShareLink&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash
