Rainbow Road (25 page)

violence and hate crimes against gays and lesbians

The New York City Gay & Lesbian Anti-Violence Project and the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Projects

240 West 35th Street, Suite 200

New York, NY 10001

Phone: (212) 714-1184

Fax: (313) 714-3627

Bilingual hotline based in the New York area: (212) 714-1141 www.avp.org (Please visit this
Web site to find a branch and phone contact for your region.)

The New York City Gay & Lesbian Anti-Violence Project (AVP) is the nation’s largest crime-victim service agency for the lesbian, gay, transgender, bisexual, and HIV-affected communities.

For twenty years, AVP has provided counseling and advocacy for thousands of victims of bias-motivated violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, HIV-related violence, and police
misconduct. AVP educates the public about violence against or within our communities and
works to reform public policies impacting all lesbian, gay, transgender, bisexual, and HIV-affected people. The NCAVP is the nationwide network of anti-violence projects of which the
New York’s AVP is a part.

human rights campaign

1640 Rhode Island Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20036-3278

Phone: (202) 628-4160 or 1-800-777-4723

Fax: (202) 347-5323

www.hrc.org

As America’s largest gay and lesbian organization, the Human Rights Campaign provides a
national voice on gay and lesbian issues. The Human Rights Campaign effectively lobbies
Congress, mobilizes grassroots action in diverse communities, invests strategically to elect a
fair-minded Congress, and increases public understanding through innovative education and
communication strategies.

HRC is a bipartisan organization that works to advance equality based on sexual orientation
and gender expression and identity, to ensure that gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender
Americans can be open, honest, and safe at home, at work, and in the community.

hiv (human immunodeficiency virus) and aids (acquired immune deficiency syndrome)
Centers for Disease Control

CDC-INFO (Formerly known as the CDC National AIDS Hotline) 1-800-CDCINFO (1-800-232-4636) In English and en Español www.cdc.gov/hiv/hivinfo/nah.htm

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is recognized as the lead federal agency
for protecting the health and safety of people at home and abroad, providing credible
information to enhance health decisions, and promoting health through strong partnerships.

CDC serves as the national focus for developing and applying disease prevention and control,
environmental health, and health promotion and education activities designed to improve the
health of the people of the United States.

Behavioral science has shown that a balance of prevention messages is important for young
people. Total abstinence from sexual activity is the only sure way to prevent sexual transmission
of HIV infection. Despite all efforts, some young people may still engage in sexual intercourse
that puts them at risk for HIV and other STDs. For these individuals, the correct and consistent
use of latex condoms has been shown to be highly effective in preventing the transmission of HIV

and other STDs. Data clearly show that many young people are sexually active and that they are
placing themselves and their partners at risk for infection with HIV and other STDs. These
young people must be provided with the skills and support they need to protect themselves.

teen sexuality

Advocates for Youth

2000 M Street, NW, Suite 750

Washington, DC 20036

Phone: (202) 419-3420

Fax: (202) 419-1448

www.advocatesforyouth.org

There is much to do to improve adolescent reproductive and sexual health in the United States
and in the developing world. Recent declines in teenage pregnancy and childbearing are
threatened by growing political battles over adolescent sexuality. Societal confusion over sex
and a growing adult cynicism about youth culture further fuel the debate. To date, conservative
forces have successfully censored sexuality education in over one-third of American schools,
confidential access to contraception is under attack in the United States and routinely withheld
from adolescents in the developing world, and adolescent access to abortion is almost a thing of
the past. Concurrently, poverty, homophobia, and racism continue to confound the battle
against HIV, leaving gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) youth, youth of color, and
young people in the developing world particularly vulnerable to infection.

Advocates envisions a time when there is societal consensus that sexuality is a normal, positive,
and healthy aspect of being human, of being a teen, of being alive. Advocates for Youth believes
that a shift in the cultural environment in which adolescents live—from one that distrusts young
people and their sexuality to one that embraces youth as partners and recognizes adolescent
sexual development as normal and healthy—will yield significant public health outcomes for
youth in the United States and in the developing world. To ultimately have the largest impact on
improving adolescent sexual health, Advocates believes its role is to boldly advocate for changes
in the environment that will improve the delivery of adolescent sexual health information and
services.

gay and lesbian teen suicides

The Trevor Helpline: 1-866-4U-TREVOR (1-866-488-7386) and 1-800-850-8078

www.thetrevorproject.org

The Trevor Helpline is a national 24-hour toll-free suicide prevention hotline aimed at gay or
questioning youth. The Trevor Helpline is geared toward helping those in crisis, or anyone
wanting information on how to help someone in crisis. All calls are handled by trained
counselors and are free and confidential.

The Trevor Helpline was established by the Trevor Project in August 1998 to coincide with the
HBO airing of Trevor, hosted by Ellen DeGeneres. Trevor is the award-winning short film
about a thirteen-yearold boy named Trevor who, when rejected by friends and peers as he
begins to come to terms with his sexuality, makes an unsuccessful attempt at suicide.

When Trevor was scheduled to air on HBO, the film’s creators began to realize that some of the
program’s teen viewers might be facing the same kind of crisis as Trevor, and they began to
search for a support line to help them. When they discovered that no national twenty-four-hour
toll-free suicide hotline existed that was geared toward gay youth, they decided to establish one
and began the search for funding.

gay and lesbian teen services on the internet

Youth Guardian Services, Inc.

101 E. State Street, #299

Ithaca, NY 14850

Phone:1-877-270-5152

Fax: (703) 783-0525

www.youth-guard.org

Youth Guardian Services is a youth-run, nonprofit organization that provides support services
on the Internet to gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, questioning, and straight supportive
youth. At this time the organization operates solely on private donations from individuals.

The YOUTH e-mail lists are a group of three e-mail mailing lists separated by age groups (13-17, 17-21, 21-25). The goal of these lists is to provide gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, and
questioning youth an open forum to communicate with other youth. The content ranges from
support topics in times of crisis to “chit-chat” and small talk. Each list is operated by a
volunteer staff made up of members who are in the same age group as the list subscribers.

The newest addition to the YOUTH Lists is the STR8 List for straight and questioning youth
aged twenty-five or younger who have friends or family members who are gay, lesbian, bisexual,
transgendered, or questioning. The list provides a safe space and supportive environment to talk
with other straight youth in similar situations about the unique issues facing straight youth who
have friends or family members who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, or questioning.