Two girls are traveling across the United States in search of lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender and queer youth and their stories. They are traveling through New York, Connecticut, Georgia, Mississippi and Alabama. During the leg of their trip at the University this past weekend, they found another story to add.
Laurel Golio and Diana Scholl co-founded the upstart photographic journalism project, called We Are the Youth. The project consists of photographs and interviews with LGBTQ youth across the nation and aims to “capture the incredible diversity and uniqueness among LGBTQ youth,” according to wearetheyouth.org.
“We wanted to start documenting queer youth,” Golio said. “We have always been passionate about queer rights. It is a unique, special population.”
Scholl said, as members of the LGBTQ community themselves, it is very important to herself and Golio. They want members of the community to know they are not alone.
“Being queer women at 25, we like seeing others’ experiences,” Scholl said. “It’s an interesting time in your life. It’s important that kids, especially those in rural areas, can see these stories and know that they’re not alone.”
Golio said the project originally started as a blog where they would post news items, but Scholl said as the issue of teen suicide tragedies surfaced, they wanted to provide a resource to the LGBTQ community. After that they started to design an actual website.
“With everything with the teen suicide tragedies we want to make sure to be a part of the community,” Scholl said. “We are listed as a resource on It Gets Better. Although we are photo journalists, we consider ourselves activists.”
Golio and Scholl said they were able to find youth in Alabama through a network of organizations.
“Diana worked at some AIDS organizations so she had contacts in the South,” Golio said. “We contacted AIDS Alabama and they put us in touch with Equality Alabama. A lot of gay organizations know each other.”
Golio, who is originally from Brooklyn, along with Scholl, said there was a big change coming from New York City to Alabama.
“There is a lot more of a focus on religion here,” Golio said. “I noticed this in Auburn especially. There was a boy we interviewed who came from a very evangelical household. He is out and is still very religious. It’s been really interesting.”
Golio and School interviewed Anna Turkett, a freshman in New College who will be featured on wearetheyouth.org.
“Anna has an awesome story,” Scholl said. “It’s cool to see somebody that is so comfortable in their own skin.”
“My strength is more in that I have an accepting family,” Turkett said. “A lot of people would be good activists, but it’s hard because they can’t tell their family. A lot of people are out because they are away from home.”
Turkett said she hopes her message helps other LGBTQ youth.
“I hope, they can see that being in Bama doesn’t mean you have to be a secret queer,” Turkett said.
Golio said she found that being able to read the stories of similar youth can really help those who are struggling.
“That’s why the Internet is such a magical place,” Scholl said. “You can find anything and find other people like you.”
Turkett, Scholl and Golio encouraged students to not be afraid to be who they are, no matter where they come from or where they are currently living.
“UA is a surprisingly accepting place,” Turkett said. “You shouldn’t be afraid to come out here. Spectrum is a great resource on campus. Somebody has to be out for other people to look to. People used to recommend me to friends. It makes you the gay voice of the community.”
Both Scholl and Golio agreed with these remarks, saying once you come out things get better.
“It really does get better, and you’re not alone,” Golio said.
Golio and Scholl said Turkett’s profile will be available on the website sometime in mid-November. Meanwhile, students are invited to look at other profiles and blog entries at wearetheyouth.org. Donations are also accepted on the website.
