LGBTQ Youth Don't Always Get Support Like In the Film 'Love, Simon'

Nick Robinson stars in the movie ‘Love, Simon,’ a romantic comedy about a 17-year-old boy who struggles with coming out as gay to family and friends. (20th Century Fox/TNS)

From The Morning Call, Adrian Shanker, the executive director of the Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center, Allentown, Pennsylvania, wrote an Op Ed about seeing the film Love, Simon:

Simon's experience is still one of profound privilege compared to the stories of many LGBT youth today. While Simon came out to an affirming family, the national average is that 40 percent of homeless youth are LGBT due to familial homophobia and transphobia.

And while Simon was anxiously counting down the days until graduation, LGBT youth experience a dropout rate nearly three times the national average.

Remember that Simon's teacher stood up for him when he was bullied, but that many LGBT youth lack adult advocates in school. Remember that while Simon had the Hollywood happy ending we all paid for in our admission to the theater, this is not always so for LGBT youth in our society.

Though teaching LGBT history is proven to help eradicate bullying and harassment in school toward LGBT students, few schools include it in their curriculum. And transgender students across the country lack assurance of their basic right to public accommodation in school due to the Trump administration's rescinding of the Obama-era Title IX guidance.

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