Q-Seattle Events: Tacky Tourist Clubs

In its typically statistics-laden cover story today on gay teens coming out, USA Today offers a brief profile of 17-year old Kenmore student, Zach Lundin, who "has brought boyfriends to several dances at his high school in suburban Seattle."

Zach Lundin had been taught in church that homosexuality was wrong. "I spent a lot of time trying to convince myself I was straight," says Lundin, 17, of Kenmore, Wash. At age 14 he told his parents he was attracted to boys. "I said, 'I'm not going to lie to you anymore. This is what I'm really feeling.' "

His father, Roy Lundin, wasn't thrilled to hear the news. "Any parent who says his first reaction isn't 'Oh, no!' probably isn't telling the truth," he says.

"We felt some sadness. We just assumed we'd have a daughter-in-law someday and grandchildren. It becomes your disappointment, but it's a selfish disappointment. Now we've gotten past that.

"There are some parts of it that I'll never be comfortable with," he concedes, "but that doesn't mean I can't support Zach. I love him and I will support him."

The chart that (since this is USA Today) shows that Lundin may be lucky to have grown up here instead of, say, the plains states. A Gallup poll found that 66% of the population in the Pacific region (WA, OR, CA, HI, AK) "consider homosexuality acceptable" compared to only 38% in the plains states (Dakotas to Kansas, Iowa, and Missouri). New England was the most tolerant region at 69%.

The article sites evidence that gay and lesbian kids are coming out earlier and are often "more vocal."

Still, many continue to have a tough time. The worst off, experts say, are young people in conservative rural regions and children whose parents cannot abide having gay offspring. Taunting at school is still common. Cyber-bullying is "the new big thing," says Laura Sorensen of Affirmations Lesbian and Gay Community Center in Ferndale, Mich. "Kids are getting hate mail and taunts on MySpace or Facebook."

Those problems were highlighted by a recent study that found that up to 42% of homeless or runaway youth are gay.

Resources:
The Washington Gay-Straight Alliance Network
Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network, Washington [GLSEN]
Lambert House (Drop-in center for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth and their allies)

Labels: coming out, gay news, Seattle, Washington