"There is no sweeter innocence than our gentle sin." - Hozier. It is no secret that the lgbtqia+ community has been disregarded and ridiculed for centuries, and continues to be, even today. The queer youth is no exception to this harsh treatment. In fact, when children come out as a part of the community, they are often laughed at and told that they're just confused or simply influenced by the new 'trends'.
I believe a lot of homophobia is given wings due to the lack of education on the topic. This scarse knowledge not only gives sparks to the fire of hatred, but also makes it incredibly hard for the queer youth to explore and accept themselves. The ever lingering fear of being cast out or hate crimed can be quite paralyzing. When support and acceptance by allies isn't evident, the safer, or at times, the only option seems to be to stay silent, to stay hidden. Even if doing so torments the mind. As allies of the community, educating yourself and others around you can be so much more helpful than you may think. Providing a safe space for the youth to speak about their fight with homophobia and transphobia will lift a huge weight off their shoulders. People tend to turn a blind eye to struggles that do not affect them on a personal level. However, I think it is time that we finally show some empathy and compassion where it is needed. It is vital that people do not speak over the queer youth, rather, see and hear them.
Needless to say, I do not speak for the whole community. I understand that everyone's hardships are different and may differ drastically from one another. Give the queer the long overdue support and love. Far too many lives have been lost to unjustified loathe. It needs to stop somewhere. As they say, "Better late than never."