Youth Guide

Leadership & wellness for all youth

Mythbusting Time – You Can Be Young, Gay, and Healthy!

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We hate myths online, especially when we know that today’s curious gay youth are going to be looking at things in a completely different manner than the older generation of gays would. You have to make sure that you keep your own personal corner of the world bright, because there are people that will try to take things away from you. There are indeed people that will try to ruin your day. You have to fight back against them because they don’t matter in the long run.

One of the top myths that are going around right now is that you can’t be healthy as a gay teen or young adult — that there are just too many things out there geared to making you sick.

The statistics just aren’t there. It is quite possible to live a long and healthy life as a gay teen — there are gay people in their 80’s and 90’s as well!

Their secret? They didn’t focus on “gay health” — just health. That’s something that we can all get behind, right? So if you’re a young gay teen trying to figure out how to actually stay healthy, here’s a few more tips for you to do that.


First and foremost, you’re going to want to step away from processed food. The facts on GMO (genetically modified organisms) in our food are sketchy, but more evidence is coming out that we may need to be concerned. Instead of panicking, it’s better to make sure that you choose foods that are local to you that grow in season.

You may also have food intolerances that you haven’t even guessed about. For example, you might be lactose intolerant. Think about how you feel after you eat certain foods. Going on an elimination diet can help you pinpoint foods that make you feel great, and foods that don’t. If you remove dairy and find that adding it back causes stomach upset and bloating, then you have identified something that shouldn’t be part of your diet.

Not every allergy test will necessarily show that you have this food intolerance — but if you really start learning how to listen to your body, you can fight this.

Another point that you want to think about is getting regular exercise. Not exercising is something that has led to a host of new world diseases that many of our ancestry groups just didn’t have. Being able to get back in shape can be hard, especially if you’re seriously overweight. This is where a doctor can step in and build you a good program. Always get your blood work checked by a doctor before you start any type of program, especially a high intensity one. You don’t want to put more stress and strain on your body just in the name of weight loss.

Another area that you need to handle is your stress level as well as your sleep. We’re not saying that you have to give up on everything you love and go be a hermit in the woods, but there is something to be said about actually giving your body the rest and relaxation that it needs. Getting yourself in a better mood is also a must — do what makes you happy. Tuning out the opinions of people that don’t even like you is a much needed skill in today’s world, where everyone feels they have the right to tell you what to do with your life — even when they don’t even know you!

Take it easy, and you’ll be just fine — we promise!

What Oreo’s Gay-Friendly Facebook Post About Pride Really Means for Today’s Gay Youth

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We’re angry today. You see, on the 25th of June Oreo made a statement on their Facebook page about Gay Pride and how love has no limits. That’s the real message that they were trying to present. We really liked the rainbow cookie design as well — it was crisp, it was bold, and it was perfect.

This has to be one of our favorite messages from a big company, right up there with JCPenney’s gay-friendly Father’s Day ad — very nice. They also did a gay-friendly Mother’s Day ad as well.

Still, the commentary on the Facebook post in question heated up. Many with feelings against the gay movement made their feelings known, including wanting to boycott Oreo and Kraft in general.

The idea of boycotting such a large company is honestly laughable. If you were to boycott Kraft, there are early 50 other brands that you would also need to skip in your day to day shopping. Yes, we have other issues with Kraft Foods but today, it’s just time to reflect on what this means for the gay community.


Gay teens and young adults need big companies like Kraft to talk about the movement. They need to know that what they are going through is normal. They need to know that it is quite possible to really be able to live a normal, healthy life and not worry about anything else than their own happiness.

We’re not saying that anti-gay commenters don’t have a right to their opinion. This is a free world where opinions can go both ways. America was built on free speech — but hate speech is different. You can express yourself without putting down another person. Gays have heard it all at this point, and it’s no surprise that they’re tired of being told to be quiet.

More companies are going to come out with their own Pride friendly slogans and messages for multiple reasons.

One reason is that the “gay dollar” is growing in power as well. Businesses have their agenda, let’s be honest: gays are buying and they have spending power. Upsetting such a large and growing segment of the population that is moving up in terms of status, income, and representation is a bad idea.

It’s not just pleasing gays — but also supporters of the gay movement. We are proud that our straight friends support our right to be happy, to be in love, and to be free as humans. Companies know that if they go against the gay movement too much longer, they’re going to lose straight customers.

Many of the comments were very hurtful, but they are very typical. So in the end, what does this really mean for the gay community? It simply means that you must look closely at what people really say…and ignore every last bit of it.

We’re serious. There’s no reason to let anti-gay comments stick to you. You might feel scared and alone out there, but you’re not. Don’t focus on the negative comments — focus on all of the great comments that came through the page. Focus on the number of shares that the post in question had. That’s the best way to face this head on. Don’t be afraid — you’re surrounded by more love than you can possibly imagine!

Do You Need Formal Gay Marriage In Your Life

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One of the most contentious issues in society is the subject of gay marriage. When you’re just coming out, you might wonder about gay marriage yourself. Even if you’re far away from the topic of marriage you still want to make sure that it’s something that you can actually do.

Not every state offers gay marriage of domestic partnership. Keep in mind that these definitions and terms are representations of legal representation — not life representation.

In other words, if you meet someone that you truly do want to spend the rest of your life with, don’t just discount them because the state that you live in doesn’t recognize gay marriage. There is so much more to life than a piece of paper, or even the “acknowledgement” that comes from being able to say that the other person is your legal spouse. There are straight people getting married that don’t necessarily have a good union, either.


The truth is that humans will always want to do the things that truly make them feel connected. If you want to get married, you can indeed go to Canada or another state that handles gay marriage. If it’s important to have the recognition from another authority, then you definitely should explore this. However, you will need to ensure that you think about the life side of things as well.

Getting someone that cares about you is the much harder road to climb. It takes work to be a gay couple, especially if you don’t live in a community that’s especially supportive. Both of you will have to look at each other and really decide if this is what you both want to do.

And if it’s not, that’s not a comment about gay relationships. It’s just a reality — two people that didn’t work out together. A lot of newly “out” gay teens get into relationships and think that they have to be with their “one true love” right away and they’re a failure if they don’t do that. This is just not true at all. If you want happiness, you have to do what makes you happy in the moment. We’re never guaranteed anything like happiness.

It’s all about what we really fight for, what we really desire, and what we’re really willing to do to get what we want.

The subject of gay marriage will forever have its share of supporters as well as detractors — even within the GLBT community. You just need to figure out how to be happy through all seasons and everything else will really fall into place. Get out there and experience the best that life has to offer today!

Do You Need To Tell a Landlord that You’re Gay

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Your first apartment is a pretty exciting milestone in your life. There’s just no other way to say it. Having an apartment means that you’re on your way to some big and bright things, and that’s nothing to sneeze at! However, if you’ve come out proudly as a member of the gay community, you might wonder if you have to tell anyone — like your landlord.

Talking to the person that can legally evict you from their property is a pretty scary thought, especially when you’re young. Here’s a few things that you will want to definitely keep in mind.


Just because you don’t physically own the home doesn’t mean that you don’t have rights. If you’re at all worried about renting opportunities in your area, you will need to look up the tenancy laws for your state. That covers what the landlord can and cannot do. They cannot just evict you because you are openly gay. They can however evict you if you damage the property or do not pay your rent or even have someone living there who is not on the lease as a tenant or an occupant. That’s something that you might forget about, but we can promise you that your landlord will not just forget about it. So you have to make sure that you have your wits about you at every turn.

If you do have a conflict with your landlord, make sure that you keep a log of what happened, the date that it occurred, and also what actions you took to try to resolve the problem. Everything involving your landlord should be in written form as well as just a phone conversation. You need to do this because if you don’t you’ll have problems getting your natural rights as a tenant.

If you are looking at a new apartment, you can have a conversation with the landlord. Let them know that you are a good and clean person who just wants somewhere to live. Money talks more than anything else — if you’re someone that pays their bills, then what you do in your personal life is up to you. There’s no legal requirement to inform your landlord of your life as a gay person. Even if you have guests over to spend the night occasionally, that doesn’t mean that they are now occupants. You have to read your lease and make sure that you know exactly what your fights really are.

Are you ready to look for an apartment right now? The internet is really your best connection unless you live in a very small town. Then you will need to look at the newspaper. Either way, we wish you the best of luck!