Gay youth center is a step in the right direction
Center provides counseling to combat prejudice

by William Edelen - Syndicated Columnist

Gay Associated Youth is, without doubt, one of the most positive, healthy and healing organizations in California's Coachella Valley. It was formed for the safety and health of sexual minority youth. For everyone reading this column in other states, perhaps it will inspire you to start a similar organization in your own town. It was formed to give encouragement, hope and guidance to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth.

These young people receive constant abuse and harassment from both students and teachers. The ignorant, bigoted and insensitive are directly responsible for causing the highest suicide rate in America among this group of young people. We are the only culture in the civilized world so saturated with homophobic prejudices.

One young man, Fabio Periera, a member of this organization, was recently featured in an excellent article in The Desert Sun under the title "Stereotypes can hurt people emotionally and physically." The question he asked: "Where do young people learn these destructive attitudes? By and large, at home from the parents." If you can read the stories of some of these young people without a box of Kleenex close by to dab your eyes, I would say your humanity is in question.

One young man's father threw him out of the house when he heard his son was gay. The young man had no place to go on the coldest night of the year. One young man was being beaten day after day on the way home from school - until he finally killed himself. I could give you examples that would fill this entire newspaper. 

The value of this organization to help, heal and counsel is beyond question. They now have a facility to serve as a "drop in" and resource center. It will be a "Gay Youth Center." They are now collecting furnishings and furniture for their 900-square-foot center. Their minimum yearly cost for lease payments, utilities and telephone is $10,000. They would welcome your help. Call (760) 202 7510.

They are now a nonprofit 501 (c) (3) organization whose mission is to provide an activities and resource center for the safety and empowerment of gay and lesbian youth, as well as for youth who may be questioning their own sexual identity. They also offer resources for those perceived to belong to these high-risk groups.

Senior Episcopal Bishop John Spong writes, "A few years down the road we are going to look back at all of this homophobic ignorance in the same way that today we look back at slavery."

How many future generations of morally sensitive people are going to be amazed and astonished at the sexual ignorance and superstitions of today's Christian churches on this subject? Future generations are going to ask, "Where was the love - the love that they preached about and talked about all of the time?"

William Edelen is the author of several books including Spirit Dance. He lives in Palm Springs, Calif.