New Research Shows that Many LGBTQ+ Youth Feel Safer Online than IRL
https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/parenting/new-research-shows-that-many-lgbtq-youth-feel-safer-online-than-irl/ar-AA1ALzNq?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=d4789a26c2a64b1ff396d0d6fa7cf56f&ei=82
Story by Taylor Grothe (12 March 2025)
It's a fact that LGBTQ+ youth are more connected online than ever before. So it should not come as a surprise that they're carving out virtual spaces to cultivate meaningful friendships and develop their own identities online. A new study from Hopelab and Born This Way Foundation suggests that many LGBTQ+ youth feel safer online than in person, while also reaffirming that safe in-person spaces are crucial to positive mental health outcomes.
As anti-LGBTQ legislation sweeps America, young people in the queer community are increasingly seeking out safe spaces—and many of those spaces are online. The aforementioned study suggests that the internet and social are incredibly useful as teens begin to explore their sexuality and gender identity.
In fact, many LGBTQ+ youth are more comfortable being out online than they are in person. 82% of young people surveyed were out online, compared to only 53% in person. This disparity is even wider in the trans* population: 80% of trans youth are out online, versus only 40% in person.
Amy Green, PhD, Head of Research at Hopelab, affirms how important this study is to understanding LGBTQ+ youth mental health. "In the survey, nearly half (44%) of LGBTQ+ young people reported feeling "very safe" online, compared to just 9% for in-person spaces," she explains, adding that online communities offer physical distances and ability to control interactions by blocking harmful content.
Condenses to one point.
Feels safer. Ex. We feel less at risk here at Susan's, yes?
I'm tempted to make a sarcastic reply to that headline, but I will confine myself to saying that that is not exactly a surprise.