Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, and others are often susceptible to hardship – in their jobs, communities, and families. Suicide, harassment, and violence are just a few issues. LGBTQ+ youth and teens are especially vulnerable, with additional barriers simply because of their age.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the health of LGBTQ+ youth relies heavily on “going to a school that creates a safe and supportive learning environment for all students and having caring and accepting parents…”
While some youth are lucky to have accepting parents, many are turned away, compounding existing problems with homelessness.
One community in Thurston County is finding progress by focusing on the first part of the CDC’s message – a positive school environment.
Enter Pizza Klatch, a county-wide program that offers weekly lunchtime support groups for LGBTQ+ and their allies. Eleven schools participate – from urban to rural – serving hundreds of youth each week. For many, these lunchtime sessions mean trusted and trained facilitators, and a convenient, safe forum for discussion and education, and free pizza.
“LGBTQ+ youth are dealing with higher levels of bullying, harassment, and family rejection for being out at home and at school. Pizza Klatch is a place where they quickly learn they are not alone, where they build a chosen family that lasts a lifetime,” said Jessica McKimmie, executive director of Pizza Klatch.
A 2014-2015 survey of high school students who participated in Pizza Klatch revealed 91% of students hear LQBTQ+ slurs used sometimes or often in a derogatory way in their school hallways. In middle school, 67% had questions about their sexuality, gender identity, or gender expression. About 70% of youth attendees had attempted to harm themselves in the past. These are just a few of the discussion points the groups tackle, hoping to change those statistics.
And it’s working. Other statistics from the survey state 64% feel less isolated at school, 71% feel more supported and listened to, and 63% think less frequently about suicide since attending Pizza Klatch.
One student, in a video on Pizza Klatch’s website, states, “The first year of my high school career I didn’t really know who I was …When I started going to Pizza Klatch ,I was more informed – it helped me discover who I was and what I want to be in life, or even just temporary.”
Another says: “A lot of my friends just didn’t know what pronouns to use, or didn’t have a place where they could feel safe even experimenting with that type of thing, so I think Pizza Klatch is really important…”
Since the program’s incarnation in 2007, the group continues to grow, support, and change lives – even on a national level. In June 2015, national voters earned Pizza Klatch a $25,000 grant to continue programming efforts.
As a nonprofit organization, Pizza Klatch relies on this type of support to enact their important mission. Every year, the organization hosts A Slice of the Good Life, its annual ‘gay’la and fundraiser.
This year’s event takes place Saturday, January 23, 2016 at The Washington Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Olympia and features performance by Chely Wright, a singer/songwriter who understands all-too-clearly the issues she’s supporting. Ousted by mainstream country music for coming out as a lesbian, she has persevered as a talented, truthful musician. Chely now does advocacy work as well as performances.
The other headliner is renowned poet and activist Richard Blanco, who is the first Latino, openly gay United States inaugural poet, having read for Barack Obama’s second inauguration.
For more information, please visit PizzaKlatch.org. For Gayla sponsorship opportunities, please contact Lee Doyle, coordinator, at leecomdesign@comcast.net.
