Grant: CIHR Café Scientifique Program

A growing body of research has documented how lesbian, gay, and bisexual teens experience more bullying in school, and the health consequences of such harassment and rejection. School districts who are trying to implement policies to support sexual minority teens often face controversy and protests, in part because there is a lot of misinformation among parents about sexual orientation development during the teen years. In addition, new immigrant parents from East Asian communities may struggle to find information that is culturally sensitive and speaks to the issues their teens face in schools. This café scientifique will provide information about normal sexual development, the health consequences of homophobic bullying (even for straight teens that others think are gay), and how parents and schools can support sexual minority teens who are being bullied to prevent the health problems.