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| Natasha Mundkur Class of 2019 |
It’s a difficult fact of life to comprehend that 40 percent of youth nationwide that identify as LGBTQ+ do not feel as though they, along with the rest of the identifying LGBTQ adults, are accepted by the community in which they live. A to many community is a niche that fosters personal growth, allows bonds to form between neighbors and friends, and provides a nurturing environment in which an individual can achieve his or her full potential. However, many of the youth who feel ostracized based on their sexuality and lack acceptance from their immediate community turn to organizations like the Louisville Youth Group (LYG), a small organization that provides a safe and supportive environment to help them regain a constructive sense of community, and acts as a critical component in achieving self-actualization. Louisville Youth Group is a non-profit organization based in Louisville, Kentucky that aims to provide a safe and accommodating environment for LGBTQ youth in the city.
On September 25, 2015, at the Art Sanctuary on Shelby Street in downtown Louisville, myself and two other classmates had the opportunity to volunteer at the organization’s fundraising occasion Glitter Gala. The purpose of the Glitter Gala was to raise funds for events that Louisville Youth Group offer for the youth LGBTQ community, including for example, camping opportunities, food, and clothing. In addition to the funds, the Glitter Gala also raised much needed awareness on youth LGBTQ issues such as the lack of a support system and the commonplace of identity crisis.
Staff and members were all very welcoming and accepting of one another in addition to us students from the University of Louisville. They casually asked us questions on our identification and sexuality, and addressed their own in the way they felt most comfortable. At first I was quite hesitant in answering for fear of judgment; however, it took me all of two seconds to realize that I was in a judgment free zone. Youth members spoke with us on the bullying and discrimination they have faced and how they were working to overcome their strife.
LYG provides a space where you can talk through and figure out what your gender identity and sexuality are and how gender is experienced on an individual level. The organization consciously addresses gender not on a binary level, but rather through exploration and discussion to attain personal growth.
The Louisville Youth Group understands that all of the students who benefit from the organization have come from different walks of life, that in many cases, are not confined within the society’s social norms. It teaches students to recognize this fact, and in doing so, the mentors and discussion leaders of the program offer students the chance to explore different identities without fear of judgment, and to speak about their world experience according to both gender and sexuality. As gender and sexuality are inherently different, they are often times tied together through stereotypes.
After briefly experiencing the Glitter Gala event, I fully believed LYG met my expectation, and possibly even exceeded that expectancy in regards to its application of feminist action. This does not include taking feminist action in protests, sit ins, or any other forms of demonstration, but through an individualized education (mentorships, open discussions on personal sexuality and beliefs) of the forms of oppression an individual is facing and how to address the concern. For example, if an LGTBQ student faces bullying from peers outside of the program, LYG teaches that student how to reply calmly and with an educated response on how sexuality is different for everyone.
Natasha Mundkur is a freshman McConnell Scholar at the University of Louisville. She studies business, political science, and women and gender studies.