Document Type

Article

Abstract

The 21st century saw a significant rise in LGBTQ+ representation, much of which is catered to queer children, adolescents, teenagers, and emerging adults. However, media’s ability to affect the psychological development, mental health, and quality of life for queer youth is still relatively unexplored. Through an analyzation of the current available literature, it was determined that LGBTQ+ representation's influence on queer youth is complex. Findings indicated that representative media allowed queer youth to find support and community by using current media as a tool to connect with others. It was determined that there was a lack of evidence to indicate that representative media made any significant improvements to the risk of queer youth developing psychological issues, although it was found to improve the resilience of queer youth. Similarly, current research found that suicide statistics among queer youth did not significantly decrease during the evolution of LGBTQ+ representation in media, indicating that it has little influence over suicide risk. However, it was found that representative media has the ability to influence the opinions and behaviors of non-queer individuals, reduce the level of prejudice that non-queer individuals hold towards queer individuals, and reduce the risk of bullying for queer youth.

Publication Date

Spring 5-1-2024

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