According to a study by Yale University researchers, lesbian and gay
youth are 25 to 300 percent more likely to be punished by schools,
police and courts. The study found that the experience of harsher
punishment for similar infractions was even more pronounced among
lesbian youth.
The study followed 15,000 middle school and high
school students into early adulthood. Of these participants, 1,500
described themselves as gay, lesbian or bisexual, 2,300 reported having
felt same-sex attraction at one point and 800 were in same-sex
relationships.
Researchers were astounded by the extent to which
their data showed that lesbian and gay youth, especially girls,
experienced differential treatment, recognizing that harsh punishment
for youth can be extremely damaging. This can lead to higher dropout
rates and loss of financial aid and housing eligibility.
These
findings, especially when viewed in conjunction with recent revelations
regarding the bullying of LGBT youth, show that the struggle for full
equality for LGBT people still has a long way to go.
