I have been bi for a few years and I’ve been called a “fag” and “queer” by strange people. I’ve got to know if there is someone who can help me.
Signed,
Alex, 18, Elizabethtown KY
It stinks that there are people who are mean to lesbians, gay, bisexuals and transgenders (LGBT), and that they resort to name calling. To be treated this way is painful for anyone that experiences it. Writing to “Dear Trevor” is an important step in learning how to deal with people like this.

Talking with other gay/bisexual youth who have had to deal with being the object of name-calling or violence, can be very helpful. Online you can look for LGBT groups near you by searching the Queer America database (www.Queeramerica.com). Simply enter your area code or zip code and hit search! Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians & Gays (PFLAG), a national group that supports gay people and their families, has a listing of local chapters on their website (www.PFLAG.org). You might find a group that holds a meeting in your home town. You can also look for a Metropolitan Community Church (www.MCCChurch.org) or Unitarian Universalist Association (www.UUA.org) in your area. Both are house of worship that welcome LGBT people.

Of course, I also recommend that you call The Trevor Helpline at 866.4.U.TREVOR (866.488.7386). Our counselors can help you talk through your feelings about being called names or threatened. They might also have some good tips on what to do the next time it happens. You are not alone in your frustration. There are resources and people out there to support you.