Asking LGBTQ youth how they wish to be referred

Learn about: Asking LGBTQ youth how they wish to be referred from Brian Pinero,...
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Asking LGBTQ youth how they wish to be referred

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Well I think the most important way to refer to anyone whether they're not really knowing about their sexual orientation is to just ask them, "How would you like me to refer to you?" or, "What would you be most comfortable with?" You may have people who may not identify with either male or female gender, and they're Z. And you may not know that when you walk into a room and you talk to someone. You may address them with, "Hello ladies," and maybe that's not what they're comfortable with. But it's making sure that you keep open that space that if someone does approach you saying, "That's not what I prefer," it's like, "Well, what would you prefer me to address you as?" And so you could be like, "I'd like to be known as Z." So I think it just comes down to the basic things, asking somebody, "What are you comfortable with?" and being okay with maybe you didn't know that. But it's what do you do after that? And it's that you don't belittle something like that or that's important to someone.

Learn about: Asking LGBTQ youth how they wish to be referred from Brian Pinero,...

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Brian Pinero

Abuse Helpline Coordinator

Brian Pinero is the director of the National Dating Abuse Helpline, the advocacy service provider behind loveisrespect.org. Through loveisrespect, teens and young adults can receive crisis intervention and education about healthy relationships via text, chat or phone. Pinero has dedicated over 10 years to helping teens and has previously supervised youth shelter services, been an investigator at Child Protective Services and worked as a juvenile probation officer. 

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