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Writing Themselves in 3: The Third National Study on the Sexual Health and Wellbeing of Same Sex Attracted and Gender Questioning Young People

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This is the third of the Writing Themselves In national reports which have been conducted six years apart since 1998. In 2010, a total of 3134 same sex attracted and gender questioning (SSAGQ) young people participated in Writing Themselves In 3 (WTi3), almost double the number in 2004 and more than four times that of 1998. The participants, who were aged between 14 and 21 years, came from all states and territories of Australia, from remote (2%), rural (18%) and urban (67%) areas and from a range of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. There were more young women (57%) than young men (41%) and a smaller group (3%) who were gender questioning (GQ). Findings cover statistics and qualitative information on health, mental health and wellbeing, education and social measures.
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... Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, and 2-spirit (LGBTQ2S+) youth and young adults are more likely to experience mental health problems, suicidality, and substance use problems in comparison to their heterosexual counterparts [1]. Global studies have shown that discrimination, stigma, and minority stress contribute towards this heightened risk [2][3][4][5][6][7]. Shared experiences such as social exclusion, violence, and peer bullying were found across a wide berth of studies on this population [2][3][4][5][6][7]. ...
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