<p>Sadly, due to societal prejudice and exclusion, queer youth are at greater risk than their straight and cis-gendered counterparts&nbsp;of experiencing violence, homelessness, suicide, imprisonment, dropping out of school,&nbsp;and substance abuse.&nbsp;What do you do to make your skate project queer-friendly? How do you navigate this question in various cultural contexts?</p>

<p>At Skateistan we have had trouble directly addressing these challenges for our participants. The discourse around LGBT+ rights doesn't always translate across religious values and&nbsp;national/political borders. Our work began in a conservative Muslim country, and this has sometimes meant avoiding hot topic issues&nbsp;in order to preserve the political neutrality and security of our project.</p>

<p>We hope we are contributing something positive by creating a space where bullying or harassment are not tolerated, and where everyone is regarded as equal.</p>

<p>Please share any tips you have for creating LGBTQI+ friendly social skate&nbsp;programs.</p>

<p><strong>References:</strong></p>

<p><a href="https://advocatesforyouth.org/resources/fact-sheets/lesbian-gay-bisexual-and-transgender-lgbt-youth-in-the-global-south/">Advocates for Youth - LGBT Youth in the Global South</a></p>

<p><a href="https://www.prisonpolicy.org/blog/2019/01/22/lgbtq_youth/">https://www.prisonpolicy.org/blog/2019/01/22/lgbtq_youth/</a></p>

<p><a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/for-lgbtq-youth-schools-f_b_11662506?guccounter=1&amp;guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAACRF24jDC6JJICnnl1gjGWxQrnsLwCuaSK3EVyjfUN9ud2m-9mnYgNjWXLnQImvS_UdE5aepc8YKg0oh6SD5A4hk4k5qbgtaNyCYNVnUPKd9cwCAy5pjrHuiEGPCMY_CjEBhRyWocnCu69do1vU_mEnm0sum4yxuqL2efbAFxfJ7">Huffington Post</a></p>
