The pandemic has been an especially isolating time for LGBTQ youth. Stay-home orders, school closures and the cancellation of extra-curricular activities have impeded many from expressing their sexual or gender identity and accessing appropriate sexual health and mental health resources, according to a survey by the Trevor Project. As a result, homelessness, depression, anxiety and suicide rates are spiking among LGBTQ+ youth.
And yet on Friday, the Toronto District Catholic School Board removed a link to LGBT YouthLine from their website, citing safety concerns for students and the need to engage further with the peer-support service to ensure their content was “age-appropriate.”
