can offer is somewhere a young person feels comfortable enough to turn up, be themselves and have a good time. Joy itself can create belonging. CELEBRATE COURAGE WITHOUT DEMANDING IT It can take considerable courage for a young person to talk about their sexuality or gender. That trust deserves respect. But LGBTQI+ young people should not feel they have to become activists, educators or representatives simply because of who they are. Some will want to campaign. Some will organise Pride events, challenge prejudice and speak publicly about their experiences. Others will want absolutely nothing to do with any of that. Both are valid. A young person does not owe anyone an inspiring coming-out story. They do not have to explain terminology to adults, defend the LGBTQI+ community or answer personal questions. Nor do they have to be visibly “out” to prove that they are confident in themselves. Confidence can also mean knowing what you want to keep private. NOTICE STRENGTHS, NOT JUST VULNERABILITIES There is a danger that adults working with LGBTQI+ young people begin to see vulnerability before they see the young person. Instead, notice what is already strong. Perhaps they have developed an extraordinary ability to understand other people’s perspectives. Perhaps they are creative, funny, determined, compassionate or fiercely loyal. Perhaps they have found the courage to question expectations that never fitted them. Ask about what is going well. Who makes them laugh? What are they proud of? What are they looking forward to? What are they good at? Where do they feel most themselves? What would they love to try? These questions do not ignore difficulties. They simply remind us that difficulty is not the whole person.
sure young people have somewhere to turn when things are difficult. But our responsibility does not end there. We can help create environments in which LGBTQI+ young people are not simply protected from harm but actively encouraged to grow. That means nurturing confidence rather than shame. Connection rather than isolation. Curiosity rather than fear. Friendship rather than simply tolerance. Possibility rather than limitation. And, importantly, making room for joy. Because LGBTQI+ young people should not have to spend their adolescence proving that they can survive being themselves. They should have the freedom to discover just how much they can enjoy becoming themselves.
allowed to become wonderfully ordinary. For example, a teenager casually mentioning their girlfriend at dinner. A trans young person complaining about exams rather than having every conversation revolve around gender. Two boys holding hands without checking who is watching. A young person bringing their partner home and discovering that nobody makes it into a big event. These moments might not look dramatic from the outside. But sometimes ordinary is exactly what equality looks like. FROM SURVIVING TO THRIVING Supporting LGBTQI+ young people will always involve recognising the challenges they may encounter. Adults have a responsibility to take discrimination seriously, challenge prejudice and make
LET ORDINARY HAPPINESS COUNT
Perhaps one of the greatest signs of progress is when being LGBTQI+ is
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