COLORADO SPRINGS — June is Pride month, and while our nation is taking a hard look at itself, recent data shows the LGBTQ community still faces discrimination, especially teens.
According to the Trevor Project's 2019 National Survey on LGBTQ issues, 71 percent of youth reported discrimination, due to either their sexual orientation or gender identity.
One local activist says the pandemic has forced a lot of LGBTQ teens into isolation. Their parents may not know they're gay, or may not be accepting, and therefore they're stuck at home, not able to be themselves.
That's why Joseph Shelton, a local activist, decided to start a Facebook page where you can adopt an LGBTQ teen.
"We are making a community that tells youth that you are loved for who you are," Shelton explained. "We want to let them know that no one is turning away from them and we are still with them no matter what," he said. "
Shelton says the teens names are kept anonymous to protect their identity. Parents and guardians can even nominate their child to be adopted through the Facebook page.
Shelton told News5, our stat has come a long way on LGBTQ issues, but there's still work to be done.
"We still have a community to build up, and we still have many targets painted on our backs like many other communities do," Shelton said. "It's just time that we all stand up rise up and push back."
For more information on the Facebook page, click here.
