{"id":573,"date":"2025-04-30T19:31:12","date_gmt":"2025-04-30T19:31:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ctlsites.uga.edu\/rp-vaughanstout\/?p=573"},"modified":"2025-05-06T19:29:45","modified_gmt":"2025-05-06T19:29:45","slug":"a-safe-space-for-lgbtq-info-ask-ida","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ctlsites.uga.edu\/rp-vaughanstout\/a-safe-space-for-lgbtq-info-ask-ida\/","title":{"rendered":"A Safe Space for LGBTQ+ Info: Ask Ida"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-playlist wp-audio-playlist wp-playlist-light\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-playlist-current-item\"><\/div>\n\t\t<audio controls=\"controls\" preload=\"none\" width=\"618\"\n\t\t\t><\/audio>\n\t<div class=\"wp-playlist-next\"><\/div>\n\t<div class=\"wp-playlist-prev\"><\/div>\n\t<noscript>\n\t<ol>\n\t\t<li><a href='https:\/\/ctlsites.uga.edu\/rp-vaughanstout\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1991\/2025\/04\/SJJ_Story_2_Audio_SecondDraft.mp3'>SJJ_Story_2_Audio_SecondDraft<\/a><\/li>\t<\/ol>\n\t<\/noscript>\n\t<script type=\"application\/json\" class=\"wp-playlist-script\">{\"type\":\"audio\",\"tracklist\":true,\"tracknumbers\":true,\"images\":true,\"artists\":true,\"tracks\":[{\"src\":\"https:\/\/ctlsites.uga.edu\/rp-vaughanstout\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1991\/2025\/04\/SJJ_Story_2_Audio_SecondDraft.mp3\",\"type\":\"audio\/mpeg\",\"title\":\"SJJ_Story_2_Audio_SecondDraft\",\"caption\":\"\",\"description\":\"\\\"SJJ_Story_2_Audio_SecondDraft\\\". Released: 2025.\",\"meta\":{\"year\":\"2025\",\"length_formatted\":\"4:02\"},\"image\":{\"src\":\"https:\/\/ctlsites.uga.edu\/rp-vaughanstout\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/audio.svg\",\"width\":48,\"height\":64},\"thumb\":{\"src\":\"https:\/\/ctlsites.uga.edu\/rp-vaughanstout\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/audio.svg\",\"width\":48,\"height\":64}}]}<\/script>\n<\/div>\n\t\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cIt\u2019s such a scary time, and you know, I\u2019m from South Georgia. I didn&#8217;t know any gay people\u2026 I definitely didn&#8217;t know any trans people growing up. Just the curiosity of not having someone to ask that would be appropriate, you know, not having a safe space to ask was something that\u2026 immediately felt wrong\u201d &#8211; Ida Barrett.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Why It\u2019s Newsworthy: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;color: #ff0000\">Facing 241 anti-LGBTQ+ bills targeting student and educator rights in the U.S., safe spaces for acceptance and verifiable information regarding the queer community are important. Barrett is directly involved in creating and fostering those safe spaces in Athens, via APQC\u2019s LGBTQ+ Youth Group and her own personal advice website.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Who is Ida?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ida Barrett is the Director of Community Outreach for the Athens Pride and Queer Collective. Barrett, a pansexual woman, is quite outspoken about her and APQC\u2019s goals. Through both APQC\u2019s LGBTQ+ Youth Group and her anonymous advice website, she goes above and beyond to support the queer community of Athens.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Barrett aims to provide safe spaces, information and guidance to fellow members of the LGBTQ+ community.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Growing up, she felt as if she couldn\u2019t discuss sexual orientation or identity. \u201cI felt like if I asked these types of questions, I was going to get into trouble or something was wrong with me,\u201d said Barrett.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>LGBTQ+ Youth in America\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ctlsites.uga.edu\/rp-vaughanstout\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1991\/2025\/04\/Graphic.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-581\" src=\"https:\/\/ctlsites.uga.edu\/rp-vaughanstout\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1991\/2025\/04\/Graphic.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1380\" height=\"605\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ctlsites.uga.edu\/rp-vaughanstout\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1991\/2025\/04\/Graphic.png 1380w, https:\/\/ctlsites.uga.edu\/rp-vaughanstout\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1991\/2025\/04\/Graphic-300x132.png 300w, https:\/\/ctlsites.uga.edu\/rp-vaughanstout\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1991\/2025\/04\/Graphic-1024x449.png 1024w, https:\/\/ctlsites.uga.edu\/rp-vaughanstout\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1991\/2025\/04\/Graphic-768x337.png 768w, https:\/\/ctlsites.uga.edu\/rp-vaughanstout\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1991\/2025\/04\/Graphic-100x44.png 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1380px) 100vw, 1380px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The figure depicts survey responses from the Human Rights Campaign\u2019s LGBTQ+ Youth Report of 2023 and The Trevor Project, both of which are based in the United States. The Human Rights Campaign surveyed 13,000 LGBTQ+ youths between the ages of 13 and 18, while the Trevor Project surveyed 18,000 LGBTQ+ youths between the ages of 13 and 24.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Unfortunately, Barrett\u2019s experiences are not uncommon. The <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thetrevorproject.org\/survey-2024\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">2024 Trevor Project<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> reported that only around 40% of LGBTQ+ youth deemed home an affirming space, and only around 52% deemed school an affirming space.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Additionally, the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aclu.org\/legislative-attacks-on-lgbtq-rights-2025?impact=school\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">American Civil Liberties Union<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> has tracked 241 anti-LGBTQ+ bills in various stages that target student and educator rights (as of March 14th, 2025), 45 of which aim to restrict or censor school curricula.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Barrett strives to combat the lack of security felt by queer youth, as well as current attempts to restrict LGBTQ+ education via the LGBTQ+ Youth Group.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">According to the Trevor Project, 12% of LGBTQ+ youths attempted suicide last year. However, LGBTQ+ youths who reported living in accepting communities attempted suicide at half the rate of those living in unaccepting communities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cAny child being able to avoid those feelings is incredible. And being able to get real information that\u2019s unbiased, that\u2019s factual, that\u2019s backed by science is huge,\u201d says Barrett. She is thankful that those who attend \u201chave parents and support systems who are happy to allow\u2026 them to explore their identity and to understand the identity of others.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>What Opposition \/ Why Opposition?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Many of the 241 anti-LGBTQ+ bills directed towards educator and student rights state a general intention to \u201cprotect\u201d the youth. For example, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.legis.ga.gov\/legislation\/70042\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">S.B. 120<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.legis.ga.gov\/legislation\/70774\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">S.B. 248<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, 2 of the 5 anti-LGBTQ+ student-educator bills currently advancing in Georgia, aim to prohibit diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and heavily restrict access to LGBTQ+ information or topics. S.B. 248 aims to redefine and restrict LGBTQ+ information and materials, citing that they are considered \u201csexually explicit\u201d or \u201charmful to minors.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Barrett believes that \u201cone of the big criticisms about youth, and not even trans youth or queer youth, but just youth in general being exposed to any kind of pride event\u2026 is that they\u2019re too young and it\u2019s explicit.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cThere\u2019s such this false narrative that anything that has to do with the LGBTQ+ community is inherently sexual.\u201d &#8211; Ida Barrett<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Confidence in Identity<\/b><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ctlsites.uga.edu\/rp-vaughanstout\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1991\/2025\/04\/LGBTQ-Youth-Graphic.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-578\" src=\"https:\/\/ctlsites.uga.edu\/rp-vaughanstout\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1991\/2025\/04\/LGBTQ-Youth-Graphic.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1337\" height=\"485\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ctlsites.uga.edu\/rp-vaughanstout\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1991\/2025\/04\/LGBTQ-Youth-Graphic.png 1337w, https:\/\/ctlsites.uga.edu\/rp-vaughanstout\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1991\/2025\/04\/LGBTQ-Youth-Graphic-300x109.png 300w, https:\/\/ctlsites.uga.edu\/rp-vaughanstout\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1991\/2025\/04\/LGBTQ-Youth-Graphic-1024x371.png 1024w, https:\/\/ctlsites.uga.edu\/rp-vaughanstout\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1991\/2025\/04\/LGBTQ-Youth-Graphic-768x279.png 768w, https:\/\/ctlsites.uga.edu\/rp-vaughanstout\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1991\/2025\/04\/LGBTQ-Youth-Graphic-100x36.png 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1337px) 100vw, 1337px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The figure above uses the Human Rights Campaign\u2019s LGBTQ+ Youth Report of 2023. The Human Rights Campaign surveyed 13,000 LGBTQ+ youth in the United States between the ages of 13 and 18. (Graphic \/ Vaughan Stout)<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">According to the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/reports.hrc.org\/2023-lgbtq-youth-report#age-when-realized-lgbtq-identity\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Human Rights Campaign\u2019s 2023 Youth Report<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, more than 4 out of 5 LGBTQ+ youths knew they were something other than straight before 13-years-old. The reported average age of this discovery was 11.1-years-old.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cKids are smarter than we give them credit for. And\u2026 some right now do know very well what\u2019s going on,\u201d said Barrett. \u201cIt has been exciting to see the kids who have been responding already and wanting to take action, and wanting to advocate for themselves, or advocate for\u2026 whoever it may be in their life.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Why Ida?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Barrett believes that \u201cit\u2019s a really angering feeling to see kids so young know that they\u2019re in danger and be so genuinely afraid.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Through her direct efforts to inform and support the queer youth of Athens, Barrett helps to nurture the accepting community she has grown to love.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cOur hope is that anyone who attends our youth group\u2026 that they feel welcomed, included, and see such a large support from not only other queer people, but from allies, and from parents, and from friends.\u201d &#8211; Barrett<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Ask Ida<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For those with questions about their navigating sexuality, you can always ask her at her anonymous advice <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/idabarrett.com\/advice\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">website<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Barrett started the advice website in 2019, with humble beginnings answering everyday questions. The questions quickly grew more personal, delving into topics like job uncertainty, life advice and eventually sexuality.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Although there is a backlog of requests since 2022 due to her busy schedule, Barrett always aims to \u201cbe thoughtful and come at it from all angles\u2026but still give it the thought it deserves.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Barrett says people have always gravitated towards her for advice, which is what led to her starting the website.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">There was one particular event that has stuck with her. A few years ago, she ran into some strangers and they started to hit it off. \u201cAs the night went on, one of the girls disclosed to me that she was in love with her roommate and didn\u2019t know what to do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cShe didn\u2019t know how she felt, hadn\u2019t felt anything like that for another girl before\u2026 and she was crying to me at the bar,\u201d said Barrett. After around an hour of talking, she left and never saw her again.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201c3 years later, I realized that I had been buying coffee from her almost every other day for the past year,\u201d said Barrett. \u201cShe is now in a relationship with that former roommate, and they are as happy as can be.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cThat has been one of the coolest things\u2026to see. This random stranger at a bar disclose this to me and now her life is lovely,\u201d said Barrett.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Though this particular run in has imprinted on Barrett, she claims these occurrences are both quite common and bring her so much joy. Her expertise, her passion\u00a0 and her direct involvement in the Athens community are just a few of the many reasons to do one thing:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ask Ida.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cIt\u2019s such a scary time, and you know, I\u2019m from South Georgia. I didn&#8217;t know any gay people\u2026 I definitely didn&#8217;t know any trans people growing up. Just the curiosity of not having someone to ask that would be appropriate, you know, not having a safe space to ask was something that\u2026 immediately felt wrong\u201d [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4488,"featured_media":574,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-573","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/ctlsites.uga.edu\/rp-vaughanstout\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1991\/2025\/04\/IdaBarett-FinancialPlanner-Famm@2x.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ctlsites.uga.edu\/rp-vaughanstout\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/573","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ctlsites.uga.edu\/rp-vaughanstout\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ctlsites.uga.edu\/rp-vaughanstout\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ctlsites.uga.edu\/rp-vaughanstout\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4488"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ctlsites.uga.edu\/rp-vaughanstout\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=573"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ctlsites.uga.edu\/rp-vaughanstout\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/573\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ctlsites.uga.edu\/rp-vaughanstout\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/574"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ctlsites.uga.edu\/rp-vaughanstout\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=573"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ctlsites.uga.edu\/rp-vaughanstout\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=573"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ctlsites.uga.edu\/rp-vaughanstout\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=573"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}