“On Tumblr, you can ask questions anonymously if you want, which I think is really important.” “There are blogs created specifically for LGBT reasons, and all the owners of those blogs tend to be really good with advice,” says a Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) student from Clinton Rosette Middle School in DeKalb, Illinois. Tumblr has long received wide acclaim from young people looking for LGBT-friendly spaces online. With this in mind, here are six online spaces that real LGBT young people have cited as the safest places to hang out. However, by knowing where to find safe spaces, LGBT youth can curate a vibrant online community of support, and be seen and heard for who they are. “A lot of young people are so excited to connect with each other about things that oftentimes in the real world can feel really isolating,” says Amit Routh, a senior manager with the Trevor Project.īut the Internet isn’t always a safe haven for the LGBT community, especially for those underage. For LGBT young people, the Internet plays a large role in their ability to feel comfortable exploring their identity and finding others to openly talk to.
In addition, LGBT youth said that their online friends were more supportive than those they knew in real life. More than 60 percent of LGBT youth use the Internet to connect with each other, according to a 2013 study by the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN).