– Keeping a big secret that has a lot to say about your life is tough, says Emma A. Heitmann. Emma (20) and Saxa Haraldsen (22) are not surprised that young people with an orientation other than heterosexual enjoy life less. – It is during that period that you struggle the most with finding out about yourself, says Heitmann. They believe that it is difficult for many young people to feel confident in their own identity and dare to talk about it. – It will be a lonely process where you will be sitting alone, says Saxa. Big difference among young people Every year, thousands of school pupils in Oslo respond to the “Young in Oslo” survey. For the first time, they have been asked about orientation. Of the more than 25,000 young people who took part, around ten percent say that they have an orientation other than heterosexual. Young in Oslo: orientation Students at upper secondary school are asked about their own orientation in the Young in Oslo survey. This is how they answer: Heterosexual: 85% (boys), 74% (girls) Homosexual-lesbian: 1.1% (boys), 1% (girls) Bisexual: 2% (boys), 8% (girls) Queer: 0 .3% (boys), 1.5% (girls) Panphile: 0.9% (boys), 1.6% (girls) Asexual: 0.6% (boys), 0.9% (girls) Other 0 .8% (boys), 0.5% (girls) Uncertain applicants: 2% (boys), 6% (girls) Will not answer: 7% (for both boys and girls) In the survey, all categories except “want do not answer’ and ‘uncertain applicants’ combined into the category ‘other orientation’. For example, figures for well-being, bullying, and the like are given for the general category “other orientation”. And the numbers speak for themselves: they are generally worse off than heterosexual youth of their own age. – A fairly large proportion report that they do not have a particularly good life, have anxiety and depression. I think that was disappointing, says researcher Willy Pedersen. He works at the Welfare Research Institute Nova at Oslo Met, which is behind the Ung i Oslo survey, and at the University of Oslo. Less faith in the future Young people with a different sexual orientation than heterosexual have less faith that they will have a happy life, and are less satisfied. They feel more lonely, and suffer more psychologically. Friends Andreas Vinnogg and Amandus Brandal Bergli believe the figures show that it is still taboo not to be heterosexual. – They feel left out because of that, so it must become more normalised, says Andreas. Amandus believes that it is generally difficult for many to talk about how they feel. – We are a very shy people, so it is important to open up the discussion so that everyone can thrive in society. Andreas Vinnogg (left) and Amandus Brandal Bergli go to upper secondary school themselves. They believe that little is said about identity and mental health at school. Photo: Jenny Dahl Bakken / news They believe that the environment at each individual school has a lot to say. In some schools, there is a stronger pressure to be “like” and go with the flow, they believe. – Then it can be difficult to stand out or be comfortable in your own way, or wear the clothes you want to wear and be the person you want to be, says Andreas. Terrorist insecurity Nova researcher Pedersen believes the terrorist attack in Oslo last year may have influenced the figures. The survey was carried out around half a year later. – There is reason to wonder if many are uncertain or afraid, and feel that there is a threat out there, says Pedersen. Many laid down flowers and flags after the terror attack last summer. Photo: Simon Skjelvik Brandseth / news Saxa Haraldsen and Emma Heitmann also think so. – If you see how much hate you get for no reason, it is easy for many to fall into a depressive spiral, Saxa believes. Emma remembers threads on social media where several people supported the attack. – If you read it as a young person, it makes you not dare to come out at all, Emma believes. – Young people are more open Pedersen still believes there are positive things to glean from the figures. The fact that many allow themselves to feel their own sexuality testifies to a freedom, he thinks. Emma and Saxa believe that more people are more positive about a diversity of orientations and gender identities than before. Saxa and Emma believe that many young people feel lonely if they are different. But things get easier with age, when you find your own environment, they believe. Photo: Jenny Dahl Bakken / news – A lot of young people are very open to it anyway, says Emma. – We see from history that there has been a very rapid change for each decade, says Saxa. And the school pupils Andreas and Amandus believe their generation has a different view of LGBT issues and mental health than those who are older. – The way I see it right now, we are moving towards a more accepting society. Where we can talk more freely about what we feel, says Amandus. Friends Andreas Vinnogg (17) and Amandus Brandal Bergli (17) believe that more openness and that young people talk more about feelings can make things easier for LGBT youth. Photo: Jenny Dahl Bakken Friends Andreas Vinnogg (17) and Amandus Brandal Bergli (17) believes that more openness and that young people talk more about feelings can make things easier for LGBT youth. Photo: Jenny Dahl Bakken
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LGBT youth are less satisfied with life than heterosexuals
