Gay Teens Need the Internet The Internet serves as a platform for gay teens to express their feelings and concerns about being gay. In addition to pornography on the Internet, there are also valuable and useful resources that gay teenagers can take advantage of. But why don't these teenagers use the Internet to find support? Most adolescents interviewed for this discussion indicated that their parents do not support a homosexual lifestyle. Most people would agree that the teenage years are some of the most difficult in a person's life. Teens are learning about themselves sexually and about the world around them. While participating in a gay chat room, it was obvious that many gay teens felt isolated and confused about their sexuality and turned to the Internet for advice. Unfortunately, most information online regarding the gay community consists of pornographic images and chat rooms with dialogue filled with graphic sexual details. Just type the word "gay" into any online search and you'll see hundreds of links to x-rated sites. This, of course, is not suitable for a young gay teenager in need of support. Luckily, among all the porn there are wonderful sites that provide support, answer questions, and provide links to other helpful resources. Many organizations and support groups use the Internet as their primary source for posting information on gay and lesbian issues. Organizations like PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) provide education and support to gay teenagers, as well as gay adults. PFLAG branches can be found throughout the United States. You can access each of these branches via the PFLAG website. The site is full of useful links... half the document... to turn to for support. Works Cited Bell, A.P. and Weinberg, M.S. “Homosexuality: A Study in Human Diversity.” New York: Simon & Schuster, 1978. Conroy, Theresa. “Gay Teens Fight to Educate Tormentors.” Philadelphia Daily News. January 2, 1996. http://www.critpath.org/rhea/bmurray.htm (April 23, 1998).Gibson, P. "Gay Male and Lesbian Youth Suicide, Report of the Secretary's Task Force on Youth Suicide," U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, 1989. Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG). Home page. http://www.pflag.org/ (April 22, 1998). Remafedi G. "Male homosexuality: the adolescent's perspective". Pediatrics, 79: 326-330, 1987. We Are Family (WAF). Home page. http://www.waf.org/ (April 22, 1998). Youth Assistance Organization (YAO). Home page. http://www.youth.org/ (27 Nov. 1996).