While YouTube has responded to LGBTQIA videos being classed as ‘potentially inappropriate,’ it highlights the notion that sexuality and gender identity is still considered something unsuitable for young people to think about.
Don’t get me wrong: some discussions about sexuality and gender are mature in nature; however, it’s an issue when specific sexual or gender identities are considered adult while others aren’t. This is reflected in conversations with young people, in claims that a child is simply "too young" to know they are gay or know how they feel about their gender identity. Heterosexual or cisgender young people; however, seem to know who they are when they like the opposite gender — that’s not questioned.
When we tell young people that they’re too young to understand a topic like sexuality or gender, we’re suggesting that only some young people know their identity. and that others are simply confused. We therefore centralize a person’s sexuality or gender as inherently adult, inferring that it’s taboo in some way.
It’s why queer persons like myself are upset about YouTube’s failing algorithm; it only works to reinforce these incorrect notions about identity. It wasn’t intentional, and it’s great that the company has responded sensitively and is working to resolve the restrictions, but the situation reflects that being queer is still something unsuitable to talk about.
This is incredibly damaging for young people: it tells queer persons that they aren’t right. We’ve ended up making kids afraid to be themselves, and this is an incredible addition of stress added to everything they have to deal with as they mature.
But this need not be the case if we avoid discrimination and stop suggesting to young people we interact with that to be heterosexual or cisgender is the norm. Besides, what can we base this on other than infrequency? Surely this isn’t enough to justify their treatment?
We must stop making children believe that there’s a normal that they need to be, and this starts with LGBTQIA education. It’s why it’s so fantastic that YouTube is full of people willing to talk about being a queer person and their experiences — because it’s telling young people that there’s no right way to be.
It lets those who might be in otherwise unsupportive families know that there’s nothing wrong with them; it lets them relate to someone that inspires them; it lets them know that how they feel isn’t simply a phase or a mistake; and, fundamentally, stops self-hate and bigotry from forming. LGBTQIA representation matters far more than people realize.
