A video display in Mobile is sharing stories of LGBTQ youth in Southwest Alabama. The exhibit "Who We Are" campaign is by the group Prism United features a series of short documentaries featuring local LGBTQ youth sharing their experiences. The mini documentaries are meant to raise awareness along the Gulf coast. It’s part of Prism United’s work to provide programming and services for LGBTQ youth. One of the nine short documentaries is from Adrian Brantley.
“One thing that I think is great about PRISM is that it’s a place where I don’t have to hide who I am," said Adrian. "I didn’t really realize my level of depression, until I got to the point where I was able to present as masculine.”
A study by The Trevor Project says 42 percent of LGBTQ youth respondents considered attempting suicide in the past year. 70 percent said their mental health was "poor" during the COVID-19 pandemic. Adrian also addresses day-to-day in the LGBTQ community during his PRISM “Who We Are” video…
“For a lot of people living in the south as LGBTQ safety is always an issue,” Adrian observed. “I carry pepper spray wherever I go, because I’m always ‘out.’”
The same Trevor Project survey showed that 75% of LGBTQ youth experienced discrimination based on their sexual orientation or their gender at least once in their lifetime. Another 94% reported that recent politics negatively impacted their mental health. The videos can be viewed at https://prismunited.org/who-we-are/see-us/
