Abstract

LGBTQ+ youth are faced with various psychological and social issues depending on the level of acceptance or rejection that they receive from their families and educational institutions. This paper aims at revealing the effects of acceptance and rejection for the LGBTQ+ adolescents on their mental health, academic achievement, relationships with others, and existence. The paper reviews various literature and primary data to argue that family acceptance greatly helps decrease the likelihood of depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts; at the same time, acceptance raises self-acceptance and overall resilience. On the other hand, rejection from the family is linked with the higher prevalence of disorders in the mental health, homelessness, and substance abuse. Among students of educational institutions, it can be stated that access to safe education through implementation of inclusive measures like inclusion of GSAs and no-acceptance of discrimination policies positively affects their achievements and engagement with school. On the other hand, the outcome of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer students in schools that do not support such students is higher rates of bullying, as well as, absenteeism and low educational performance. Long term outcomes of accepting vs rejection are also evaluated and the findings show that acceptance yields favorable socioeconomic rewards such as stable employment, higher income and high life satisfaction, rejection on the other hand yields negative socioeconomic rewards such as instability in terms of employment, low income and social exclusion during adulthood. Consequently, there is a clarity in the importance of interventions within family/and or early education systems that promote respect for and inclusiveness of the gay minority alongside support from government friendly policies and programs that protect these youths against unfavorable outcomes. The study brings crucial recommendations concerning the possible ways to enhance the acceptance of the LGBTQ+ teenagers and positively influence their future.