The LGBTQ+ community support has majorly increased over the past decade. 

In 2013, Pew Research Center conducted a survey on LGBTQ+ Americans and whether or not they believe straight Americans support their community. Out of 1,197 LGBTQ+ adults, 92% of them stated that they believe that straight Americans accept of LGBT members. 4% of the community believed that nothing has changed in straight Americans’ opinions on the LGBTQ+ community since 2003. 3% of the LGBTQ+ community thought that heterosexual Americans did not accept LGBTQ+ members. 

These opinions come from LGBTQ+ adults and they differ from teens’ opinions and experiences. In an Instagram poll this year, five out of seven NC students said they think straight Americans accept the LGBTQ+ community more, and two of those seven students believe that straight Americans did not accept the community at all. 

Adults most likely form their opinions based on their experiences from childhood, high school, workspaces and other experiences. Despite what they know or think, teens rely on their friends for opinions and thoughts. Out of another group of NC students on an Instagram poll, one out of 10 believe that females typically do not support the LGBTQ+ community, eight out of 10 believe that males typically do not support the LGBTQ+ community, and one out of 10 did not believe that it depends on gender.

“I think mostly males are non-supporting of LGBTQ+ members because through my perspective, I’ve perceived that mostly guys slander the LGBTQ+ community by making jokes about one of their LGBTQ+ friends when they aren’t around, or saying things like, ‘you’re gay bro’ as an insult,” freshman David Achamaja said.

Physical attacks on members of the LGBTQ+ community happen less in high school because when high school students interact with each other, they interact on school property, where adults and staff members supervise the halls. When not on school property, students usually do not bother going somewhere to confront another because of their sexuality.

For social status or for non-controversy, a handful of high school students will act as though they do support something or someone when they actually do not. Students will even look up facts to seem educated just in case the topic of discussion comes up when talking to a “friend.”

“Men. They’ll be like ‘I totally get it’, even when they don’t.  As a gay male, it’s hard for us to be ourselves. So when men try to relate, I can tell they are being fake supportive and not really trying to figure out what is wrong with that. They also mock gay people as a joke and especially overdue it and say the f-slur to us or behind our backs,” freshman Jace Blalock said.

People, especially high school students in a social environment with students they see regularly, need to stop fakely supporting the LGBTQ+ community and not suffer consequences. Falsely supporting one person and potentially faking a friendship, relationship, or connection could ruin someone’s life forever.