Optimistic light

A new charity is promoting understanding and acceptance of diversity, finds Amanda Leek.
Charles McArthur is a charismatic 19-year-old law and arts student. He's always considered himself a positive person.
But when he reflected on why he'd been afraid of coming out as gay in high school, he realised he'd feared not being accepted rather than the bigotry or hate he might face. This experience - and hearing about others - revealed a lack of mental healthcare or professional help for youths. So Charles decided to do something about it: to create a collaborative light at the end of the tunnel.
The Bright Light Project is a new charity promoting awareness and acceptance of diversity. Bright Light obtained limited company status last week and is waiting on charity confirmation this week. It is inspired by Stonewall in the UK, Erase Hate in the US, and Minus 18 in Australia.
The Bright Light Project is forming links with groups that have similar aims and is keen to talk to the new Auckland Council and the mayor. Their support will be needed.
Charles says a culture of fear puts teens at risk of mental problems. "Growing up as a teen you are influenced by what you think other people think of you. I know there is a huge fear that if people know you are gay, you won't be accepted and you will lose your friends and family."
The Bright Light Project aims to tackle bullying and discrimination without limiting itself to one particular issue. But the high-profile suicides of six gay teenagers in the US in October this year related to homophobic bullying sparked the first issue.
Since then, with co-founders Sam Judson and Melanie Govender, the objectives have been honed.
"The first one would be to reform or alter sex education at schools," says Charles. "The majority of information on STDs and contraception doesn't have much relevance to a homosexual student.
"There is just not enough attention on sexual orientation and information or mental health support for people who are having problems related to that."
Charles finds this shocking after The New Zealand Medical Journal reported: "Young people of gay, lesbian or bisexual orientation had rates of suicidal ideation and attempt that were over five times those of heterosexual youth."
He appreciates in-school counsellors do an excellent job.
Unfortunately, mental health provision for youths experiencing problems is not always accessible.
"Youth in general are less likely to discuss sexual problems of any sort with their family GP. It is a lot to expect them to have the maturity to self-refer to a psychiatric institution. And, from my own research, a psychiatrist charges about $300 an hour."
Therefore, with enough money from the public sector and Government and/or private enterprises and individuals, the Bright Light Project would like to subsidise a number of visits to mental healthcare provided under the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists.
He would like people in the Bright Light Project to talk and hold seminars at schools, "simply to get students to talk about it. The time for antagonism has gone. This is about showing our generation that there is acceptance and anyone can be truthful about who they are".
So lame
Charles says homophobic jokes, comments and using the word "gay" as an adjective for "lame" or "bad", reinforced the perception he was alone. "I felt unable to be truthful about who I was." But he found once he talked about it, people changed their behaviour.
For more info on the Bright Light Project, email Charles at: mcarthur.charles@gmail.com