Most teenagers, at some point in their development, feel "alone in this world." But couple that feeling with the words “queer” and “trans,” and that sense of isolation only deepens. Teachers might teach you how to put a state-sponsored condom on a store-bought cucumber, but only a few will tell you what it means to be trans or how it feels to be gay. While cis and straight kids have (something of) a dating pool, LGBTQI youth often scramble to find just one more kid who looks like them.
Coming out and gay marriage may dominate the national conversation, but for many queer and trans youth, those issues can feel secondary, even cosmetic. For much of this population, at heightened risk of homelessness and harassment, meaningful relationships can be the bridge to safety. Make fun of teenage romance all you want (I mean it — full speed ahead), but when “no one understands you”—it’s love that makes you feel okay.