Minus18
You're Accepted
You're Accepted
by GPY&R - Melbourne
Australians don’t realise how much hostility LGBTI people still suffer.
Almost half have hidden their sexual identity to avoid violence and discrimination. Social stress has led to more suicide attempts than average.
Australia’s largest organisation for LGBTI youth, Minus18, asked GPY&R to help improve social inclusion and remedy the isolating effect of homophobia.
Minus18’s major insight was that LGBTI youth don’t realise how much support they actually have. What sounds like overwhelming homophobia on social media and elsewhere comes from a small minority.
GPY&R looked for an acceptable way to bring this often hidden support into the open.
The solution was an anonymous Facebook platform, “You’re accepted”, provided by Minus18, from which LGBTI youth could message their friends. They could come out to friends and loved ones without fear, and gauge their reaction. A typical message would read: “Hi Josh, I’m one of your closest friends and I’m gay. If I came out, would you support me?”
The bubble of isolation burst. 67% of LGBTI youth engaged with “You're accepted”. 92% felt more comfortable about coming out, and no wonder – 1.1 million messages of support were circulated through Minus18’s platform.