December 11, 2015 | Sex & Society

United Nations starts campaign to fight LGBT discrimination

The United Nations has launched a campaign to help people better understand the real impact of LGBT discrimination. The first part of the campaign includes a video, narrated by actor Zachary Quinto, which details the discrimination gays and lesbians face each day.

Some of the stats shared in the video are:

- 40 percent of homeless youth identify as LGBT

- Gay and lesbian youth are four times more likely to consider suicide

- Young trans individuals are 10 times more likely to have attempted or thought about suicide

- One-in-five LGBT individuals have experienced workplace discrimination in the past year

According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the video "challenges the myth that the impact of LGBT discrimination is small, or marginal, or confined to only a small part of the community."

It added that, "it’s not only LGBT people who pay the price; we all do. Every trans kid thrown out of home or forced out of school is a loss for society. Every gay or lesbian worker denied work or driven to emigrate is a lost opportunity."

This might not change the minds of those who are already filled with hate, but it may educate others that the fight for gay rights is one that every community should be invested in.