We strive to include youth across a wide range of difference including, but not limited to, differences of race, color, sex, disability, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, national origin, and religious belief or other protected classification. All events should be sensitive to the range of human difference rooted in various physical and mental impairments or personality and cultural differences such as introversion/extroversion, emotional expressiveness and reservedness, different comfort levels with touch/noise/light, and different sleep needs. Event and meeting organizers must take into account physical and developmental differences within the age spectrum so that gatherings are comfortable for both younger and older youth. Additionally, event organizers are expected to create a culture where social expectations are discussed concretely and put in writing for clarity and to be more accessible to youth with disabilities including cognitive, behavioral, emotional and developmental challenges.

If youth with disabilities are participating in an event, the youth's parents/guardians and/or youth should be provided the opportunity to review activity plans and offer suggestions on how to accommodate the youth and others for a more inclusive experience.

We recognize that adolescence is a time of identity development and that youth will be at different stages of identity development particularly around race, class, gender, gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation.

We know that adolescents may have specific identity development and pastoral care needs based on such characteristics as race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability and religion. We encourage the creation of caucusing space to provide a safe place for youth of color, LGBTQ youth, and/or other basis.

We assume that gay, lesbian, bisexual, queer, and questioning youth are always a part of our programming. We know that one of the reasons youth and their families join Unitarian Universalist communities is to find a safe community that accepts gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender youth. We also know that many teens, regardless of identity, experiment with same-sex sexual behaviors. Therefore it is never appropriate to assume heterosexuality or gender conformity among youth. Segregating youth by sex and/or gender does not preclude sexual experimentation or sexual behaviors.

Because our youth carry with them the damaging messages they’ve absorbed from the larger culture, it is extremely important to address language, stereotypes and assumptions based on heterosexism and sexism to help create a welcoming environment for LGBTQ youth and to help heterosexual youth escape the damaging effects of such inappropriate messages. Therefore programming and events must seek to avoid reinforcing heteronormative assumptions, gender stereotypes and assumptions that all participants are heterosexual.

We recognize that there may be youth in our programs who may explore, have, or develop a gender identity that is different than the gender typically expressed by members of their sex assigned at birth including both developing an identity of the gender opposite the one typically expressed by those of their birth sex or identification outside of the gender binary. We recognize that medical, hormonal, surgical, or psychological interventions may not be necessary or appropriate for all individuals and therefore individuals will not necessarily have medical documentation available.

Events must make space for transgender, genderqueer, gender variant and questioning youth in the following ways:

• addressing individuals by their chosen name and pronoun,

• avoiding forced gender segregation where possible,

• providing a non-binary gender option for those identifying outside the gender binary when gender segregation occurs,

• allowing youth to self-select the gender they identify as, rather than forcing segregation by assigned birth sex, and

• allowing any youth for any reason to use a private shower or restroom instead of a shared gender-segregated one (including providing a gender neutral bathroom at events).

Ideally, gender segregation should never be required because it forces questioning youth to decide between coming out as trans and/or non-binary or being silent and uncomfortable. This can force youth to come out earlier than is healthy for them. Because of the nature of sleeping adolescent identity development and exploration, we support youth in making the best choice for themselves at each event even if that choice changes through time.

When our events are hosted by non-Unitarian Universalist facilities, full inclusion of trans and/or non-binary participants may be more difficult including the lack of gender neutral bathrooms and appropriate sleeping arrangements. Event organizers must do their best to advocate for our trans and non-binary youth and adapt where it is possible.*

We seek to create an environment where each youth is free to be themselves regardless of conformity to gender stereotypes, platonic affection between youth is not assumed to indicate sexual orientation, and the environment encourages platonic friendships among all genders. We believe this kind of environment best allows youth to discover and express their true selves and provides a foundational experience of healthy friendships, regardless of their gender or sexuality.

*If adult or youth participants are uncomfortable with the choice of gendered bathroom or sleeping space of a youth participant, event leaders should consult with the UUA staff responsible for the event.