Watch: Zachary Quinto narrates UN video challenging anti-LGBT discrimination
Zachary Quinto has narrated a video for the United Nations Free & Equal campaign, exploring the cost of anti-LGBT discrimination.
The Star Trek actor voices the video, titled the Price of Exclusion, which was screened at the UN Headquarters earlier this week on Human Rights Day.
He explains: “Between half and two thirds of LGBT youth experience bullying in childhood, forcing 1 in 3 to skip or even drop out of school.
“Many LGBT adolescents are rejected by their parents and thrown out of the family home, and end up living on the streets. Some 40% of homeless youth living on streets of major US cities identify as LGBT or queer.
“Bullying, isolation and rejection leave deep scars. Gay and lesbian youth are up to four times more likely to contemplate suicide compare with their straight peers, while young trans people are almost 10 times more likely to have attempted suicide than the general population.”
United Nations Free & Equal added: “Do you know how much discrimination really costs?
“Rates of poverty, homelessness, depression and suicide have been found to be far higher among lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people than in the general population. But it’s not just LGBT people who pay the price. We all do.
“Every LGBT child thrown out of home and forced to miss out on education is a loss for society. Every LGBT worker denied their rights is a lost opportunity to build a fairer and more productive economy.
“These losses are entirely self-inflicted. With different laws and policies in place and a different mind-set, we could and would achieve a more free and equal world – that is more prosperous too!”
Caitlyn Jenner also appeared at the UN this week.
The former Olympian took the opportunity to raise the issues of anti-trans violence and the high number of suicide attempts in the transgender community.
