Being a teenager is tough. During these years, one is tasked with finding out who you really are and how you function in this society. Music and media provide an escape from all of this stress and angst. However, for one group in particular escape is difficult. LGBT teens face significant stress due to stigma, prejudice, and discrimination.

The media is supposed to be an open space, a place where you can be you and not have to worry about anything. However, this is not the case for everyone. One of the biggest offenders of this “free and open space” is the music industry. Today’s music stars often treat being gay like a death-wish, and the depiction of stereotypical gay/transgender teens in the media flood the minds of teens with grotesque images.

Hip-hop and rap are especially guilty of this, which is a problem because the genre is a strong influence for teens. Music reflects how you feel; it’s that simple. Even though it has gone down drastically from 2010, the word “fag” or “faggot” is still used quite often in mainstream music. The term is treated and used as an insult and the individual being called either of these derogatory terms is to view them through this lens.

Eminem uses those two words 15 times in his song “Rap God” which came out last year. He defends the use of these terms by saying that he is not using it as an insult. This is similar to others in the industry who also defend the use of words such as these as simply “just a harmless word” and that no offense is intended. Some even go as far as to say “don’t be so sensitive.”

Stepping away from music, which is the biggest offender of “harmless” homophobia, the image of a gay man has been instilled in almost every teenager’s brain. Even if they know that the stereotype is ridiculous, they still know what it is. Gay men in the media are stereotypically flamboyant, talk girly, are obsessed with other guys, and wear frilly clothes. A lesbian is portrayed as butch or one who is pretending to be a dude. Both of those are wrong and simply exacerbate the problems that LGBT teens face.

The media may not respect LGBT people, but you should. Respect someone’s sexual orientation and any pronouns he, she, or they desire to go by in life. Even if you have your own reasons for not agreeing with a person’s “lifestyle,” you should still respect him/her.