Arkansan Spends First Day as Head of LGBT Group in Home State
By: KARK 4 News
Updated: June 11, 2012
Chad Griffin has been tapped to lead the Human Rights Campaign. Griffin was the youngest-ever member of a presidential staff when he joined the Clinton administration at the age of 19. Since that time, he's worked on various political and gay rights efforts.
Griffin begins the day with a breakfast in Arkadelphia. From there, he'll make a series of stops in Little Rock culminating with an event at the Clinton School of Public Service.
Griffin's group recently published a survey detailing the challenges faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students in Arkansas and the nation.
The research found nearly two thirds of LGBT youth say they've been harassed and one in four claim to have been physically assaulted at school.
In terms of attitude and outlook, 67 percent of straight youth would classify themselves as happy. When it comes to LGBT students, the number drastically drops to 36 percent.
HRC praised Arkansas for its 2011 anti-bullying bill inclusive of LGBT students.
