VIOLENCE AND BULLYING OF LGBTQ YOUTH

Submitted by: Priyadarshini Rai

“Suicide is the leading cause of death among gay and lesbian youth. Gay and lesbian
youth are 2 to 6 times more likely to attempt suicide than heterosexual youth. Over 30%
of all reported teen suicides each year are committed by gay and lesbian youth. . . .
Gays and lesbians are at much higher risk than the heterosexual population for alcohol
and drug abuse. Approximately 30% of both the lesbian and gay male populations have
problems with alcohol. Gay and lesbian youth are at greater risk for school failure than
heterosexual children.” (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1989, as cited
in “Today’s Gay Youth,”)

“Substantially higher proportions of homosexual people use alcohol, marijuana or

cocaine than is the case in the general population.” (McKirnan & Peterson, 1989, as
cited in “Today’s Gay Youth,”)

“Approximately 28% of gay and lesbian youth drop out of high school because of
discomfort (due to verbal and physical abuse) in the school environment.” (Remafedi,
1987, as cited in “Today’s Gay Youth,”)

“Gay and lesbian youth’ discomfort stems from fear of name calling and physical harm.”
(Eversole, n.d, as cited in “Today’s Gay Youth,” )

Many people are guilty of discrimination against LGBTQ youth, whether consciously or
unconsciously. LGBTQ youth are faced with daily discrimination from society, peers,
family and even school teachers and administrations. The above statistics not only
show that LGBTQ youth lack support and guidance but also prove how much these
youth are clearly affected, in more ways than one, by discrimination. There is a higher
rate of abuse, neglect, and discrimination against LGBTQ youth than straight youth. I
believe that most parents would prefer their children to be straight than to be gay, and
most school officials also prefer straight students over gay students. This preference
could be a contributing factor in discrimination against LGBTQ youth.
TYPES OF DISCRIMINATION

Some of the comments that LGBTQ youth are faced with are as follows: “I hate gays.
They should be banned from this country;” “Get away from me, you faggot. I can’t stand
the sight of you;” “These queers make my stomach turn.” Those are only a few of the
biased statements that LBGT youth are faced with in society. According to Cole (2007),
the word “faggot” is often used by anti-gay peers to terrorize LGBTQ youth. Words such
as “faggot” or “gay” are sometimes used in a negative sense to express something
either stupid or uncool. When that occurs, it shows an even greater sign of
discrimination against LGBTQ youth. These words are not only used in the real world
but also in movies and TV shows which makes it harder for LGBTQ youth to deal with.
In addition to the discrimination from society and their peers, LGBTQ youth also endure
discrimination from home/families and particularly schools.

“Today’s Gay Youth: The Ugly, Frightening Statistics” reports that one half of LGBTQ
youth are neglected by their parents because of their sexual preference and
approximately a quarter of LGBTQ youth are mandated to leave their homes. Rejected
LGBTQ youth generally do not learn how to build a relationship with peers or families.
As a result, it creates a state of loneliness and isolation for them. Some LGBTQ youth
are both verbally and physically abused by parents. In addition, roughly about 40% of
youth that are homeless are classified as LGBTQ youth. The same article shows 27% of
male teenagers who classified themselves as gay or bisexual left home due to quarrels
with family members over their sexuality. Needless to say, parents and families play a
big part in discrimination against LGBTQ youth and the effects that it has on them.

Nevertheless, it appears that the majority of the discrimination against LGBTQ youth
emanates from the schools that they attend. Are schools taking any actions to minimize
discrimination against gay students? What are they doing to help these adolescents?
The following quote is an explicit example of how schools can contribute to
discrimination against LGBTQ youth:
“I took a call from one sixteen-year-old who came out to his counselor. The only other
person he’d told was his friend in California. The counselor said, “I can’t help you with
that.” After he left, the counselor called his mother to make sure she knew. The youth
went home that night not knowing that he’d been outed to his parents. Sitting around the
dinner table, his mother said to him, “I got a call from the school counselor today. We’re
not going to have any gay kids in this family.” His father took him outside and beat him.”
(as cited in Human Rights Watch, 2001, p.106)

Human Rights Watch (2001) also reports that the same youth was harassed by his
peers once they found out about his sexuality. At this point he turned to suicide, but was
fortunately taken in by a family member who lived out of state where he finished school
(p. 106). In the mentioned quote, the sixteen-year-old student did not get any support
from his school guidance counselor or his parents. If his own school and parents would
not give him any guidance or support, who else could he turn to? What is the
alternative? This example could be a common concern throughout the world, where
LGBTQ youth are not comfortable with their gender at school at home. Consequently,
they are faced with an alternative which is rarely a positive one. The alternatives that
they face may include depression, substance abuse, violence, and even suicide.
EFFECTS OF DISCRIMINATION

LGBTQ youth endure hostile verbal and physical harassment that can be excruciating
for them. Human Rights Watch (2001) also states that although the youth that were
interviewed emphasized their fear of physical and sexual assault, being called words
like “faggot,” “queer,” or “dyke,” daily is still destructive (p.35).

“One young gay youth who had dropped out of an honors program angrily protested,
“just because I am gay doesn’t mean I am stupid,” as he told of hearing “that’s so gay”
meaning “that’s so stupid,” not just from other students but from teachers in his school.”
(Human Rights Watch, 2001, p. 35)

Over 25% of LGBTQ youth are high school drop outs because of the discrimination they
are faced with in the school atmosphere.The article also states the LGBTQ youth have
a greater risk of academic failure than heterosexual students. Furthermore they don’t
get involved much in student activities and have very little dedication to the school’s
agendas because school isn’t a safe, healthy, or productive learning environment.
Therefore, LGBTQ youth make an attempt to live, work, and learn with continuous fear
of physical assault at school .

Physical abuse against LGBTQ youth usually occurs due to disregarded harassment.
Human Rights Watch (2001) says that the number of physical assaults that were
reported by interviewed LGBTQ youth had an enormous psychological impact on them,
mainly because the physical abuse followed constant verbal and non-physical
harassment that was overlooked by school officials. For example, a lesbian student
reported that several months of harassment and verbal threats grew to physical abuse.
“‘I got hit in the back of the head with an ice scraper.’ By that point, she said she was so
used to being harassed. ‘I didn’t even turn around to see who it was’”. Another incident
mentioned by Human Rights Watch (2001) involved a tenth grade gay youth who was
hit in the back of the neck with a beer bottle. He literally had to crawl to the nearest
friend’s house for immediate assistance. The same youth was beaten up in the seventh
grade by a couple of anti-gay kids. One last example entails another gay youth who first
suffered from verbal assault and students throwing items at him. Subsequently, a group
of anti-gay students strangled him with a drafting line so bad that it cut him. Later that
school year the youth was dragged down a flight of stairs and cut with knives by his
classmates. Fortunately, he lived to talk about it.

Human Rights Watch (2001) implies that verbal and physical violence is a tension that
LGBTQ youth have gotten accustomed to; however, it is damaging to their
psychological wellbeing. Many of the LGBTQ youth interviewed by Human Rights
Watch (2001) reported signs of depression such as: “sleeplessness, excessive sleep,
loss of appetite, and feeling of hopelessness”. One reported incident involved a gay
youth who could not take it anymore. He started to skip school so that he would not
have to put up with the harassment anymore. He stayed at home all day and ended up
missing fifty-six days of school. The youth explained, “‘It was mentally and physically
stressful for me to go to that school. I remember going home and waking up in the
morning just dreading it; dreading the fact that I would have to go back to that school’”.
Other youth reported that even when the harassment was not addressed directly toward
them, they were affected by it. One youth implied that discrimination and harassment
makes him feel like he is backed up into a corner and so sad that he wants to cry
(Human Rights Watch, 2001, p. 69). It is no wonder LGBTQ youth turn to drugs,
alcohol, and suicide.

Cole (2007) claims that discrimination against LGBTQ youth can create repression
along with a deficiency in their natural growth. Discrimination also has a social and
emotional impact on them. Instead of being social individuals, LGBTQ youth remain in
the closet and hide. The loneliness that they bear can turn into depression which often
leads to substance abuse or even suicide. LGBTQ youth have greater chances of
alcohol and substance abuse than heterosexual youth. Also, roughly about one third of
LGBTQ youth have a drinking or drug problem. Human Rights Watch (2001)
interviewed some LGBTQ youth who say that they drink to the point of passing out or to
feel good and normal. The lack of support from parents or schools can possibly make
them feel like there is no hope of ever living a happy life and being productive.
MENTAL HEALTH IN LGBTQ YOUTH
Without mental health we cannot be healthy. We all experience emotional ups and
downs from time to time caused by events in our lives. Mental health conditions go
beyond these emotional reactions to specific situations. They are medical conditions
that cause changes in how we think and feel and in our mood.

The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ) community
faces mental health conditions just like the rest of the population. However, you may
experience more negative mental health outcomes due to prejudice and other biases.
Knowing what challenges you may face as a member of the LGBTQ community and
how to find and work with LGBTQ-inclusive providers can help ensure more positive
outcomes.

How Do Mental Health Conditions Affect The LGBTQ Community?

LGBTQ individuals are almost 3 times more likely than others to experience a mental
health condition such as major depression or generalized anxiety disorder. This fear of
coming out and being discriminated against for sexual orientation and gender identities,
can lead to depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, thoughts of suicide and
substance abuse.

LGBTQ people must confront stigma and prejudice based on their sexual orientation or
gender identity while also dealing with the societal bias against mental health
conditions. Some people report having to hide their sexual orientation from those in the
mental health system for fear of being ridiculed or rejected. Some hide their mental
health conditions from their LGBTQ friends.

As a community, LGBTQ individuals do not often talk about mental health and may lack
awareness about mental health conditions. This sometimes prevents people from
seeking the treatment and support that they need to get better.
Prejudice & Stigma
The effects of this double or dual stigma can be particularly harmful, especially when
someone seeks treatment.

Often termed “minority stress,” disparities in the LGBTQ community stem from a variety
of factors including social stigma, discrimination, prejudice, denial of civil and human
rights, abuse, harassment, victimization, social exclusion and family rejection.

Rates of mental health conditions are particularly high in bisexual and questioning
individuals and those who fear or choose not to reveal their sexual orientation or gender
identity. Though not all people will face mental health challenges, discrimination or
violence, many people report less mental well-being and satisfaction.

Suicide
The LGBTQ community is at a higher risk for suicide because we lack peer support and
face harassment, mental health conditions and substance abuse. For LGBTQ people
aged 10–24, suicide is one of the leading causes of death. LGBTQ youth are 4 times
more likely and questioning youth are 3 times more likely to attempt suicide, experience
suicidal thoughts or engage in self-harm than straight people. Between 38-65% of
transgender individuals experience suicidal ideation.

Family support plays a particularly important role in affecting the likelihood of suicide.
Someone who faced rejection after coming out to their families were more than 8 times
more likely to have attempted suicide than someone who was accepted by their family
after revealing their sexual orientation.

Substance Abuse
The LGBTQ community reports higher rates of drug, alcohol and tobacco use than that
of straight people. Major factors that contribute to substance use by LGBTQ people
include prejudice, discrimination, lack of cultural competency in the health care system
and lack of peer support.
An estimated 20-30% of LGBTQ people abuse substances, compared to about 9% of
the general population.

25% of LGBTQ people abuse alcohol, compared to 5-10% of the general population.

LGBTQ young people face fear, hatred and prejudice in school, with friends, in the
community and at home, which can lead to higher risks of self-harm and thoughts of
suicide. LGBTQ teens are six times more likely to experience symptoms of depression
than the general population. Additionally, LGBTQ youth struggle in coming out to family
members, friends, classmates and teachers, especially those that are not accepting of
the LGBTQ community.

GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network has developed an annual
report called the National School Climate Survey, which reports on the experiences of
lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth in U.S. schools.

Early intervention, comprehensive treatment and family support are the key to helping
LGBTQ youth on the road to recovery from a mental health condition. There are many
resources available to help teens and young adults, including the It Gets
Bettercampaign and The Trevor Project, which provides a national, 24-hr, toll-free
confidential suicide hotline for LGBTQ youth at 866-488-7386. The Trevor Project also
provides an online chat and confidential text messaging—text “Trevor” to 202-304-1200.

Disparities In Care
The history of mental health treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and
questioning (LGBTQ) populations is an uneasy one. In the 1950s and 60s, many
psychiatrists believed that homosexuality, as well as bisexuality, was a mental illness.
Gay men and lesbians were often subjected to treatment against their will, including
forced hospitalizations, aversion therapy and electroshock therapy.

Fortunately, there have been great strides made in the nearly 35 years since the
American Psychiatric Association removed homosexuality from the Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or the DSM. Despite this, there are still
disparities and unequal treatment among LGBTQ groups seeking care.

Though more therapists and psychiatrists today have positive attitudes toward the
LGBTQ community, people still face unequal care due to a lack of training and/or
understanding. Health care providers still do not always have up-to-date knowledge of
the unique needs of the LGBTQ community or training on LGBTQ mental health issues.
Providers who lack knowledge and experience working with members of the LGBTQ
community may focus more on a person’s sexual orientation and/or gender identity than
a person’s mental health condition.

SUICIDE AMONG LGBTQ YOUTH

Researchers have found that attempted suicide rates and suicidal

ideation among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBTQ) youth is
comparatively higher than among the general population. LGBTQ teens and young
adults have one of the highest rates of suicide attempts. According to some groups, this
is linked to heterocentric cultures and institutionalised homophobia in some cases,
including the use of rights and protections for LGBTQ people as a political wedge issue
like in the contemporary efforts to halt legalising same-sex marriages. Depression and
drug use among LGBTQ people have both been shown to increase significantly after
new laws that discriminate against gay people are passed.

Research on completed suicides in sexual minorities is preliminary. A 2014 study

reported that members of the LGBTQ community had higher rates of all-cause mortality,
and those living in areas with a higher degree of social stigma towards homosexuality
tended to complete suicide at a younger age. A 2017 follow up failed to replicate these
results, and an investigation by the original authors revealed a coding error that, once
corrected, eliminated the link between stigma and mortality risk.

Bullying of LGBTQ youth has been shown to be a contributing factor in many suicides,
even if not all of the attacks have been specifically addressing sexuality or
gender. Since a series of suicides in the early 2000s, more attention has been focused
on the issues and underlying causes in an effort to reduce suicides among LGBTQ
youth. The Family Acceptance Project's research has demonstrated that "parental
acceptance, and even neutrality, with regard to a child's sexual orientation" can bring
down the attempted suicide rate.[7] Suicidal ideation and attempts seem to be roughly
the same for heterosexual youth as for youth counterparts who have same-sex
attractions and behavior but do not identify as being LGBTQ. This correlates with the
findings of a large survey of US adults that found higher rates of "mood and anxiety
disorders, key risk factors for suicidal behavior", are linked to people who identify as
gay, lesbian, and bisexual, rather than sexual behaviors, especially for men.

The National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention notes that there is no national data
(for the U.S.) regarding suicidal ideation or suicide rates among the LGBTQ population
as a whole or in part, for LGBTQ youth or LGBTQ seniors, for example. In part because
there is no agreed percentage of the national population that is LGBTQ, or even
identifies as LGBTQ, also death certificates do not include sexuality information. A 1986
study noted that previous large scale studies of completed suicides did not "consider
sexual orientation in their data analyses".

Reports and studies

Clinical social worker Caitlin Ryan's Family Acceptance Project (San Francisco State
University) conducted the first study of the effect of family acceptance and rejection on
the health, mental health and well-being of LGBTQ youth, including
suicide, HIV/AIDS and homelessness. Their research shows that LGBTQ youths "who
experience high levels of rejection from their families during adolescence (when
compared with those young people who experienced little or no rejection from parents
and caregivers) were more than eight times likely to have attempted suicide, more than
six times likely to report high levels of depression, more than three times likely to use
illegal drugs and more than three times likely to be at high risk for HIV or other STDs" by
the time they reach their early 20s.

Numerous studies have shown that lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth have a higher rate
of suicide attempts than do heterosexual youth. The Suicide Prevention Resource
Center synthesized these studies and estimated that between 5 and 10% of LGBTQ
youth, depending on age and sex groups, have attempted suicide, a rate 1.5-3 times
higher than heterosexual youth. A U.S. government study, titled Report of the
Secretary's Task Force on Youth Suicide, published in 1989, found that LGBTQ youth
are four times more likely to attempt suicide than other young people This higher
prevalence of suicidal ideation and overall mental health problems among gay
teenagers compared to their heterosexual peers has been attributed to minority
stress. "More than 34,000 people die by suicide each year," making it "the third leading
cause of death among 15 to 24 year olds with lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth
attempting suicide up to four times more than their heterosexual peers."

It is impossible to know the exact suicide rate of LGBTQ youth because sexuality and
gender minorities are often hidden and even unknown, particularly in this age group.
Further research is currently being done to explain the prevalence of suicide among
LGBTQ youths.

In terms of school climate, "approximately 25 percent of lesbian, gay and bisexual

students and university employees have been harassed due to their sexual orientation,
as well as a third of those who identify as transgender, according to the study and
reported by the Chronicle of Higher Education." Research has found the presence of
gay-straight alliances (GSAs) in schools is associated with decreased suicide attempts;
in a study of LGBTQ youth, ages 13–22, 16.9% of youth who attended schools with
GSAs attempted suicide versus 33.1% of students who attended schools without GSAs.

"LGBTQ students are three times as likely as non-LGBTQ students to say that they do
not feel safe at school (22% vs. 7%) and 90% of LGBTQ students (vs. 62% of non-
LGBTQ teens) have been harassed or assaulted during the past year." In addition,
"LGBQ students were more likely than heterosexual students to have seriously
considered leaving their institution as a result of harassment and discrimination."[
Susan Rankin, a contributing author to the report in Miami, found that “Unequivocally,
The 2010 State of Higher Education for LGBTQ People demonstrates that LGBTQ
students, faculty and staff experience a ‘chilly’ campus climate of harassment and far
less than welcoming campus communities."
The internet is also an important factor for LGBTQ. An international study found that
suicidal LGBTQ showed important differences with suicidal heterosexuals, in a
matched-pairs study. That study found suicidal LGBTQ were more likely to
communicate suicidal intentions, more likely to search for new friends online, and found
more support online than did suicidal heterosexuals.

According to a study in Taiwan, 1 in 5 or 20% of Taiwanese gay people have attempted

suicide.

Developmental psychology perspectives.

The diathesis-stress model suggests that biological vulnerabilities predispose
individuals to different conditions such as cancer, heart disease, and mental health
conditions like major depression, a risk factor for suicide. Varying amounts of
environmental stress increase the probability that these individuals will develop that
condition. Minority stress theory suggests that minority status leads to increased
discrimination from the social environment which leads to greater stress and health
problems. In the presence of poor emotion regulation skills this can lead to poor mental
health. Also, the differential susceptibility hypothesis suggests that for some individuals
their physical and mental development is highly dependent on their environment in a
“for-better-and-for-worse” fashion. That is, individuals who are highly susceptible will
have better than average health in highly supportive environments and significantly
worse than average health in hostile, violent environments. The model can help explain
the unique health problems affecting LGBTQ populations including increased suicide
attempts. For adolescents, the most relevant environments are the family,
neighborhood, and school. Adolescent bullying - which is highly prevalent among sexual
minority youths - is a chronic stressor that can increase risk for suicide via the diathesis-
stress model. In a study of American lesbian, gay, and bisexual adolescents, Mark
Hatzenbuehler examined the effect of the county-level social environment. This was
indexed by the proportion of same-sex couples and Democrats living in the counties.
Also included were the proportions of schools with gay-straight alliances as well as anti-
bullying and antidiscrimination policies that include sexual orientation. He found that a
more conservative social environment elevated risk in suicidal behavior among all youth
and that this effect was stronger for LGB youth. Furthermore, he found that the social
environment partially mediated the relation between LGB status and suicidal behaviour.
Hatzenbuehler found that even after such social as well as individual factors were
controlled for, however, that "LGB status remained a significant predictor of suicide
attempts."

Institutionalized and internalized homophobia.

Institutionalized and internalized homophobia may also lead LGBTQ youth to not accept
themselves and have deep internal conflicts about their sexual orientation. Parents may
force children out of home after the child's coming out.

Homophobia arrived at by any means can be a gateway to bullying which can take
many forms. Physical bullying is kicking, punching, while emotional bullying is name
calling, spreading rumors and other verbal abuse. Cyber bullying involves abusive text
messages or messages of the same nature on Facebook, Twitter, and other social
media networks. Sexual bullying is inappropriate touching, lewd gestures or jokes.

Bullying may be considered a "rite of passage", but studies have shown it has negative
physical and psychological effects. "Sexual minority youth, or teens that identify
themselves as gay, lesbian or bisexual, are bullied two to three times more than
heterosexuals", and "almost all transgender students have been verbally harassed (e.g.,
called names or threatened in the past year at school because of their sexual
orientation (89%) and gender expression (89%)") according to Gay, Lesbian and
Straight Education Network's Harsh Realities, The Experiences of Transgender Youth In
Our Nation’s Schools.
THINGS WE CAN DO TO SUPPORT LGBTQ YOUTH

Role of Parents

50% of all gay and lesbian youth report that their parents reject them due to their sexual
orientation. In a study of male teenagers self-described as gay or bisexual, 27% moved
away from home because of conflict with family members over sexual orientation.
(Remafedi, 1987, as cited in “Today’s Gay Youth,” n.d., n.p.)

26% of gay and lesbian youth are forced to leave home because of conflicts over their
sexual orientation. (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1989, as cited in
“Today’s Gay Youth,” n.d., n.p.)

In a study of 194 gay and lesbian youth, 25% were verbally abused by parents, and
nearly 10% dealt with threatened or actual violence. (D’Augelli, 1997, as cited in
“Today’s Gay Youth,” n.d., n.p.)

Approximately 40% of homeless youth are identified as gay, lesbian or bisexual.

(Eversole, n.d., as cited in “Today’s Gay Youth,” n.d., n.p.)

Service providers estimate that gay, lesbian and bisexual youth make up 20-40% of
homeless youth in urban areas. (National Network of Runaway and Youth Services,
1991, as cited in “Today’s Gay Youth,” n.d., n.p.)

It appears that the lack of support, protection, and guidance from family also has a
major effect on LGBTQ youth. Perhaps, if their families were more supportive, the
suicide and depression rates of LGBTQ youth would be moderately less. Parents
should embrace their children no matter what their sexual preference is. For an
adolescent, that family should be the primary source for seeking support and guidance.
When parents reject their gay or lesbian adolescent, it can possibly set him or her up for
failure. This era is the time when adolescents would need their parents’ love and
support the most. When LGBTQ youth don’t get the love and support that they are
looking for from parents, it contributes to their state of depression and suicidal phase.
Therefore, parents of LGBTQ youth should take time to reflect on the circumstances
before they make the wrong decisions.

One way of showing support would be for the youth’ parents or family to intervene with
the school or at least make an attempt like the mother in the following quote:

“The more I talked to teachers, the superintendent, and the principal, the more they just
kept throwing up brick walls and trying to convince me I would have to let my son go
through this,” Ms. Cooper said. “But no child should have to go through this, whether
he’s gay or not. When [bullying] gets to the point where a kid wants to quit school and
give up his future, something has to be done.” (Browman, 2001, p. 3)

In the above case, the parent was being supportive to her gay son while the school
officials were not. Like many other schools, they choose to ignore the fact that the gay
student is being bullied and discriminated against. As mentioned earlier in the paper,
that kind of response from schools also contributes to the effects of depression on
LGBTQ youth.

Role of Schools

1. Plan LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum that includes positive

representations of LGBTQ people

Curriculum that acknowledges the existence of LGBTQ people and, even better, shows
them in a positive light, has a major impact on the wellness of LGBTQ students. It has
the dual benefit of letting LGBTQ students know that they’re not shameful or alone in
the world as well as familiarizing other students with LGBTQ narratives, which can
make the overall school environment less likely to be hostile and even encourage
straight, cis students to speak up if they see or hear something harmful. GLSEN’s most
recent National School Climate Survey found that “students in schools with an inclusive
curriculum were half as likely to have experienced higher levels of victimization,
compared to students in schools without an inclusive curriculum (12.6% vs. 31.0% for
victimization based on sexual orientation; 14.1% vs. 30.5% for victimization based on
gender expression).” Students also indicated they felt safer, and that they were less
likely to hear negative remarks on the basis of sexual orientation or gender expression.

from the National School Climate Survey

An inclusive curriculum can be easier said than done. There might be constraints from
the administration or concerns about backlash from parents, or it might just be
logistically challenging — how do you make teaching precalculus LGBTQ-inclusive?
Even small gestures, however, can feel enormous to an individual student: a single
short story assigned throughout the semester with a same-sex family in it, a word
problem in which a same-sex couple on a date has to figure out their tip, making sure to
also mention Tam O’Shaughnessy when teaching about Sally Ride, a casual mention of
any of the same-sex relationships of the suffragette movement. If you have an in-class
library or set of resources, you can try to make sure that there are a few books or
movies on LGBTQ topics for people to look through, even if you never assign them.
Many of us made it to adulthood without knowing many of our historical role models
belonged to our community; maybe the next generation won’t have to.
2. Advise a GSA, or help start one in your school

Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) certainly can’t fix every problem that LGBTQ students
face, but they can sure help. A GSA can be a space where a student can get a break
from feeling like an “other,” even if only for a brief time, and have access to at least one
staff member that they can feel reasonably confident is supportive of them. In most
schools, students can’t start a GSA without an adult faculty member to serve as its
advisor; if there are students who have been wishing for a GSA in your school, you can
show up for them by being the advisor for it, and helping them navigate any
administrative hoops they need to jump through to make it happen. It’s illegal for a
school to prohibit their students from starting a GSA; students deserve to have one.
GLSEN has resources for GSA advisors if you’re not sure where to start.

from the National School Climate Survey

If you do become involved with a GSA (or already are), think about how you can work to
make that space even more enriching and affirming for them. With the permission of the
students, and depending on what they want their GSA to be, could the group organize a
series of discussions or readings on consent or LGBTQ mental health? Could the GSA
start a book club or decide on a series of documentaries they want to watch? Is there
programming or activism they’d like to do in the school at large, and if so, how can you
support them in doing that? Invite the students to articulate their needs and wants and
wishes, and figure out how you can best help realize them.

3. Actively intervene when you hear anti-LGBTQ remarks,

both with students and staff

Whether or not school staff frequently and decisively intervene when homophobic or
transphobic remarks are made is found over and over again to be a major factor in
students’ wellbeing in school. When faculty intervene in situations that make LGBTQ
students feel unsafe, they’re sending a message to those students that their happiness
and safety is valued and valuable, and that their wellness and learning is a priority. That
message makes a big difference — according the National School Climate
Survey students who report that faculty are likely to intervene in homophobic or
transphobic language are less likely to miss school because they feel safer showing up
to the building, which increases their options for academic success and higher
education if they wish. The main reason given by students who don’t report harassment
or assault — and that’s more than half of students who have experienced it — is that
they don’t believe anything will be done about it. It’s on you to give them reason to think
otherwise.
Intervening in these situations every single time can be tricky and draining — it can be
hard to get a class back on track after an interruption, and it’s difficult to be eloquent on
the spot about why that behavior is inappropriate, especially if you’re worried about
betraying a set of personal beliefs or politics. Try taking some time when you’re not at
school and have a clear head to prepare some responses to situations you imagine you
might encounter — even practice them so that when something does come up in the
halls or in the middle of a lesson, you don’t need to think about it and don’t get flustered.
from the National School Climate Survey

It may be necessary to intervene not just with students, but with fellow faculty members
— over half of students participating in GLSENs National School Climate Survey had
heard homophobic remarks from school faculty at least once in the past year, with about
18% of students reporting that they hear these comments “sometimes,” “often,” or
“frequently.” Obviously confronting open bigotry from adults whom they’re supposed to
be able to trust and rely on doesn’t make students feel safe or engaged in their
educational environment. Make a plan for what you think would be the most effective
way to handle a school staff member making offensive remarks — talk to them one-on-
one? gather a group of other faculty to approach them? talk to an administrator? — so
that if the situation presents itself, you already know what to do.
4. Look into your district’s anti-bullying/anti-harassment
policy, and push for a comprehensive one if you don’t have
one already

Intervening in harmful situations for LGBTQ students is already challenging as an

educator, and even if you manage to do so perfectly, it’s likely students are only in your
space for a small portion of their day. Having a comprehensive anti-harassment policy
in place at your school — one that explicitly says that harassment or bullying on the
basis of sexual orientation and gender expression/identity isn’t tolerated — has
been shown to be linked with higher rates of both staff and student intervention in anti-
LGBTQ incidents. It can make it easier for you to intervene in those moments as well —
you can give the school’s harassment policy as a simple reason why the harmful
behavior needs to stop, instead of having to make a case yourself in what may be a
high-pressure situation. Many schools already have some sort of anti-bullying policy, but
few of them have policies that students know cover both sexual orientation and gender
identity — only 10.1% of schools in 2013 had a comprehensive policy that students
were aware of, and 17.9% of students surveyed weren’t aware of having any anti-
bullying policy at all. The data is clear that the more comprehensive the school’s anti-
harassment policy, the less likely students are to hear anti-LGBTQ statements in their
school, and the less likely they are to experience victimization. The research also
shows that students find staff intervention in homophobic remarks more frequent and
more effective when the school’s policy is comprehensive, and that they’re more likely
to report harassment they experience.
from the National School Climate Survey

No one educator can singlehandedly change a schoolwide policy, but you do have the
power to look into the current situation and figure out what would need to happen to
make change. What is your school’s current policy? Do students know about it? If not,
what would be an effective way to make them aware? What steps would need to be
taken to make changes to your school’s harassment policy, and how could you take
action on them? You can’t do it all yourself, but you can do your part.

5. Remember that you may not know who in your class is

LGBTQ

For LGBTQ educators, there may be a tendency to be especially aware of those

LGBTQ students who remind us of ourselves, or who fit our own ideas of what our
community looks like. There’s definitely something hugely significant in letting a student
who seems to be struggling with the same things you were do the book report on Annie
on My Mind that you were never allowed to, but it’s important to also be aware of the
LGBTQ students who need our support even though we may not know about them. We
have no way of knowing how anyone in our classrooms truly identifies, or may come to
identify once they have the language and self-awareness to do so. The football
quarterback dating the cheerleading captain, the young mom who had an unplanned
pregnancy, and the troublemaker who picks fights in the hall could all be LGBTQ
students who need specific support. It’s important that we work to make our classrooms,
our lessons and our educational communities safe for and invested in LGBTQ youth
even when we don’t think there are any in the room, and leave our assumptions about
who LGBTQ youth are and what they look like at the door.

6. Don’t decide for yourself what kind of support LGBTQ

youth need

Especially if we’re LGBTQ adults, there may be an urge to enact what we think of when
we think of LGBTQ youth, or what we wish we had when we were younger — rush to
counsel them about coming out, or assume that they want to talk about a same-sex
crush. There’s a dangerous seduction in allyship to think of ourselves as heroes, and to
be drawn towards the most noble allyship we imagine, whether that’s crusading for a
student’s right to wear gender-nonconforming clothing to prom or to magically fix all
their internalized homophobia through the strength of your support. LGBTQ youth may
very well need all those things, but we need to commit to letting them determine how
you can help them for themselves. They may be more concerned about a conflict with
friends than with coming out to their parents or more invested in starting a manga club
than starting a GSA, and that doesn’t make your support for them any less necessary.

7. Be mindful of interactions with parents and guardians of

LGBTQ students

For some LGBTQ youth, school is a safer and more welcoming space than their home.
They may be more open about their sexual orientation or gender identity at school, or
they may be involved in LGBTQ projects or student groups without their parents’
knowledge. If a parent-teacher conference or an academic or behavioral issue means
you’re going to be in contact with family or guardians, be mindful of sharing any
information, potentially including things like a chosen name or correct pronouns, that
may out a student in what could be an unsafe home situation. If your relationship with
an LGBTQ student is close, be willing to ask them about their relationship with their
family and what information they feel comfortable having shared.

8. Be aware of signs of physical assault and/or mental health

warning signs

Physical harassment and assault in school is a reality for an alarming number of

LGBTQ youth, even on top of the possibility of abuse in the home. More than half of
students say that they don’t report these incidents when they happen, which means
LGBTQ students in your schools may well be experiencing assault without you knowing.
Keep an eye out for students with injuries, who seem to be avoiding spaces where
they’re left alone with other students like locker rooms, and be willing to ask them gently
if anyone is hurting them. If they confirm that someone is, understand that a student
may not want to report it to the administration for valid reasons — they may not want
their parents to find out, or they may reasonably fear that they’ll be disciplined in
addition to the person who assaulted them. It may be required in your school or state for
you to report it if a student has been physically harmed by another student; it’s
important to be aware of the statutes in that case. If a student doesn’t wish to report,
talk with them about other options to help keep them safe, like walking with them in the
halls or letting them eat somewhere besides the cafeteria.

LGBTQ youth are a population that may experience mental health issues like
depression or even suicide. Again, it would be ideal if students all reported these issues
as soon as they came up, but that’s not likely. If a student seems to have decreased
interest in activities they used to be enthusiastic about, has a sudden dropoff in
academic performance even though you don’t think the material is too challenging for
them, or seems to have a noticeable change in personality or behavior, it’s worth talking
to them one on one to see what’s going on. The Trevor Project has resources on the
warning signs and risk factors of suicide, and what to say and do if you do find that a
student is in crisis. It’s important to make sure you have a plan for how to help if a
student does report serious mental health issues or is thinking about harming
themselves or others; familiarize yourself with what mental health resources youth in
your school can access. Again, it may be required in your school and/or state to report it
to parents or administration if a student is struggling with mental health, self-harm or
suicidality, but also keep in mind that they may wish to avoid alerting parents or
authority figures for fear of further harm or fear of outing themselves.

9. Look into your school policy and state laws around

gendered bathrooms and clothing

Almost two-thirds of trans students in the National School Climate Survey reported
avoiding bathrooms because of feeling unsafe or uncomfortable in them, and 59.2%
had been forced to use the bathroom or locker room of their assigned sex at birth. While
trans students report facing many indignities and instances of discrimination, from being
forced to wear the clothing of their assigned gender to not being allowed to use their
chosen name, not using the bathroom and being forced to use the bathroom of their
assigned gender open trans students up to urgent health and safety issues. The 2012
report “Respecting the Rights of Transgender Youth in the School System” explains that
“trans teens may be subject to ridicule, abuse or assault, physical or sexual, in public
lavatories.” An ideal situation would be a school nondiscrimination policy specifically
stating that students should be free to use the restrooms and wear the clothing of the
gender they identify with, and an anti-harassment policy that attempts to protect
students from harassment in those situations. When it comes to restrooms, some
schools use the stopgap measure of designating a “unisex” bathroom and allowing trans
students to use that, or giving them access to staff bathrooms. Many feel that a unisex
bathroom solution still marks transgender youth as “other” and reinforces for both the
trans student and cis students the belief that trans students are different from normal
kids or that their gender is weird.

Again, this is the kind of policy issue that’s difficult for one educator to change on their
own, but you can research what your school’s current policy is and what the laws are in
your state — if a trans or gender nonconforming student wants to push for their rights,
does the law back them? What options are there when it comes to addressing school
policy? Could you bring up changes with an administrator? Most importantly, what
would make the trans students in your school feel safest? If you’re close with a trans
student or students and they feel comfortable talking about it, ask what their ideal would
be and if they’d like support in pursuing it.

10. Coming out if possible

Coming out in the workplace is a big risk for LGBTQ adults across many industries, but
for teachers it carries a special risk. Many people are still, unfortunately, uncomfortable
with LGBTQ people working with their children, and especially if you work at a private or
parochial school, your school may agree with them and fire you without any legal
repercussions. There may be legitimate concerns about how your students will view you
afterwards, and whether they’ll continue to respect you as an educator and authority
figure. Certainly, coming out if you’re worried about your job security isn’t necessary and
may be even unhelpful; if you’re replaced by someone who isn’t supportive of LGBTQ
youth, then obviously the youth in your school will be worse off.

That said, this is one really major way that you can show LGBTQ youth that they’re not
alone, and that there is a future for them. Many LGBTQ youth may not know an LGBTQ
adult in their personal lives who can serve as proof that LGBTQ people can grow up to
lead fulfilling lives with loving, safe relationships; some LGBTQ youth may not know any
other LGBTQ people at all. Speaking personally, I still remember every out teacher I
ever had, especially in high school. I was never out to any of them, and they likely
thought of me as straight, but seeing them live openly made a huge impact on me.
While I still remember my high school English teacher coming out to the entire class as
bisexual, a big announcement may not be necessary; it can also be hugely meaningful
to come out to an individual student if they share with you that they’re dealing with
issues of sexual orientation or gender identity.
Conclusion

The two primary sources that have the power and ability to diminish discrimination
against LGBTQ youth are schools and parents. In my opinion, they are the ones who
have the greatest influence on LGBTQ youth and in turn have the ability to reduce
substance abuse, educational failure, and suicides. Parents and schools need to realize
how much they can help diminish the effects of discrimination against LGBTQ youth if
they work together and productively. Clearly, if they remain on the same page they can
ease the agony for LGBTQ youth and help them live a normal and happy life. One
method that can be exercised in schools is a homosexual sensitivity training for anti-gay
students and school officials. The training would benefit both students and school
officials. I think that it would help the school officials manage whatever prejudices they
may have against LGBTQ youth. Since anti-gay bullying students are perhaps ignorant
to the subject, schools should modify a system where all students can be educated on
the subject. It would probably help the students get a better understanding if
homosexuality was compared to other subject matters such as culture and religion.
Students should be provided with a full view of the subject just like any other. If this
method helps only two out of ten anti-gay students cease discrimination against LGBTQ
students, I am sure that it will make a difference. An additional scheme that should be
established is monthly meetings between school officials and parents to review the
progress of measures that are already in place.

Before writing this research paper, I never imagined how immensely affected LGBTQ
youth were by discrimination. It is awful what they go through and how most people are
clueless or even careless about what these youth endure. LGBTQ youth are faced with
discrimination, torture, and sometimes even execution because of who they love, how
they look, or who they are. I believe that sexual orientation and gender identity are
integral aspects of ourselves and should never lead to discrimination or abuse. Doing
this research not only made me realize the intense discrimination suffered by LGBTQ
youth but also had an impact on me. This research has made me want to advocate for
more laws and policies to help protect LGBTQ youth. I have gained a ton of information
and knowledge during this process