The Harsh Reality of School as an LGBTQ+ Student

Every two years, GLSEN conducts their National School Climate Survey. In 2021, over 22,000 students aged 13-21 were surveyed from all 50 states and territories in the US. 

The results are not pretty, but they are important. In order to help trans and queer youth, it’s vital that we listen to their experiences and struggles. Understanding the situations that LGBTQ+ kids face in schools is an essential part of protecting them. 

Read on for a list of the most important results from the survey. The full report can be accessed here.

School Safety

An alarming number of participants reported their schools to be a hostile environment for LGBTQ+ students, which can result in students skipping school or lacking engagement.

• 81.8% of LGBTQ+ students reported feeling unsafe at school because of their sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression (SOGIE)

• 78.8% of LGBTQ+ students reported avoiding school functions or extracurricular activities because they felt unsafe or uncomfortable

• 16.2% of LGBTQ+ students reported having changed schools due to feeling unsafe or uncomfortable at school

Anti-LGBTQ+ Remarks at School

As a millennial who grew up in the “no homo” era of the 90’s and 2000’s, I was disappointed to see the frequency of anti-LGBTQ+ remarks in schools, and even more disappointed to see how infrequently staff are intervening. 

• 97% of LGBTQ+ students heard “gay” used in a negative way (ex: ‘that’s so gay’) at school

• 89.9% of LGBTQ+ students heard other kinds of homophobic remarks, including slurs, at school

• 83% of LGBTQ+ students heard negative remarks specifically about transgender people

• Only one tenth, or 10.9% of LGBTQ+ students reported school staff intervened most of the time or always when overhearing homophobic remarks at school

• Less than one tenth of LGBTQ+ students (8.8%) reported that school staff intervened most of the time or always when overhearing negative remarks about gender expression.

Harassment and Assault

While harassment and assault are of grave concern, the fact that almost 70% of LGBTQ+ students didn’t report the incident because they did not think staff would do anything about the harassment even if they did report it is horrifying. 

• 76.1% of LGBTQ+ students experienced verbal harassment in the past year, and 31.2% were physically harassed (pushed or shoved) in the past year based on their sexual orientation, gender expression, or gender

• 12.5% were physically assaulted (punched, kicked, injured with a weapon) based on their SOGIE, and 53.7% were sexually harrased in the past year

• 61.5% of LGBTQ+ students who were harassed or assaulted in school did not report the incident to school staff, most commonly (69.9%) because they did not think staff would do anything about the harassment even if they did report it

Supportive Educators

The picture that this set of statistics paints is bleak, but the survey also highlighted the impact of supportive educators on LGBTQ+ students.

• Almost all LGBTQ+ students (96.3%) could identify at least one staff member supportive of LGBTQ+ students at their school.

• More than half of students (58.2%) could identify at least six supportive school staff, but fewer (34.7%) of students could identify 11 or more supportive staff.

Compared to LGBTQ+ students with few supportive school staff or none (0 to 5), students with many (11 or more) supportive staff at their school:

• Were less likely to feel unsafe because of their sexual orientation( 34.7% vs. 64.2%), gender expression (32.6% vs. 51.7%) and gender (30.1% vs 48.3%);

• Were less likely to miss school because they felt unsafe or uncomfortable (20.1% vs. 42.4%);

• Felt greater belonging to their school community, performed better academically in school and were more likely to plan on pursuing post-secondary education; and 

• Reported better psychological wellbeing: higher levels of self-esteem, lower levels of depression, and lower likelihood of having seriously considered suicide in the past year

We Cannot Ignore The Data   

The results of this 2021 survey can feel disheartening, but it’s important to keep in mind how impactful having supportive educators can be for LGBTQ+ students. Every supportive educator makes a difference for LGBTQ+ youth in schools. 

Continue to support the children in your life by spreading the word about the realities of school climates today. Share this article with a friend or colleague, and help to make a difference. 

If you’d like to read the entire report, click here to download the PDF of the 2021 GLSEN survey. 

Hire someone to train your school staff!

You don’t have to figure this all out alone! There are a plethora of resources available to educators and many folks with the expertise to support your staff’s learning. I have been providing training to schools and organizations for the last decade and have seen what progress can be made! If reading these statistics sparks something in you and you want to set your school apart, reach out here. 

Want to read more?

Check out my recent blog posts, Be An LGBTQ+ Accomplice: Active Allyship Explained and Demystifying Trans Identity to learn more!

To download a PDF of gender and sexuality terms click here.

Has a kid in your life recently come out to you? Check out my guide!