Lgbtq students
LGBTQ Youth
While few nationally representative, large surveys of youth ask about sexual orientation and gender identity, best estimates recommend that between % of youth identify as lesbian, gay, pansexual, transgender, or queer. Using these estimates, the Williams Institute reports that there are approximately million LGBTQ youth between the ages of eight and 18, more than half of whom (52%) are youth of color (compared to 39% of LGBTQ adults who are people of color). LGBTQ youth are at uncertainty for family rejection, homelessness, discrimination and bullying at school, and harmful so-called "conversion therapy" practices. LGBTQ youth are also uniquely resilient and build amazing endorse structures for themselves.
This page contains resources addressing the challenges and strengths of LGBTQ youth ranging from challenges for transgender youth in schools, LGBTQ youth and their experiences in the youngster welfare and juvenile justice systems, and maps showing state laws that impact LGBTQ youth including conversion therapy, safe schools, and child welfare.
Experiences of LGBTQ People in Four-Year Colleges and Graduate Programs
Executive Summary
As of collapse , over 11 million undergraduate and 3 million graduate students were enrolled in four-year or graduate universities. These institutions provide an important stepping stone to higher earnings and greater economic stability; those with higher levels of education are consistently found to possess higher rates of employment and higher median earnings. However, LGBTQ undergraduate and graduate students may face unique adversities in university settings relative to their non-LGBTQ counterparts.
This review provides new data about the experiences of LGBTQ people who have attended four-year college or graduate school using data collected for the nationally exemplary Access to Higher Education Survey. Communication about campus climate, experiences of belonging, discrimination, violence, mental health, educational aspirations, and sources of financial support were explored for LGBTQ and non-LGBTQ people ages 18 to 40, including respondents who have attended four-year college and r
Bullying: LGBT Youth
While trying to deal with all the challenges of existence a teenager, lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender (LGBT) teens also have to deal with harassment, threats and violence directed at them on a daily basis.
LGBT youth are nearly twice as likely to be called names, verbally harassed or physically assaulted at school compared to their non-LGBT peers. Their mental health and learning, not to mention their physical well-being, are at-risk.
Download the Bullying and LGBT Youth Factsheet (PDF)
How is their mental health organism affected?
- Substance Use: Gay, queer woman , bisexual and transgender youth are more than twice as likely to experiment with drugs and alcohol. [1]
- Happiness: Only 37% of LGBT youth report being content, while 67% of non-LGBT youth say they are happy. However, over 80% of LGBT youth think they will be pleased eventually, with nearly half believing that they will need to move away from their current town to find happiness. [1]
- Self-Harm: With each instance of ver
Shedding Light on the Experiences of LGBTQ Students: Sobering Data and Reasons for Hope
February 25,
Lesbian, queer, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) students hold historically been invisible, underserved, or misunderstood — or all three, says Jenny Betz, a School Climate Specialist at WestEd. “If you don’t feel recognized, have to hide something fundamental about who you are, or are scared at every step, you obviously won’t be fully present and immersed in learning.”
To shed light on LGBTQ students’ experiences in school, WestEd researchers analyzed two years of results from the California Sound Kids Survey, which provides arguably more data on LGBTQ youth than any other source in the nation. The data show survey responses from approximately , students in grades 7, 9, and 11 at more than 2, secondary schools. The resulting study, Understanding the Experiences of LGBTQ Students in California, revealed both sobering and encouraging results.
The learn found that LGBTQ secondary students were at higher risk for bullying, chronic sadness, and thoughts of