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20 Years of Data Shows What Works for LGBTQ Students

Leaning on decades of research, the director of GLSEN’s Research Institute says schools should prioritize four key areas when supporting LGBTQ students.

Twenty years ago, students weren’t bullied or harassed in schools because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. At least, that’s what many educators said in the late ’90s when advocacy groups first began digging into the urgent problems reported by LGBTQ youth in America’s schools.

“We don’t have a problem here” and “Our school is fine” were typical responses, recalls Dr. Joseph Kosciw, director of the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) Research Institute.

It wasn’t true. LGBTQ students were regularly subjected to verbal and physical harassment, but there was no national data about their school-based experiences, according to Kosciw. In fact, there was very little information about LGBTQ youth at all, outside of academic literature—most of which consisted of retrospective reports that were far removed from the real voices and experiences of students themselves.

“That was really what sparked the need,” says Kosciw. “There was no national evidence, and GLSEN realized we need to be able to demonstrate what’s going on across the country.”

Launched in 1999 and conducted every two years, the National School Climate Survey became the largest body of research about LGBTQ students in U.S. schools, providing a rich and detailed look into topics like school climate, ingrained cultural biases, and the indelible impact of hate speech and discrimination on children. Ultimately, the survey sketched the first tentative outlines of a formerly invisible population and tracked the well-being of LGBTQ students and the schools that educate them over the next two decades. It delivered a complex portrait that’s both cause for optimism—school-based supports do have a positive impact, for example—and a sobering glimpse into the acute and enduring crisis that still exists for LGBTQ kids in school.

The survey’s reach has steadily grown: What was a limited sample of about 1,000 students aged 13 to 21 is now closer to about 17,000 participants . The current population sample is broad and representative, according to Kosciw, but there’s a critical caveat: Only the young people who feel comfortable discussing LGBTQ issues are taking the survey, which means thousands upon thousands of kids still aren’t taking part. “There may be people who are not sure, questioning, or identify as LGBTQ only to themselves—but still don’t feel comfortable connecting even to an anonymous survey,” he explains. “Those might be the most isolated people and perhaps the most in need of support.”

I sat down with Dr. Kosciw to look at how the experiences of LGBTQ students have changed over the last 20 years. We discussed the challenges that schools still face in supporting these students, the availability and benefits of school-based supports, and how educators at all levels can help.

Paige Tutt: What were some of the early findings about the experiences of LGBTQ students when the survey began two decades ago?

Joseph Kosciw: In 2001, the vast majority of LGBTQ students were hearing homophobic remarks in school, and high numbers were experiencing verbal and physical harassment, particularly around sexual orientation and gender expression.

Fewer students—although still a significant number—said they had supportive educators: an adult in their school who was supportive of LGBTQ students. At the same time, there were fewer Gender-Sexuality Alliances (GSAs).

The negative indicators of climate—bullying, harassment, name-calling—were high, and there weren’t a lot of resources out there for LGBTQ students.

Tutt: Back then, there was a general feeling in schools that anti-gay harassment wasn’t an issue, that name-calling was a normal part of adolescence, and phrases like “That’s so gay” didn’t hurt anyone. Have these attitudes shifted?

Kosciw: To this day, there’s still this common wisdom in the United States that “kids will be kids” and name-calling is “just part of growing up.”

But in recent years, we’ve begun to see people paying more attention to the effects of bullying and harassment.

Some will say, “Well, they’re LGBTQ students; they’re going to say that’s why they’re bullied.” So we did a survey— From Teasing to Torment: School Climate in America —with a national sample of secondary school teachers and students to get a sense of what they saw going on in school. We asked, who has the hardest time in school? Who is most at-risk in your school for bullying and harassment? Who faces the most negative climate?

Teachers and students both said: It’s the LGBTQ students. There is now an increased consciousness about the issue; that’s one thing that has changed in the last 20 years.

Tutt: You’ve tracked the emergence of terms like queer and asexual as they gradually moved into the mainstream, sometimes 10 to 15 years after they first appeared. How have the ways adolescents identify themselves regarding sexual orientation and gender identity changed in the last 20 years?

Kosciw: More and more adolescents are feeling like they don’t want to use terms. They don’t want to be boxed in; they don’t want to use gendered pronouns. Students are describing themselves, their sexual orientations, and their gender identities in an expansive way. As a result, that expands the population of youth that we’re talking about.

That’s why it’s important to look at things like differences in sexual orientation and gender identity. For example, we’ve historically found that schools can be unsafe for the majority of LGBTQ students—but it’s worse for trans and nonbinary students.

It’s important for us to understand the many ways that youth identify so that we can continue to understand how they’re seeing themselves and do the work necessary to include them. As the terms evolve, the need for professional development among educators must evolve too.

We know that professional development for school professionals on not just bullying and harassment in general, but on LGBTQ student issues more specifically, makes a difference to this population.

Tutt: As more cisgender straight people hear terms like nonbinary , there’s often a reaction like, “These terms just came out of nowhere within the last few years.” In reality, a lot of terms have been used for some time now, and they’re constantly changing and evolving. What challenges do you see in how schools meet the changing needs of LGBTQ students?

Kosciw: Our whole culture is gendered, and schools are very gendered: public spaces with boys’ bathrooms, girls’ bathrooms, locker rooms. A good friend and colleague of mine from a school district said, “The teachers are great when a student is a trans girl or a trans boy. They know what to do.” Because it’s still in that gender binary framework. “Oh, a trans girl, well, you should use girls’ facilities because you’re a girl,” right? But they don’t know what to do with nonbinary students because schools aren’t set up to have people who exist outside of that binary.

Transgender youth who identify as male or female want access to the facilities that are aligned with their gender. Youth who identify as transgender or nonbinary want all-gender spaces. I think that’s something that we might be seeing differently as these terms evolve—changes in architecture and the building of new schools, creating more expansive, inclusive facilities that aren’t as gendered.

Tutt: Your research also looks at the experiences of LGBTQ youth of color and how they differ from the experiences of their White LGBTQ peers—why is this important?

Kosciw: It’s really important to point out that LGBTQ youth are not a monolith and that their experiences really do vary based on a lot of different things.

We did a series of reports last year exploring the experiences of AAPI , Black , Latinx , and Native and Indigenous LGBTQ youth.

We found that 40 percent of LGBTQ youth of color experience victimization in school because of their sexual orientation and their race/ethnicity. And that’s across all racial/ethnic groups. That’s important because we often think, well, you’re a student of color or you’re an LGBTQ student, right? We box people in to make sense of them.

It’s important to look at those intersections because students who report high levels of both types of victimization have the worst outcomes. If you’re experiencing high levels of racist victimization and anti-LGBTQ victimization, you are worse off and need the most support.

Tutt: That brings me to how teachers can help. Becoming isolated, grades dropping, frequent absences—these are all indicators that a student is struggling—whether they identify as LGBTQ or not. But beyond these red flags, what should teachers be focusing on?

Kosciw: It’s important to look for those signs, but preventative measures are even more important, and they need to happen early. We do find that youth in middle schools have a far worse time than in high schools. It’s important to think about all of these years, not just high school.

You can interrupt negative events when they happen in school—homophobic remarks, transphobic remarks, racist remarks—because when those things are not interrupted, that can be interpreted as the teachers “giving permission.”

But it’s also about creating an environment that embraces difference and diversity—and teaching an inclusive curriculum so kids connect to their learning. The “windows and mirrors” idea of being able to see yourself reflected, but then also seeing the experiences of other people and how you fit into that larger world of diversity inside your school.

Tutt: Are there other ways educators can support LGBTQ students?

Kosciw: Put up a safe space sticker . It’s something that indicates that a teacher is there as a support to LGBTQ students. Sometimes it’s hard for students to know who to talk to and who would be comfortable talking to them, especially if they’re coming out or questioning.

Also, being a Gender-Sexuality Alliance advisor or helping to start a GSA in your school is another great way to demonstrate visibility.

Our research has shown that there are four major ways that schools can cultivate a safe and supportive environment: curriculum inclusion , having a number of teachers who are supportive , having a GSA, and LGBTQ-affirming school policies that prevent negative behaviors like bullying, harassment, and assault. All of those things really do make a huge difference in not just the well-being of students, but their psychological attachment to school: their performance in school, wanting to continue their education, and their educational aspirations.

Tutt: What continues to worry you?

Kosciw: The insidious ways in which anti-LGBTQ and racist attitudes can still manifest themselves in schools and school buildings. That’s where discrimination comes in: “Yes, you have a right to feel safe in school. You shouldn’t be called names. You shouldn’t be beat up. However, we are not going to let you be who you are, with full access to school life. You may not bring a date of the same gender to the prom. You may not use the locker room or bathroom that aligns with your gender identity.”

It’s not just about students feeling like they can go to school without getting beat up. Do they have full access to school life? Beyond safety, do they have the same access to education in the school building that other students do? There’s really more to school than just feeling like, “OK, I can go and not feel like my life is threatened by entering my school building.”

Tutt: And finally, Dr. Kosciw, what makes you hopeful?

Kosciw: I think we see that these preventative measures make a difference—and I’m hopeful that we’ll continue to see change in those areas. I’m also hopeful because people are talking more in schools about the diversity and intersections of identity, really trying to understand the needs of LGBTQ youth of color versus White youth. They’re looking at the racial composition of the school, assessing the needs of the students and where they are.

And we see an increase in Gender-Sexuality Alliances. Even if a student doesn't go, they know they can. It’s a safe space if they need it.

These changes that we’ve seen over time bring me joy, they give me hope—these things make a difference. But there’s a lot more work to do.

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LGBTQI+ Youth and Mental Health: A Systematic Review of Qualitative Research

• Systematic Review
• Open access
• Published: 21 May 2019
• Volume 5 , pages 187–211, ( 2020 )

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Due to increased levels of stigma, discrimination and victimization Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning or Intersex (LGBTQI+) youth face particular challenges in society. With the intention of better understanding the challenges and issues that LGBTQI+ youth are experiencing, this systematic review explored qualitative studies with a focus on mental health services and the requisite social support service policies and programs for LGBTQI+ youth. Qualitative research systematically examines the expressed thoughts and feelings of the research participants, and through reflective analysis of the themes and links discussed, can provide rich and nuanced understanding. A synthesis of the included studies identified five core themes: (1) Isolation, rejection, phobia, need for support; (2) Marginalization; (3) Depression, self-harm and suicidality; (4) Policy and environment; and (5) Connectedness. Key results suggest that community, school, and family resources to support resilience will optimize LGBTQI+ mental health. This systematic review of qualitative research provides a source of rich information to inform the provision of services and policies that will address the disparity into mental health statistics for the LGBTQI+ population.

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Introduction

Young people experience many challenges in adolescence. Anxiety, depression and suicide are reported as causes of youth morbidity and mortality across the world (Adelson et al. 2016 ). Empirical studies suggest that youth who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning or Intersex (LGBTQI+) can find themselves faced with greater challenges, compared to youth of heterosexual orientation, as they navigate the heteronormative educational and societal institutions where children and youth spend much of their early lives (Almeida et al. 2009 ; Fergusson et al. 1999 ; Hafeez et al. 2017 ; Russell and Fish 2016 ). Online and community services, such as RainbowYOUTH (RainbowYOUTH 2018 ) and InsideOUT (InsideOUT 2018 ) in New Zealand and their international equivalents, are available to youth, but the provision of a positive school climate where LGBTQI+ youth can feel physically, emotionally and socially safe is vital for them to thrive during their adolescence and early adulthood. Research into mental health disparities and challenges for LGBTQI+ youth to date has a predominantly quantitative focus, and several systematic reviews provide an overview of quantitative data available on issues faced by Sexual and Gender Minority Youth (SGMY) (e.g. Brown et al. 2016 ; McDonald 2018 ). Surprisingly, there are fewer qualitative studies that contribute to an in-depth understanding of the challenges and issues that LGBTQI+ youth are facing by exploring the views and opinions of those affected. This systematic review aims to identify and obtain a comprehensive overview of qualitative studies by appraising, critically reviewing and synthesizing qualitatively derived evidence-based results and main emergent themes sourced from current literature. Special attention is given to the provision of mental health services and the requisite social support service policies and programs for LGBTQI+ youth.

LGBTQI+ Mental Health

LGBTQI+ youth are one of the most vulnerable groups in society due to their increased risk of mental health problems. Statistics for the LGBTQI+ population estimate that New Zealand has 8% non-heterosexual youth (Clark et al. 2013 ), the U.S. has 7-8% LGB youth (lesbian, gay or bisexual) (Wilson et al. 2014 ), and the U.K. has 4.1% of LGB young people aged 16–24 (Office for National Statistics 2016 ). Although LGBTQI+ represents only a small proportion of the total youth population, they are at increased risk, compared to heterosexual youth, of experiencing hostile environments at home and in wider society, and are subject to direct and indirect discrimination, harassment, disadvantage and inequality with detrimental consequences for mental health (Hudson-Sharp and Metcalf 2016 ).

In fact, the 2012 survey completed as part of the Youth 2000 Survey Series, Young People Attracted to the Same Sex or Both Sexes Report (Lucassen et al. 2014 ), stated that sexual and gender minority youth were more than three times as likely to express symptoms of depression and more than twice as likely to have self-harmed than their heterosexual peers. One in five had attempted suicide, with almost half of the respondents having thought about a suicide attempt. 41% of sexual and gender minority youth had been to see a professional for emotional support in the last 12 months, compared to 16.6% of their non-LGBTQI+ peers. The Youth 2000 Survey (Lucassen et al. 2014 ) also identifies a greater risk of alcohol or drug use in LGBTQI+ youth. During the same period, in Scotland, 40% of LGBT youth considered themselves to have a mental health condition in comparison to 25% of non-sexual and gender minority youth, and bullying was identified as a key factor in distress among respondents (Mental Health Foundation 2016 ).

In particular, evidence suggests that sexual and gender minority youth have different risk factors and markers (Silenzio et al. 2007 ) and that these unique risks combined with general life stressors have the phenomenological outcome of higher levels of self-harm, suicidality and impulsivity (Liu and Mustanski 2012 ). These risk factors extend over the lifespan, with four times greater risk of suicide for SGM men, and both men and women being 1.5 times more likely to suffer from anxiety, depression and substance misuse (King et al. 2008 ). Evidence from Mental health of the non - heterosexual population of England, a 2011 study (Chakraborty et al. 2011 ) concludes that gay men and lesbian women have higher levels of psychological distress than heterosexuals and that discrimination may be a significant factor affecting mental health for the LGBTQI+ population.

Minority stress theory (Meyer 2003 ) suggests that the increased prevalence of mental health issues experienced by LGBTQI+ youth is due to the increased level of social stress, including stigma, discrimination, prejudice and victimization. Adolescence is a critical neurological development stage, with heightened effects of stress on mental health, important memory system development and a time of increased sensitivity to drug use (Fuhrmann et al. 2015 ). At this crucial time, feeling discriminated against by educational, medical or religious institutions, or internalizing feelings of victimization due to homophobia, transphobia or biphobia can result in significant psychological challenges for sexual and gender minority youth (Russell and Fish 2016 ). Evidence has consistently identified that issues such as marginalization, isolation, exclusion and bullying create social stress for sexual and gender minority youth (Grossman et al. 2009 ; Hafeez et al. 2017 ). Additionally, lack of access to understanding adults, safe places and change room facilities creates a psychological burden. However, as Bryan and Maycock ( 2017 ) point out, this can create a pathologizing phenomenon, which paradoxically may stigmatize well-adjusted and happy LGBTQI+ youth who are managing their lives in psychological comfort.

Particularly, stigma and shame create personal barriers for at-risk youth, preventing those affected from accessing services (Brown et al. 2016 ). McDermott ( 2015 ) suggests that embarrassment, shame and fear of stigmatization are reasons for sexual and gender minority youth to avoid seeking support from mental health services. Young LGBTQI+ people who are homeless, rural, or who are substance-users face additional barriers to seeking help (Brown et al. 2016 ). If support from adults or professionals is inaccessible, an alternative is for LGBTQI+ youth to find peer support and information on internet-based forums (McDermott et al. 2015 ; McDermott et al. 2008 ).

Family acceptance also has been identified as a salient influence on the mental health of sexual and gender minority youth (Sitkin and Murota 2017 ). Parental attachment, as described by Mohr and Fassinger ( 2003 ), is characterized by sensitivity and responsiveness to a young person’s needs. If sexual and gender minority youth feel accepted and valued as individuals, there is an increased likelihood to disclose non-heteronormative status to family, and “come out,” or “be out,” the colloquial terms for being able to openly express LGBTQI+ orientation (Ryan et al. 2010 ). However, there is a disproportionate number of homeless LGBTQI+ youth, signifying that familial rejection is a significant factor for compromised mental health (Russell and Fish 2016 ). Durso and Gates ( 2012 , p. 4) published results of a national USA online survey and found that “nearly seven in ten (68%) of their LGBT homeless clients have experienced family rejection and more than half of clients (54%) had experienced abuse in their family.”

Adolescence is a developmental time frame within which youth explore their sexuality and for LGBTQI+ youth it will often be the time when they develop understanding of their own sexual and gender orientation. Within the realm of early family relational psychology, Bowlby ( 1962 /1982) discusses changing attachments during the time of adolescence, with a subsequent shift in attachment to peers and social groups other than the family, and to institutions such as school, universities, religious or political groups. Acceptance by these alternative attachment groups is a strong protective factor for sexual and gender minority youth (Higa et al. 2014 ). The wider ecology of LGBTQI+ youth has a significant effect on their mental health and well-being and feelings of social connectedness to adults gives sexual and gender minority youth resilience in the face of adversity, particularly at the vulnerable developmental stage when they are establishing their sense of personal identity (Difulvio 2011 ).

Key Themes in Quantitative Research

The vast majority of quantitative literature on LGBTQI+ focuses on the impact of isolation, marginalization and discrimination against sexual and gender minority youth in relation to mental health outcomes, and the identification of risk and protective factors. For example, there is a robust pattern of results that demonstrated sexual and gender minority youth experience significantly higher levels of suicidality, depression, and substance misuse than heterosexual youth, which highlights the severity and prevalence of differences between sexual and gender minority youth and heterosexual youth (King et al. 2008 ; Lucassen et al. 2017 ). These results also identified higher rates of violence and victimization associated with higher levels of hopelessness and attempted suicide in sexual and gender minority youth, and also a greater potential for psychosocial problems (e.g. drug and alcohol use or abuse, risky sexual behaviors, eating disorders, and mood disorders) than reported by their heterosexual or cisgender peers. The relationship between peer victimization and sexual orientation, gender identity or expression associated with poor mental health outcomes (e.g. depression, traumatic stress, and suicidality, as well as alcohol and substance abuse) and educational outcomes (e.g. diminished school belonging, disruptions in educational trajectories) has been also confirmed in another systematic review (Collier et al. 2013 ). In particular, bisexual individuals have been shown to experience more psychological distress, compared to homosexual and heterosexual peers due to experiences of victimization, peer judgments and family rejection (King et al. 2008 ; Pompili et al. 2014 ).

Quantitative research has also focused on identifying risk and protective factors for mental health in LGBTQI+ youth, which has resulted in setting directions for prevention, intervention and treatment, as well as influencing laws and policies, and making advances in fostering improved mental health (Russell and Fish 2016 ). For example, the role of family acceptance as a protective factor in LGBTQI+ youth and young adults has been shown to be a predictor for positive mental health outcomes (e.g. greater self-esteem, social support, general health) and a protector against depression, substance abuse and suicidality (Bouris et al. 2010 ; Ryan et al. 2010 ). As such, family programs that motivate and empower parents, caregivers and other family members, have been recognized as a promising framework for community interventions that emphasize a strengths-based approach concentrating on the effects of positive parent–child relationships, rather than focusing on negative parent–child relationships and influences where a child’s sexual orientation and gender identity may be seen as a “deficit.” Further supporting these findings are those of a recent systematic review of literature (McDonald 2018 ), who identified that higher levels of social support were associated with positive self-esteem whereas lack of social support was associated with higher levels of depression, anxiety, shame and self-esteem, alcohol and drug misuse, as well as risky sexual behavior. In particular family or significant adults providing support for young LGBTQI+ is a protective factor. Family and caregiver acceptance and a sense of belonging to a peer group were identified as moderators of resilience, and thus, suggests McDonald, can be utilized in communities to support mental health outcomes.

In relation to accessing and engaging with mental health care, Brown and colleagues’ systematic review ( 2016 ) identified barriers and facilitators among youth from different minority groups, including but not exclusively LGBTQI+ , who had distinct needs that must be recognized by mental health services in order to improve their experiences with mental health care. In particular, findings demonstrated that barriers to access are more often identified (e.g. lack of awareness of services, stigma and shame around seeking help, issues around confidentiality, trust and anonymity), however, facilitators to support engagement with providers (e.g. community and educational programs to increase awareness of services and attitudes toward mental health services) have remained widely underexplored, and thus require further attention in future research. With regards to educational programs aimed at increasing LGBTQI+ wellbeing, safe school interventions and supportive environments such as “gay-straight alliances,” sometimes referred to as the “gender and sexuality alliances,” (GSAs) have been shown to have a positive effect in reduction of stigma in schools, with significantly better psychological outcomes (e.g. improvement in academic performance, feeling more comfortable in their sexual identity and empowerment), social outcomes (e.g. positive sexual diversity climates, greater sense of connectedness to their school), and also physical outcomes (e.g. lower levels of youths’ self-reports of homophobic victimization, fear of safety, and hearing homophobic remarks) (Black et al. 2012 ; Marx and Kettrey 2016 ). This study also showed that the empowering of youth to be activists and to form their own peer supports may mediate the negative effects of marginalization and the poor mental health outcomes, including depression and suicidality.

The Current Study

The existing quantitative studies provide a rich picture of trends based on statistical indications of sexual and gender minority youth who experience adverse outcomes in a heteronormative society. In contrast to quantitative studies, qualitative approaches to the analysis of data represent an important perspective for advancing the literature by obtaining an in-depth awareness of LGBTQI+ youth and their experiences of engaging in mental health and social support services and programs. As such, qualitative research provides insight into the thoughts and feelings of the research participants, and through reflective analysis by the researcher of the themes and links discussed, can provide meaning and understanding (Sutton and Austin 2015 ). One of the reasons participants may voluntarily engage in this type of research is the implicit chance that the evidence will inform change by giving them a voice, hence both personal and political empowerment (Clark 2010 ). The key aim is to provide a comprehensive understanding of nuances of human experience through analysis and interpretation of texts and images (McLeod 2010 ).

Qualitative research has also been traditionally excluded from systematic reviews but it has been recognized that qualitative research provides valuable insight to inform policies and practice (Thomas and Harden 2008 ). In particular, with the current focus on public and individual opportunity to be involved in the development and provision of LGBT services (Gillespie et al. 2002 ; Ministry of Youth Development 2015 ; Stonewall Scotland 2018 ), there is international recognition of the importance of client-centered, consultative and inclusive policy development informed by the voices of services users and consumers of services. The inclusion of service user voices draws on the notion of being given the power in respect to “having a voice,” and conversely, the notion of “silence” sometimes associated with feminism but equally ascribable to any marginalized or minority population (Hadfield and Haw 2001 ). Notably, experiences of youth are also often marginalized or they are spoken for by the parents or carers, and youth, if they do speak out, often assume that their voices will not be heard or respected as valid contributions in decision-making processes. There should be specific efforts to include youth in meaningful ways to voice their opinion in relation to matters that are of concern to them, without resulting in further inequalities. A Canadian paper, Promoting LGBT health and wellbeing through inclusive policy development , which also draws on literature from Australia, the UK and the USA, asserts that the marginalized LGBTQI+ community must be “explicitly included in policy development for a more inclusive form of health promotion” (Mulé et al. 2009 , p. 2). Because youth have authentic, legitimate experiences of the problems they encounter, qualitative research involving them will improve policies and future research (McLaughlin 2015 ). Hence, having the voice of young LGBTQI+ people available through qualitative research is imperative if we are to address the ecological, social, and pedagogical issues and ultimately the human rights of this marginalized group (Mockler and Groundwater-Smith 2015 ; UNICEF 1990 ).

The focus of this systematic review is to provide a comprehensive overview by collating and critically appraising the existing evidence-base of qualitative research studies of the last ten years (2008–2018), a decade that has seen a global increase in acceptance towards LGBT (Flores and Park 2018 ), which sought to provide a youth voice in regards to mental health challenges and experiences for LGBTQI+ people. This 10-year period has seen international changes in same-sex marriage laws, gay parenting rights, and gender reassignment as a protected characteristic (Stonewall Scotland 2018 ). In particular, this review aimed to identify and map themes from across the different types of qualitative research being undertaken, as well as identifying gaps in knowledge, to inform community-based LGBTQI+ service provision with a focus on ecological measures needed to support young LGBTQI+ people.

Search Strategy and Eligibility Criteria

For this literature search, several clinical psychology databases were identified to best represent the diverse fields of study relevant to this review, including ASSIA, CINAHL Plus, EMBASE, IBSS, MEDLINE and PsycINFO. With focus on qualitative studies published in the last decade characterized with marked changes of LGBTQI+ legislation, all database searches were limited to articles written in the English language, and published between January 2008 and April 2018. The search focused on international research articles appearing in peer-reviewed journals. Following the initial database search, a Google search and a manual back literature search were conducted in June 2018. The search strategy aimed to identify qualitative research literature on LGBTQI+ youth with particular attention to mental health issues, using Boolean operators and variations of the following keywords: qualitative, LGBT*, youth, young people, adolescent, teenager and mental health.

To identify relevant articles for this systematic review, inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied. Identified journal articles had to fulfill further inclusion criteria: (1) published between 2008 and 2018, (2) published in English language peer-reviewed journals, (3) focus on mental health of LGBTQI+ , (4) participants aged 12 to 24 years (using the New Zealand Government definition of youth age range being 12 to 24 years inclusively (Ministry of Youth Affairs 2002 ), (5) use of a qualitative methodology to the analysis of data. Journal articles were excluded if: (1) the study focus was on a specific, non-generalizable intervention or socio-economic population demographic, (2) the study had a medical perspective or focus on sexual health or practices, (3) the methodology did not include a qualitative methodology. All studies were evaluated according to these inclusion and exclusion criteria, and only studies that met the criteria were included in this systematic review. Studies that did not meet these inclusion criteria were discarded.

To identify relevant studies for this review, the inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied using a three-stage selection process (Meade and Richardson 1997 ): (a) looking only at the title, (b) looking at the abstract to identify its relevance to the research question and methodology, and (c) looking at the whole article. In cases where the researcher was not sure whether the paper was relevant and met inclusion criteria, the item was retained for the next screening stage.

Based on the outlined literature search strategy, 873 studies were initially identified. At this stage an additional manual search of Google using the same search terms and a manual back literature search of the articles included to date identified a further 21 articles. After duplicate removal and a title review of these studies, 676 were excluded and 52 were determined to meet inclusion criteria. Following another exclusion process, a total of 34 research articles were selected as having satisfied the eligibility criteria. A detailed overview of the search stages can be seen in the PRISMA Flow Diagram (see Fig.  1 ). The 34 articles include seven mixed methods studies where the results of the qualitative thematic analysis was deemed to add valuable data.

PRISMA flow chart

Data Extraction

Data of the included studies were extracted using a standardized format for systematic reviews of qualitative studies (NICE 2012a ). Characteristics identified from each of the 34 studies included research questions, methods, sample size and quality assessment. The extracted data were aggregated clearly and structured in a data extraction table (see Tables  1 , 2 , 3 , 4 and 5 ). To synthesize the findings of the studies, findings were extracted from the studies and grouped into thematic categories. Subsequently, patterns were sought across the findings to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the issues of concern to LGBTQI+ population using mental health services addressed in the studies.

Quality Assessment

Quality assessment of the retrieved journal articles was performed using the NICE guidelines quality appraisal checklist for qualitative studies (NICE 2012b ). Following these guidelines, assessment identifies the research question and the robustness of the methodology in relation to key findings and a valid conclusion. Six main domains are assessed: theoretical approach, study design, data collection, trustworthiness, analysis and ethics. A seventh overall assessment looks at the relevance of the study and grants an overall rating; “++” where all or most of the checklist criteria have been fulfilled, and where they have not, conclusions are highly unlikely to alter; “+” where some of the checklist criteria have been fulfilled, and conclusions are unlikely to alter; or a rating of “-” where few or no criteria are fulfilled. The seven mixed methods studies included in this systematic review had quality assessment performed only on the qualitative data methodology results of the research. In relation to the qualitative assessment of this systematic review, one reviewer initially assessed the quality of the included studies and subsequently, the quality assessment was verified by another reviewer.

The search identified 97 abstracts which were screened for relevance to qualitative research into mental health of LGBTQI+ youth. The full texts of 52 articles were assessed and 34 were identified as providing data pertaining to the aim of this systematic review. The 34 reviews were organized into five groups based on the research settings: (1) Internet search studies (see Table  1 ), (2) University student studies (see Table  2 ), (3) School or community group studies (see Table  3 ), (4) Studies focusing on Transgender (see Table  4 ), (5) Intervention studies (see Table  5 ). The results were compiled tables, and sorted into groups.

Included Study Characteristics

Population samples.

Of the 34 studies included in the systematic review, 19 studies (55.88%) focused on school or community populations, 9 studies (26.47%) were online- or Internet-based of which 3 studies were conducted using Internet-sourced data and 3 studies (8.8%) used university student populations, 3 studies (8.8 s %) focused on transgender subjects, and further 3 studies (8.88%) were related to the assessment of an intervention. The population numbers showed great variability from the smallest sample numbers (n = 10) (Diamond et al. 2011 ; Saltzburg and Davis 2010 ) to the largest study population (n = > 3700), taken from an online study (Peter et al. 2016 ).

Geographical Information

Of the studies included in this systematic review, 16 were done in the USA (47.06%), with 7 studies from the UK being the next highest geographical location (20.59%), followed by four in Australia (11.76%) and three in New Zealand (8.82%), and one in Canada (2.94%). Also included were international collaboration studies between the USA and Canada (Porta et al. 2017 ), Ireland, the USA and Canada (Catalpa and McGuire 2018 ) and the Universities of York, Leicester and Oslo (McDermott et al. 2013 ).

Of the identified studies for this systematic review, 23 studies were of high quality (67.65%) and 11 studies were of medium quality (32.35%). Of the 19 school and community population studies, 11 studies (57.89%) being of high quality and 8 (42.11%) of medium quality. The online Internet studies were assessed as having four (66.6%) high quality studies, and the university student population articles had two high quality studies (66.6%). The transgender and intervention study research groups both had all (100%) high quality studies.

Qualitative Methods

The most common methodology overall was thematic analysis, with 13 studies (38.23%), followed in frequency by four grounded theory (11.11%). Ethnographic and phenomenological approaches were used by three studies each (8.33% respectively). The remaining 11 studies (33%) used a variety of qualitative approaches, including one Foucauldian Discourse Analysis (McDermott 2015 ), one Life Story approach (Difulvio 2011 ), and a Go-Along Interviewing technique (Porta et al. 2017 ). There are three identified intervention studies in this systematic review. Porta et al. ( 2017 ) used an exploratory study to get a qualitative perspective from LGBTQI+ students (n = 25) about bathroom facilities, Lucassen and Burford ( 2015 ) evaluated a school-based workshop offered to students (n = 229), and a computerized e-resource aimed at sexual and gender minority youth with depression (n = 25) was also evaluated (Lucassen et al. 2015 ).

Synthesis of Themes

An analysis of the studies’ findings identified five core themes: (1) Isolation, rejection, phobia, need for support, ( 2) Marginalization, (3) Depression, self-harm and suicidality, (4) Policy and environment and (5) Connectedness. A diagram provides a visual outline of identified themes (see Fig.  2 ). The greatest proportion of studies (19) were categorized as School and Community services, and commonly identified all 5 themes, as did the Online/internet studies. The University studies concentrated on themes 1 to 4, the transgender studies identified all but the third theme, of suicidality, self-harm and depression, whereas the predominant theme of the three intervention studies was connectedness (see Fig.  2 ).

Diagram of identified themes

Isolation, Rejection, Phobia, Need for Support

Online studies, school and community based studies and transgender studies discussed themes of rejection and isolation, bullying and phobic behavior and the need for both more support and information to be made accessible to LGBTQI+ youth. Thematic narrative analysis of interviews and focus groups by Steinke et al. ( 2017 ) provided evidence of isolation as a reason that sexual and gender minority youth seek out Internet-based support channels, and further, the study by Wolff et al. ( 2014 ) of online-sourced media of completed suicides perceives isolation as both a precursor to suicidality and a warning sign of mental distress. Rejection from social, family and peer groups was a key trigger for distress in LGBTQI+ youth (Jones and Hillier 2013 ), and Higa et al. ( 2014 ) who identified negative and positive factors in a school-based sample, stated that the risk of rejection is potentially greater for those who are also at risk of racist or sexist bias, for example young women of color. Homophobia and transphobia towards sexual and gender minority youth was identified across several studies (Formby 2013 ; McDermott et al. 2017 ; McDermott et al. 2008 ). In McDermott et al. ( 2017 ), a high quality mixed-methods study involving thematic analysis of both online and face-to-face interviews, victimization through phobic behavior and attitudes of others towards sexual and gender minority youth was described as one of the five social determinants leading to suicidality, with 70.8% of their respondents having reported experiences of homophobia, transphobia or biphobia. These concepts of discrimination are re-framed as heterosexism by Nadal et al. ( 2011 ) and Roffee and Waling ( 2016 ), where the result of such discrimination and microaggressions contributes to negative effects on self-esteem and subsequent feelings of rejection and isolation.

The need for support in school and social environments for LGBTQI+ was put forward as an important factor for mental health, and in particular the availability of peer groups such as Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) groups and safe, inclusive community gathering places and events like RainbowYOUTH meetings. GSAs were specifically described as a source of safety and advocacy for youth (Porta et al. 2017 ; Russell et al. 2009 ). In particular, Steinke et al. ( 2017 ) suggest that a lack of any such supportive community for some sexual and gender minority youth is a valid driver of the need for online LGBTQI+ community groups, which is further supported by Higa et al. ( 2014 ) by pointing out that connecting via online interventions would be especially beneficial for those sexual and gender minority youth who are geographically isolated or who are either not “out” or who are not supported by their families to attend LGBTQI+ groups. The Internet, school GSA-type groups and community groups, such as RainbowYOUTH, were all found to be sources of information pertaining to gender or sexual minority identity as well as mental health support (Steinke et al. 2017 ; Waling and Roffee 2018 ). In a secondary inductive analysis of Concept Mapping Needs Assessments at two GLBT-focused youth centers in the U.S., Davis et al. ( 2009 ) argue that as well as material resources and information, having a person to talk to was a priority for sexual and gender minority youth who access these services, stating: “In fact, needing someone to talk to was the most important idea across groups for meeting youths’ emotional needs” (p. 1037).

Marginalization

Closely associated to “Isolation” is the concept of “Marginalization,” which can be defined as “Treatment of a person, group, or concept as insignificant or peripheral” (Oxford Dictionaries 2018 ). Both concepts, however can be differentiated to the extent that isolation refers to an individual experience, whereas marginalization describes the socio-political status of a population sub-group such as LGBT experiencing diminished community acceptance and systemic discrimination. The research articles identified in this systematic review put forward that marginalization for the LGBTQI+ community was a significant factor for mental health. For example, Alessi et al. ( 2017 ) conducted a grounded theory of focus groups to understand the role of minority stress and identified a continuum of marginalization experienced by first-year experience of LGBQ emerging adults attending a university in the Northeastern part of the United States. In a thematic analysis of qualitative interviews, Pallotta-Chiarolli and Martin ( 2009 , p. 200) also talk of young bi-sexual people “feeling like marginal X-files,” and the socio-political marginalization of sexual and gender minority youth makes it particularly critical that young bi-sexual people have a collective voice in order to be empowered to challenge the status quo (Russell et al. 2009 ). In a New Zealand ethnographic study, McGlashan and Fitzpatrick ( 2017 ) found that heteronormative environments, such as schools, create a culture where sexual and gender minority youth are more likely to be marginalized due to the dominant discourse of heterosexuality being positioned as “normal.” McDermott et al. ( 2008 ) and Scourfield et al. ( 2008 ) posit that despite increasing social acceptance of same-sex partnerships, marginalization is still prevalent for sexual and gender minority youth in the UK, and that until recently, sexual or gender orientation has not been recognized as a significant mental health risk factor, referring to the Preventing Suicide in England report (Department of Health 2012 ).

Depression, Self-harm and Suicidality

The previously identified themes of marginalization, isolation, rejection and being victims of phobic behavior are linked to poor mental health outcomes such as depression, self-harm and suicidality (Catalpa and McGuire 2018 ; Diamond et al. 2011 ; Difulvio 2011 ). In particular, self-harm was identified in the transgender population as an expression of dissatisfaction with the natal anatomy and physiology which was experienced to be erroneous or undesirable (McDermott et al. 2015 ). Jones and Hillier ( 2013 ) state in their mixed-methodology study findings that almost half of young trans-spectrum people have self-harmed. Scourfield et al. ( 2008 ), having used interviews and focus groups in their high quality study, discuss the ways in which this self-harm can manifest, from cutting to risky behaviors, and the question of whether sexual and gender minority youth identity has direct causality to these phenomena, or whether it is one factor among many in the lives of LGBTQI+ youth which may lead to self-destructive behaviors. Bullying and victimization by homophobic, transphobic or biphobic behavior was found to be a key component in self-harm behaviors (Formby 2013 ; Lucassen and Burford 2015 ; McDermott et al. 2017 ; Scourfield et al. 2008 ; Wolff et al. 2014 ). The inability to disclose sexual or gender orientation, or fear of “coming out” and negative experiences following disclosure were also found to be a strong predictor of depression and suicidality (Grafsky et al. 2018 ; Jones and Hillier 2013 ; McDermott et al. 2017 ).

Out of the 34 articles identified, 13 specifically dealt with the topic of suicide, and one online-based study by Wolff et al. ( 2014 ) was a frame analysis of completed suicides by sexual and gender minority youth in the USA, as reported in the media. The research was undertaken after a number of news reports, including six high-profile media stories involving young males aged 13 to 19 years who took their own lives in September 2010, linked the reported suicides to bullying and shame. Peter et al. ( 2016 ) also undertook research following a well-publicized youth suicide a year later in Canada, subsequent to reports of victimization, depression and self-harm for much of the victim’s life, and as with Wolff et al. ( 2014 ) there was a strong link between the suicide and a hostile school and community climate.

Policy and Environment

The “ Preventing Suicide in England ” report outlines how many LGBT pupils who are victims of bullying experience further negative academic, social and mental health outcomes, with the impact possibly persisting into adult life (Community Mental Health and 7 Day Services 2017 ). Hence, it is imperative that schools are safe, inclusive environments where pupils are able to learn and fulfill their potential. Developing and establishing inclusive policies that address bullying and homophobic, transphobic or biphobic behavior was a consistent theme from all groups of the identified studies. Several studies had school policy as a focus (Grossman et al. 2009 ; Peter et al. 2016 ), whereas others looked at the wider ecology of community and agency or government level policy (Harper et al. 2012 ; Pallotta-Chiarolli and Martin 2009 ; Scourfield et al. 2008 ). Curriculum inclusion of LGBTQI+ relevant topics was identified as an additional way to recognize diversity, particularly in the subject areas of health, humanities and the social sciences such as history (Formby 2013 ; Snapp et al. 2015 ). However, Formby’s ( 2013 ) high quality study of interviews and focus groups involving teachers, youth service workers and youth found that there was a disparity between the “visibility” of gay youth among their peers and the taboo nature of homosexuality within the school curriculum.

Formalized diversity programs and safe meeting spaces at educational institutions as well as community-based social groups such as RainbowYOUTH were strongly recommended for supporting the mental health of sexual and gender minority youth. The GLSEN report (Kosciw et al. 2014 , p. 68) states that: “Students who attended schools with a GSA were much more likely to report that their classmates were accepting of LGBT people.” Using phenomenological analysis of interviews conducted with undergraduate students who identify as LGBTIQ + attending a large Australian university, Waling and Roffee ( 2018 ) focus on diversity and inclusion programs in higher education facilities, whereas Lucassen and Burford ( 2015 ) evaluated the potential of an intervention involving a sexuality diversity workshop that was delivered in a high school setting in New Zealand. Having facilities such as bathrooms and changing rooms, which are gender neutral, therefore inclusive, was a recommendation from research conducted in Canada and the US (Porta et al. 2017 ) and Australia (Waling and Roffee 2018 ). In New Zealand a guide produced for schools (Ministry of Education 2015 ), directs that schools not only challenge bullying and marginalization of students, but also delivers a mandate to engender diversity through gender-neutral uniform policies and consideration of such things as inclusive sports and extracurricular events, and allowing same-sex partners for school dances, which address the needs of sexual and gender minority youth throughout the wider school community, rather than solely through the curriculum (McGlashan and Fitzpatrick 2017 ).

An important consideration for educators and professionals working with youth is continuing education on LGBTQI+ issues, as Wolff ( 2014 ) asserts that appropriate support for LGBTQI+ youth from educators and mental health professionals can mitigate the stress of “coming out” and navigating a heteronormative environment. Sherriff et al. ( 2011 ) and Jones and Hillier ( 2013 ) suggest that the needs of sexual and gender minority youth are not being met by community and educational services and that training for service providers is imperative, with opportunities provided to hear the voice of young LGBTQI+ as part of such training, so that subjective experiences of sexual and gender minority youth are heard and understood by professionals. The findings of Scourfield et al. ( 2008 ) evince “the need for sexual cultural competence in practitioners.” Likewise Snapp et al. ( 2015 ) advocate staff training policies on LGBTQI+ issues.

Connectedness

Sexual and gender minority youth connectedness to others was identified in the context of smaller groups such as GSAs, which then become part of a wider network that grants empowerment to marginalized LGBTQI+ youth (Russell et al. 2009 ). As such, the sense of solidarity and friendship in the face of isolation and a physical place such as GSA or community group, where sexual and gender minority youth can be physically and mentally safe while forging connections with peers, was found to be a vital protective factor for LGBTQI+ youth (Davis et al. 2009 ; Russell et al. 2009 ; Saltzburg and Davis 2010 ; Steinke et al. 2017 ). In the absence of these physical spaces an online support forum is an acceptable alternative (McDermott et al. 2015 ; Steinke et al. 2017 ). McDermott ( 2015 ) discusses the problems facing young LGBTQI+ in a heteronormative society and the difficulties they face in finding support and information, resulting in peer group interaction online being a strategy used to cope with emotional distress.

Parental and family acceptance for sexual and gender minority youth and the potential for disconnect was identified as a significant mental health factor (Diamond et al. 2011 ; Grafsky et al. 2018 ; Scourfield et al. 2008 ; Wolff et al. 2014 ). Parental acceptance versus rejection was signified in the transgender studies as key to resilience for transgender youth (Catalpa and McGuire 2018 ; McGuire et al. 2010 ). Capous-Desyllas and Barron ( 2017 ) discuss the concept of loss for parents of gender-variant children and learning to love and accept their child unconditionally, as well as issues of transgender youth acceptance by other ecological groups such as medical providers and religious communities. Having one caring adult providing connection and understanding, who is both confidante and advocate, is an invaluable resource for young LGBTQI+ people in their navigation of the heteronormative institutions of their early life ecology (Porta et al. 2017 ).

Each of the five themes identified in this systematic review of qualitative research intersect and overlap. The key overarching findings from the qualitative studies into mental health of LGBTQI+ youth are summed up succinctly by Higa ( 2014 ) stating that there is a need to address the persistent prejudice that can be experienced by LGBTQ[I+] youth in their community institutions and ecology.

Qualitative research into mental health issues experienced by LGBTQI+ youth, while not commonly undertaken, is essential to the provision of understanding and insight for community service providers, health professionals and for the youth themselves. Without a LGBTQI+ youth voice to influence policy and practice it is challenging to provide support within their ecosystem where the needs of these youth can be met. For this population much of their time is spent in their family, school or community environment, where acceptance and the ability to express their authentic self is paramount to mental well-being. To this end, this systematic review aimed to identify studies using qualitative research methods of enquiry into mental health in young LBGTQI+ people. Findings revealed consistent themes across the research methods and populations studied. 34 articles of high and medium quality with diverse content and focus were identified as relevant to the aim of this review. A subsequent synthesis identified five groups that characterize the focus and settings of the studies: online or internet based, school and community populations, university setting, focus on transgender, and intervention programs. These five characteristics of populations and setting further revealed five core themes relating to the mental health challenges faced by sexual and gender minority youth including (1) Isolation, rejection, phobia and need for support, (2) Marginalization, (3) Depression, self-harm and suicidality, (4) Policy and environment and (5) Connectedness.

In relation to the first core theme, isolation, rejection, phobia and need for support, this review identified that the internet is one means of addressing this isolation and need for support. Online websites, forums, chat groups and information services were identified as a valuable resource for sexual and gender minority youth, especially those who had limited access to other ecological supports (Capous-Desyllas and Barron 2017 ; Higa et al. 2014 ; Steinke et al. 2017 ). Paradoxically, online forums are perceived as a safe and accessible means for LGBTQI+ to access information, regardless of disclosure status, and to make meaningful connections with supportive peers (Hillier et al. 2012 ). For example, the GLSEN study (GLSEN CiPHR and CCRC 2013 ) found that two-thirds (62%) of sexual and gender minority youth had connected with other LGBTQI+ youth via the internet in the previous year, and sexual and gender minority youth were five times more likely to have looked online for information pertaining to their sexuality (62%) than their non-sexual and gender minority youth peers (12%), and for information regarding health (81% sexual and gender minority youth versus 46% non-sexual and gender minority youth).

In addition, the mental health risk factors of rejection and need for a supportive network can be addressed via access to school and community cultures and services where sexual and gender minority youth feel welcomed, accepted and valued. In relation to educational and social environments, government agencies have consistently acknowledged that having safe and supportive social environments in which to live and learn is a strong protective factor for the mental health of LGBTQI+ youth (Government Equalities Office 2018 ; Ministry of Youth Development 2015 ; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 2017 ). Availability of support groups in the community and schools, such as RainbowYOUTH or GSAs provide connections for marginalized sexual and gender minority youth to interact with peers, access information and find a collective voice (Poteat et al. 2016 ). In particular, having such a collective voice in the face of bullying, victimization, stigmatization, homophobic, transphobic or biphobic behavior can lead to activism and civic engagement (Poteat et al. 2018 ; Russell et al. 2009 ). Social activism can act as a resilience factor for transgender youth and also ascribe the self-affirming value of being a role model for others (Singh et al. 2011 ).

By examining the findings of qualitative research reported in the last decade, it is clear that discrimination, marginalization and victimization cause much of the distress experienced by sexual and gender minority youth (King et al. 2008 ; Liu and Mustanski 2012 ). In relation to the second core theme, the socio-political marginalization of sexual and gender minority youth is responsible for feelings of systemic discrimination. This holds particular importance in predominantly heteronormative institutions such as schools, where straight cisgender individuals are “normal” and therefore sexual and gender minority youth are “not normal” (McGlashan and Fitzpatrick 2017 ). While acknowledging the marginalized status of LGBTQI+ youth, attention must be also paid to avoid pathologizing sexual and gender minority youth, either in their gender expression or sexual orientation, or in respect to having mental health issues (Drescher 2015 ; Lerner and Robles 2017 ; McDermott et al. 2015 ). Harper et al. ( 2012 ) describe adolescence as a time of developing one’s unique identity and acknowledge that research to date into mental health challenges for sexual and gender minority youth is crucial. At the same time, however, Harper et al. ( 2012 ) posit that many young LGBTQI+ are resilient and well-adjusted and that future research might benefit from a strengths-based focus.

Of particular relevance to the third core theme “depression, self-harm and suicidality,” resilience-focused research may grant insight into these poor mental health outcomes for sexual and gender minority youth. If almost half of trans-spectrum youth have self-harmed (Jones and Hillier 2013 ) and the link between suicide and mental distress due to sexual and gender minority youth status is established (Peter et al. 2016 , Wolff et al. 2014 ), then it is imperative to find ways of addressing these statistics and finding interventions that support and moderate the levels of depression and self-destructive coping mechanisms. This systematic review also identified a recommendation for service providers such as teachers, community workers and medical staff to have access to education on issues including suicide prevention, bullying interventions and sensitivity training (Pallotta-Chiarolli and Martin 2009 ; Scourfield et al. 2008 ; Sherriff et al. 2011 )). It was not until 1987 that homosexuality was removed from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-III-R) (American Psychiatric Association 1987 ) and in 1990 removed from the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) (World Health Organisation 1990 ) as a diagnostic category of psychopathology. Despite gains in civil rights, there is persistent discrimination against LGBTQI+ people (Dessel and Rodenborg 2017 ; Drescher 2015 ). Although attitudes are changing, societal misperceptions and discomfort about homosexual behavior and identity are persistent even among health care personnel (Dessel and Rodenborg 2017 ; Mayer et al. 2008 ; Scourfield et al. 2008 ). Changing attitudes and developing cultural competence is an ongoing socio-political process. To this end, Youth Scotland (LGBT Youth Scotland 2018 ) sets gold standards for achievement at LGBTQI+ inclusivity in the LGBT Charter program to which educational institutions can strive. This was achieved through consultation with LGBT service providers and their users and has provided a framework for organizations to develop their own LGBT policies and practices. Hence, this type of LGBTQI+ Charter community initiative, and the provision of ongoing training for professionals who work with youth, will increase efficacy and cultural competence for service providers and support emotional safety for sexual and gender minority youth (Kull et al. 2017 ; Swanson and Gettinger 2016 ).

In relation to policy and environment, the fourth key theme identified in this review, many western countries are fostering inclusive and non-discriminatory legislation and services, such as the Youth Scotland initiative. Most western nations have, at least in urban areas or online, support organizations such as RainbowYouth in New Zealand or MINUS18 in Australia. However, in the global context of LGBTQI+ mental health, it is notable that in more than 70 countries it is still illegal to be homosexual (United Nations 2011 ). The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child ( 2003 ) states that: “parties have the obligation to ensure that all human beings below 18 enjoy all the rights set forth in the Convention without discrimination, including with regard to ‘race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national, ethnic or social origin, property, disability, birth or other status.’ These grounds also cover adolescents’ sexual orientation and health status.” There is still much to be done in the international arena at the very basic level of human rights before all sexual and gender minority youth are accepted and need not face discrimination.

Connectedness, the final core theme, is key at a societal level, where finding a group of peers fosters not only well-being but also opportunities for empowerment, solidarity and networking (Russell et al. 2009 ). Possibly the most important ecological environment within which connectedness engenders good mental health is that of the family, where attachment to parents or caregivers and acceptance by siblings and other family members leads to resilience in the face of more hostile community or societal institutions (Catalpa and McGuire 2018 , Ryan et al. 2010 ). Young people who identify as sexual or gender minority are a high-risk group who are developmentally vulnerable (Liu and Mustanski 2012 ) and the family environment has been identified as an important protective factor against stressors and mental health problems in LGBTQI+ youth. For example, in Growing up LGBT in America , a national survey of LGBTQI+ youth in the USA (Human Rights Campaign 2012 ) the most important factor identified as a problem in their lives was non-acceptance by families (26%). A lack of family connectedness or acceptance compounds the issues that sexual and gender minority youth have at school, further hindering their learning (Mallory et al. 2017 ), and suicidality in youth has been shown to be related to family connectedness, identified as the most protective factor against suicidal ideation and attempt (Stone et al. 2015 ).

From a resilience perspective, in The Health of LGBTQ Youth: Risk and Protective Factors , a Canadian report (Buote et al. 2012 ), family support for sexual and gender minority youth resulted in prevention of suicide, more positive levels of mental health, less substance use, better coping skills and more openness about their sexual or gender identity. Evidence supports these findings that family acceptance is protective for negative health outcomes such as depression, substance abuse, and suicidality (Ryan et al. 2010 ; Stone et al. 2015 ). This evidence underpins connectedness to and acceptance by family members of sexual and gender minority youth as a crucial factor for their mental health and well-being.

Limitations and Future Directions

Although this systematic review provides an important overview into the qualitative research that is being carried out, it has some limitations. Variations in the terminology used in LGBTQI+ literature and resources are extensive, and at least 23 variations on gender or sexual minority descriptors are in common use (Trans Student Educational Resources 2018 ). For this systematic review the general key term “LGBT*” was used in the search criteria, which may have excluded some articles that used terms such as non-binary, or non-cisgender. As such, the results obtained in this systematic review cannot make any valid and generalized statements about mental health needs and resources of specific groups that are represented under the LGBTQI+ label. To increase the population represented under the LGBTQI+ umbrella and to increase the level of specificity of the results, future systematic reviews should comprise a wider range of key terms that would provide a broader insight and overview of mental health and well-being in LGBTQI+ youth.

Such a relatively inclusive and broad use of key terms needs to be aligned with a set of equally broad research aims and questions. In this regard, to produce more valid results in relation to the various LGBTQI+ groups, future systematic reviews should narrow their search terms to increase the level of specificity, and thus be able to provide applicable and valid recommendations to improve mental health supports to the specific LGBTQI+ groups. Whereas characteristics of the identified studies varied greatly in respect to aim, sample size, methodology, population base and focus, which further impinges on the generalizability of the results, future systematic reviews could focus more specifically on certain criteria. Thus, systematic reviews should define from the onset the scope of the review and its desired level of generalizability to inform appropriate key term selection, methodological characteristics and research aims questions.

Deriving evidence to identify the mental health needs of LGBTQI+ groups is of great societal importance, as for example, transgender adolescents are particularly vulnerable as they navigate the cisgender world and manage the challenges of a changing body in which they do not feel they belong (Perez-Brumer et al. 2017 ; Peterson et al. 2017 ). However, there are noticeable limitations in gaining access to rich, experiential, qualitative data from transgender youth, their families and peers, which restricts understanding of mental health resource priorities for transgender youth. This gap in qualitative research relates to the issues and problems faced by families when adjusting to a child who wishes to change their gender expression, the complex nature of acceptance and coping in this situation, their possible resistance and the dynamic relationship between families and their access to services (Tishelman et al. 2015 ). Thus, systematic reviews are only able to synthesize existing data, and it becomes apparent that qualitative studies that explore lived experiences of LGBTQI+ youth within their family context are widely under represented. Here future empirical research needs to invest greater resources to produce more high quality studies that can be then included in systematic reviews.

The majority of the studies included in this systematic review (58.3%), identified their study population through school and community groups. These studies pointed out the difficulties in recruiting populations for research into LGBTQI+ youth and the effects this has on obtaining robust empirical evidence. In this sense, unknown numbers of youth who have not disclosed their sexual identity or who have barriers to accessing community support are not represented in any empirical research as to their mental health status or needs. The complexities of recruitment challenges and data collection are further confounded by the hidden nature of those who feel they cannot disclose due to cultural and ethnicity-based considerations of individual ecologies. Some of the research is Internet-based and thus only sexual and gender minority youth with access to the World Wide Web and computers or digital devices can be involved. Thus, the question remains largely unanswered of how many youth struggle with mental health issues because they feel different from heteronormative societal models but find no avenue to gain support, a sense of belonging or resources. This highlights wider patterns where voices of youth are marginalized in society and efforts to include youth in research, as outlined by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (1990), often results in further inequalities as youth of advantaged backgrounds have more opportunities for inclusion compared to disadvantaged youth. This leads then into a self-perpetuating cycle of exclusion. Here social science research needs to find ways to include youth across the social spectrum so that their voices are heard.

It is also important to mention that this study did not examine cultural, ethnic and faith-based differences in acceptance of LGBTQI+ youth. Religious beliefs and cultural homophobia, transphobia and bi-phobia are existing ecological factors in the lives of young sexual and gender minority youth that affect the level of societal and familial inclusion or exclusion experienced. The lack of data across cultures, genders, orientations and ethnicities is especially challenging for researchers, with some minority ethnic groups particularly underrepresented (Collier et al. 2013 ). Here, future research needs to be more rigorous to explore the relationship between culture, ethnicity and religion to obtain a better understanding of the wider socio-cultural influence on levels of experienced societal acceptance or exclusion of LGBTQI+ youth.

The review was also based on peer-reviewed journals that were published in empirical research over the last ten years, and hence literature selection was time limited and not exhaustive. As such future research could explore a wider range of available empirical research (e.g. book chapters and Ph.D. dissertations) and grey literature (e.g. government reports and policy statements), that extends beyond the 10-year time span of the present systematic report, to provide a more comprehensive insight into the topic. This would be of particular importance when tracing, comparing and mapping out existing debates and narratives, and their evolution over time, to derive a better understanding of mental health and wellbeing in LGBTQI+ youth.

Implications for Research and Practice

This is the first systematic review of qualitative research into the mental health of LGBTQI+ youth. Qualitative research provides a voice for the research participants to offer authentic experiential and perceptual evidence that can be used to inform and influence policy and mental health service provision from an evidence-based perspective. This systematic review provides a reference of qualitatively derived evidence-based knowledge by mapping out the themes and findings of qualitative research into LGBTQI+ mental health over the last decade.

The first implication for practice relates to the recognized and mandated provision of safe spaces and places in educational institutions and in the community with an emphasis on client-centered policy and in community planning at micro and macro levels of civil and state governance. For example, school and community level GSA-type services provide support within the micro-ecology of the young person whereas international law preventing discrimination on the grounds of sexual or gender minority status legislates at a global level. The provision of collective social opportunities facilitates a collaborative and united voice and empowerment to gain socio-political influence and thus to drive change for LGBTQI+ youth. As such a unified resistance to victimization and stigmatization challenges the pervasive heteronormative discourse, where, in particular, institutional policies must address bullying and marginalization of sexual and gender minority youth while demanding a cultural environment of inclusivity and acceptance.

A second implication for practice is the targeted education of service providers in all social, educational and health agencies and continuing efforts to address transphobia, biphobia and homophobia. To address disparities in well-being of sexual and gender minority youth, it is of vital importance to ensure that services for LGBTQI+ youth, such as drug and alcohol support, mental health services and sexual health clinics, adhere to a welcoming and inclusive ethos. Within these services, the provision of support must be provided by key adults with whom sexual and gender minority youth can make connections and feel valued in their identity choices.

This systematic review also identified directions for future research. For example, the Minority Stress Theory (Meyer 2003 ), with a focus on increased prevalence of mental health problems experienced by LGTBQI+ youth due to increased levels of social stress, (e.g., stigma, discrimination, prejudice and victimization), might provide a framework for further research to fill gaps in the knowledge to date. It is also vital that future research focuses on continued exploration of effective platforms for internet-based services, such as online forums, as a critical information resource, both for researchers to obtain an in-depth understanding of LGBTQI+ youth and their experiences relevant to mental health, and for the sexual and gender minority youth themselves. Thus these forums provide sexual and gender minority youth a means of access to help and advice online, and the experience of social networking, acceptance and connectedness. Further research is also needed within the realm of online e-therapy interventions such as Rainbow SPARX (Lucassen et al. 2015 ) that can be used as a treatment option for any LGBTQI+ youth that are experiencing emotional distress regardless of access to community services and disclosure status.

Transgender youth in particular are vulnerable to social isolation in the face of rejection by family and other ecological supports, and studies demonstrate the significantly greater number of homeless LGBTQI+ youth (Crossley 2015 ; Matthews et al. 2018 ; Oakley and Bletsas 2018 ). Thus it is of great importance that research investigates specific risk factors and markers for marginalized youth with a focus on the disparities in suicide and self-harm rates for sexual and gender minority youth. Similarly, there is a need for qualitative research to support quantitative evidence as well as interventions through social policy (Durso and Gates 2012 ; Kidd et al. 2017 ; McDonald 2018 ; Prock and Kennedy 2017 ). More strengths-based enquiries are needed into resilience and protective factors for sexual and gender minority youth and the ecological, psychosocial and cognitive characteristics of young LGBTQI+ people who are leading happy, well-adjusted lives within their microsystems and macrosystems. By having access to these rich qualitative data that can be evinced from analysis of nuanced lived experiences of marginalized but adaptive members of their communities, further support mechanisms can be devised and implemented with sexual and gender minority youth who are less resilient. Also, as suggested by Collier et al. ( 2013 ), there is a need for more longitudinal studies to provide data into the long-term outcomes, especially considering the developmental differences across adolescence.

Although quantitative investigations into sexual and gender minority youth have revealed poor mental health outcomes, and identified risk and protective factors, there are gaps in our understanding of how these effects arise. To address this we performed a systematic review of qualitative investigations into the experiences of LGBTQI+ youth. The results identified five core themes: isolation, rejection, phobia and need for support; marginalization; depression, self-harm and suicidality; policy and environment; and connectedness. These five themes became apparent across the differing methodologies and population samples, providing rich information. The implications for policy, practice and future research are clear from this synthesis of research findings. The voices of LGBTQI+ youth call for inclusive environments, acceptance and support from service providers and family members, and a community to which they can belong, either in their own geographical ecology or internet-based. Addressing these key needs provides resilience in the face of marginalization, isolation, and victimization. Safe environments and anti-discrimination policy alleviate the stressors which make the challenges faced by sexual and gender minority youth greater than those of their peers. These results provide a source of rich information to inform the provision of services and policies that will address the disparity into mental health statistics for the sexual and gender minority youth population.

*Denotes study included in systematic review

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Wilson, C., Cariola, L.A. LGBTQI+ Youth and Mental Health: A Systematic Review of Qualitative Research. Adolescent Res Rev 5 , 187–211 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40894-019-00118-w

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	Educators and education researchers are addressing LGBTQ issues with a sense of legitimacy and urgency. AERA proudly supports diversity and inclusion and is committed to advancing empirical evidence to inform practices and policies that support LGBTQ individuals in education and learning settings. This resource page provides access to AERA-published journal articles, publications, fact sheets, and other materials of use to researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and others with a commitment to LGBTQ education issues.  AERA Statements on LGBTQ issues Statement from AERA President Shaun R. Harper and Executive Director Felice J. Levine in Support of Transgender and Non-Binary Persons April 2021 AERA Speaks Out on Bathroom Rules for Transgender Students March 2017 AERA Speaks to "Texas Bathroom Bill" January 2017 Statement by AERA Executive Director Felice J. Levine on the Terror Attack in Orlando June 2016 AERA Report: LGBTQ Issues in Education: Advancing a Research Agenda The AERA report, LGBTQ Issues in Education: Advancing a Research Agenda , and related July 9, 2015, Capitol Hill briefing,  brought rigorous and relevant knowledge to bear on this important issue. AERA will offer a 50% discount on the report during Pride Month. Table of Contents (PDF) Introduction (PDF) Purchase Information  (50% discount during Pride Month) Capitol Hill Briefing (July 9, 2015) This briefing focused on several of the critical areas that were addressed in the AERA report,  LGBTQ Issues in Education: Advancing a Research Agenda , including bullying and k-12 students; student achievement and educational attainment; challenges conducting research; and recommendations for further research. Briefing Webcast  Presentation Slides Related Fact Sheets LGBTQ Student Achievement and Educational Attainment  (PDF) Bullying of LGBTQ Students  (PDF) LGBTQ Research Recommendations  (PDF)   Other Issues and Initiatives   Open Access AERA Articles  for links to selected AERA journal articles, provided open access, on LGBTQ+ issues.   Educational Researcher 51:5 Special Issue Read open-access articles from the Special Issue: Trans Studies in K-12 Education.   Spotlight on LGBTQ Education Researchers spotlights scholars and their research, the inspiration for their work, and advice for aspiring scholars.   In 2013, AERA published s. One of the briefs in the report -- "Bullying and Peer Victimization Among Vulnerable Populations" -- focused on victimization aimed at specific groups, including LGBTQ youth Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World Read our research on: Full Topic List Regions & Countries Publications Our Methods Short Reads Tools & Resources Read Our Research On: Race and LGBTQ Issues in K-12 Schools What teachers, teens and the u.s. public say about current curriculum debates, table of contents. What do teachers think students should learn about slavery and gender identity? Should parents be able to opt their children out of learning about certain topics? How often do topics related to race and LGBTQ issues come up in the classroom? How do teachers’ views differ by party? What teachers think students should learn about slavery and gender identity Should parents be able to opt their children out of learning about race and LGBTQ issues? Influence over curriculum What teens want to learn about slavery What teens want to learn about gender identity 4. Public views on parents opting their children out of learning about race and LGBTQ issues Acknowledgments Teacher survey methodology Teen survey methodology General public survey methodology Pew Research Center conducted this study to better understand how public K-12 teachers, teens and the American public see topics related to race, sexual orientation and gender identity playing out in the classroom. The bulk of the analysis in this report is based on an online survey of 2,531 U.S. public K-12 teachers conducted from Oct. 17 to Nov. 14, 2023. The teachers surveyed are members of RAND’s American Teacher Panel, a nationally representative panel of public school K-12 teachers recruited through MDR Education. Survey data is weighted to state and national teacher characteristics to account for differences in sampling and response to ensure they are representative of the target population. For the questions for the general public, we surveyed 5,029 U.S. adults from Nov. 9 to Nov. 16, 2023. The adults surveyed are members of the Ipsos KnowledgePanel, a nationally representative online survey panel. Panel members are randomly recruited through probability-based sampling, and households are provided with access to the Internet and hardware if needed. To ensure that the results of this survey reflect a balanced cross section of the nation, the data is weighted to match the U.S. adult population by gender, age, education, race and ethnicity and other categories. For questions for teens, we conducted an online survey of 1,453 U.S. teens from Sept. 26 to Oct. 23, 2023, through Ipsos. Ipsos recruited the teens via their parents, who were part of its KnowledgePanel. The survey was weighted to be representative of U.S. teens ages 13 to 17 who live with their parents by age, gender, race and ethnicity, household income, and other categories. The survey on teens was reviewed and approved by an external institutional review board (IRB), Advarra, an independent committee of experts specializing in helping to protect the rights of research participants. Here are the questions used for this report , along with responses, and the survey methodology . Throughout the report, references to White, Black and Asian adults include those who are not Hispanic and identify as only one race. Hispanics are of any race. The views and experiences of teachers and teens who are Asian American or part of other racial and ethnic groups are not analyzed separately in this report due to sample limitations. Data for these groups is incorporated into the general population figures throughout the report. All references to party affiliation include those who lean toward that party. Republicans include those who identify as Republicans and those who say they lean toward the Republican Party. Democrats include those who identify as Democrats and those who say they lean toward the Democratic Party. Political leaning of school districts is based on whether the majority of those residing in the school district voted for Republican Donald Trump or Democrat Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election. Amid national debates about what schools are teaching , we asked public K-12 teachers, teens and the American public how they see topics related to race, sexual orientation and gender identity playing out in the classroom. A sizeable share of teachers (41%) say these debates have had a negative impact on their ability to do their job. Just 4% say these debates have had a positive impact, while 53% say the impact has been neither positive nor negative or that these debates have had no impact. And 71% of teachers say teachers themselves don’t have enough influence over what’s taught in public schools in their area. In turn, a majority of teachers (58%) say their state government has too much influence over this. And more say the federal government, the local school board and parents have too much influence than say they don’t have enough. Most of the findings in this report come from a survey of 2,531 U.S. public K-12 teachers conducted Oct. 17-Nov. 14, 2023, using the RAND American Teacher Panel. 1 The survey looks at teachers’ views on: Race and LGBTQ issues in the classroom ( Chapter 1 ) Current debates over what schools should be teaching and the role of key groups ( Chapter 2 ) It follows a fall 2022 survey of K-12 parents that explored similar topics. This report also includes some findings from a survey of U.S. teens ages 13 to 17 ( Chapter 3 ) and a survey of U.S. adults ( Chapter 4 ). For details about these surveys, refer to the Methodology section of this report. Among the key findings: 38% of teens say they feel comfortable when topics related to racism or racial inequality come up in class (among those who say these topics have come up). A smaller share (29%) say they feel comfortable when topics related to sexual orientation or gender identity come up. Among the American public , more say parents should be able to opt their children out of learning about LGBTQ issues than say the same about topics related to race (54% vs. 34%). We asked public K-12 teachers what they think students should learn in school about two topics in particular: Whether the legacy of slavery still affects the position of Black people in American society today. Whether a person’s gender can be different from or is determined by their sex at birth. For these questions, elementary, middle and high school teachers were asked about elementary, middle and high school students, respectively. The legacy of slavery Most teachers (64%) say students should learn that the legacy of slavery still affects the position of Black people in American society today. About a quarter (23%) say students should learn that slavery is part of American history but no longer affects the position of Black people in American society. Just 8% say students shouldn’t learn about this topic in school at all. Majorities of elementary, middle and high school teachers say students should learn that the legacy of slavery still has an impact on the lives of Black Americans. Gender identity When it comes to teaching about gender identity – specifically whether a person’s gender can be different from or is determined by their sex assigned at birth – half of public K-12 teachers say students shouldn’t learn about this in school. A third of teachers think students should learn that someone can be a boy or a girl even if that is different from the sex they were assigned at birth. A smaller share (14%) say students should learn that whether someone is a boy or a girl is determined by their sex at birth. Views differ among elementary, middle and high school teachers. But teachers across the three levels are more likely to say students should learn that a person’s gender can be different from their sex at birth than to say students should learn gender is determined by sex at birth. Most elementary school teachers (62%) say students shouldn’t learn about gender identity in school. This is much larger than the shares of middle and high school teachers who say the same (45% and 35%). What parents and teens say Parents of K-12 students are more divided on what their children should learn in school about these topics. In the 2022 survey , 49% of parents said they’d rather their children learn that the legacy of slavery still affects the position of Black people in American society today, while 42% said they’d rather their children learn that slavery no longer affects Black Americans. When it comes to gender identity, 31% of parents said they’d rather their children learn that gender can be different from sex at birth. An identical share said they would rather their children learn gender is determined by sex at birth. Another 37% of parents said their children shouldn’t learn about gender identity in school. Teens, like parents, are more divided than teachers on these questions. About half of teens (48%) say they’d rather learn that the legacy of slavery still affects the position of Black Americans today. Four-in-ten would prefer to learn that slavery no longer affects Black Americans. And teens are about evenly divided when it comes to what they prefer to learn about gender identity. A quarter say they’d rather learn that a person’s gender can be different from their sex at birth; 26% would prefer to learn that gender is determined by sex at birth. About half (48%) say they shouldn’t learn about gender identity in school. For more on teens’ views about what they prefer to learn in school about each of these topics, read Chapter 3 of this report. Most public K-12 teachers (60%) say parents should not be able to opt their children out of learning about racism or racial inequality in school, even if the way these topics are taught conflicts with the parents’ beliefs. A quarter say parents should be able to opt their children out of learning about these topics. In contrast, more say parents should be able to opt their children out of learning about sexual orientation or gender identity (48%) than say parents should not be able to do this (33%). On topics related to both race and LGBTQ issues, elementary and middle school teachers are more likely than high school teachers to say parents should be able to opt their children out. How teachers’ views compare with the public’s views Like teachers, Americans overall are more likely to say parents should be able to opt their children out of learning about sexual orientation or gender identity (54%) than to say they should be able to opt their children out of learning about racism or racial inequality (34%). Across both issues, Americans overall are somewhat more likely than teachers to say parents should be able to opt their children out. For more on the public’s views, read Chapter 4 of this report. Most teachers who’ve been teaching for more than a year (68%) say the topics of sexual orientation and gender identity rarely or never came up in their classroom in the 2022-23 school year. About one-in-five (21%) say these topics came up sometimes, and 8% say they came up often or extremely often. Topics related to racism or racial inequality come up more frequently. A majority of teachers (56%) say these topics came up at least sometimes in their classroom, with 21% saying they came up often or extremely often. These topics are more likely to come up in secondary school than in elementary school classrooms. As is the case among parents of K-12 students and the general public, teachers’ views on how topics related to race and LGBTQ issues should play out in the classroom differ by political affiliation. What students should learn about slavery: 85% of Democratic and Democratic-leaning teachers say students should learn that the legacy of slavery still affects the position of Black people in American society today. This compares with 35% of Republican and Republican-leaning teachers who say the same. What students should learn about gender identity: Democratic teachers are far more likely than Republican teachers to say students should learn that a person’s gender can be different from the sex they were assigned at birth (53% vs. 5%). Most Republican teachers (69%) say students shouldn’t learn about gender identity in school. Parents opting their children out of learning about these topics: 80% of Republican teachers say parents should be able to opt their children out of learning about LGBTQ issues, compared with 30% of Democratic teachers. And while 47% of Republican teachers say parents should be able to opt their children out of learning about racism and racial inequality, just 11% of Democratic teachers say this. A majority of public K-12 teachers (58%) identify with or lean toward the Democratic Party. About a third (35%) identify with or lean toward the GOP. 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It Gets Better << Previous: Get Started Next: Find Books and Ebooks >> Ask a Librarian Last Updated: Aug 26, 2024 12:11 PM URL: https://subjectguides.lib.neu.edu/LGBT Written content on a narrow subject and published in a periodical or website. In some contexts, academics may use article as a shortened form of journal article. Green Paper Grey Literature Bibliography A detailed list of resources cited in an article, book, or other publication. Also called a List of References. Call Number A label of letters and/or numbers that tell you where the resource can be found in the library. Call numbers are displayed on print books and physical resources and correspond with a topic or subject area. Peer Review Well-regarded review process used by some academic journals. Relevant experts review articles for quality and originality before publication. Articles reviewed using this process are called peer reviewed articles. Less often, these articles are called refereed articles. 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Alternatively in anthologies, chapters are contributed by different authors. 256 LGBTQ+ Research Topics & Paper Ideas Icon Calendar 18 May 2024 Icon Page 2437 words Icon Clock 11 min read LGBTQ+ research paper topics span numerous disciplines, touching on societal, psychological, legal, and health-related aspects. Some themes include the exploration of historical changes in societal attitudes toward lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and more (LGBTQ+) rights, an analysis of mental health issues prevalent in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community, or the legal evolution and impacts of same-sex marriage. There also can be the roles that media and culture play in shaping perceptions of various identities or investigating the challenges faced in healthcare settings. Other topics may cover intersectionality within the LGBT community, dissecting influences of race, gender, and socioeconomic status. 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Best LGBTQ+ Research Paper Topics Examination of Mental Health Disparities Within the LGBTQ+ Community Transgender Identity Development: An Exploratory Study Media Representation of LGBTQ+ Characters: Impacts on Identity Formation Influence of Religion on Attitudes Toward the LGBT Community Employment Discrimination Experienced by Transgender Individuals Changing Landscapes: Same-Sex Marriage and Societal Shifts Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Youth: Navigating Coming Out in a Digital Age Queer Theory: Origins, Evolution, and Applications Psychological Impact of Gender Dysphoria Among Adolescents Bisexuality: Erasure and Misunderstandings in Society Intersectionality in LGBT Rights: Analyzing the Influence of Race and Class Transformative Legal Milestones in the LGBTQ+ Civil Rights Movement Gender Affirmation Surgery: A Study of Medical, Psychological, and Societal Aspects Homonationalism: Its Role in LGBTQ+ Politics Inclusion of LGBT Topics in School Curriculum: Effects and Controversies Assimilation Versus Separation: Diverse Strategies in the Gay Rights Movement Parental Acceptance: Its Effect on LGBT Youth Mental Health Senior LGBTQ+ Individuals: Challenges and Needs Safe Spaces: The Necessity and Creation in the LGBT Community LGBTQ+ Individuals in Professional Sports: Representation and Reception Impacts of Health Care Policies on Transgender Individuals Easy LGBTQ+ Research Paper Topics Body Image Concerns Among Gay Men: A Comprehensive Analysis Influence of LGBT Representation in Children’s Media Queer Immigrants: Unique Struggles and Contributions Discrimination Faced by LGBT People in the Housing Market Heteronormativity: Its Effects on LGBTQ+ Identity and Society Same-Sex Parenting: A Study on Children’s Development and Well-being Transgender Individuals in the Military: Policies and Experiences Transphobia in Feminist Movements: Causes and Consequences Cultural Differences in Acceptance of LGBTQ+ Individuals Substance Use Disorders in the LGBT Community: Prevalence and Factors Artistic Expression in the LGBTQ+ Community: Influence and Impact Global Perspectives on Transgender Rights and Protections Resilience Factors among LGBT Youth: An In-Depth Study Decriminalizing Homosexuality: The Global Landscape Queer Coding in Hollywood Cinema: History and Implications Exploring Gender Fluidity: Personal Narratives and Social Perceptions Roles of LGBT Activism in the HIV/AIDS Epidemic Exploring Identity: The Interplay of Ethnicity and Sexuality Mental Health Supports for LGBT College Students Queer Spaces in Urban Landscapes: Significance and Transformation Interesting LGBTQ+ Research Paper Topics History of the Pink Triangle: From Persecution to Empowerment Two-Spirit People: Indigenous Perspectives on Gender and Sexuality The Stonewall Riots: Legacy and Impact on the LGBTQ+ Movement Social Support Systems and Their Role in LGBT Mental Health The Intersection of LGBT Rights and Religious Freedom: A Critical Analysis Medical Professionals’ Knowledge and Attitudes Toward Transgender Health Care Influence of the Internet on LGBTQ+ Youth: Risks and Opportunities The Evolution of LGBT Terminology: Reflecting Social Change Homophobia in Sports: Causes, Consequences, and Mitigation Strategies Transgender Representation in Literature: A Historical Overview Coming Out at Work: Experiences and Implications for Career Progression Studying Sexual Orientation: The Evolution of Scientific Understanding Visibility and Representation of Intersex Individuals in Society The Psychology of Bisexual Erasure: Causes and Consequences LGBTQ+ Activists and Their Role in Shaping Modern Civil Rights Legal Challenges and Advances in Transgender Rights Globally The Role of Community Centers in LGBTQ+ Well-Being Bullying Experiences of LGBT Students: Impacts on Academic Achievement Intersection of Disability and LGBTQ+ Identity: Unique Challenges and Experiences Homosexuality in Animals: What Can It Tell Us About Human Sexuality? Understanding the Needs of Transgender Elders The Role of Pride Parades in Shaping LGBT Identity and Community LGBTQ+ Research Paper Topics for High School Comparing Societal Acceptance of the LGBT Community Across Different Cultures Influence of Social Media on LGBT Youth: A Closer Examination Understanding Bisexuality: Prevalence, Perceptions, and Challenges Representation of LGBT Characters in Modern Literature: Progress or Stereotypes? Legal Struggles: The Evolution of LGBT Rights Over the Years Roles of Education in Developing an LGBT-Inclusive Curriculum Adoption Rights for LGBT Couples: A Comparative Study Transgender People in Sports: Equity, Participation, and Policy Intersectionality: Exploring the Overlap of Race and LGBT Identity The Influence of Religion on LGBT Acceptance and Rejection Mental Health Concerns within the LGBT Community: Causes and Solutions Homophobia and Transphobia in Schools: Measures to Counteract LGBT Seniors: Unique Challenges and Needs Impact of Public Figures Coming Out on LGBT Visibility and Acceptance Exploring Gay and Lesbian Language: A Study on Linguistic Identity The Role of Art and Culture in LGBT Activism Medical Perspectives: Healthcare Needs and Challenges of the LGBT Community History of the Gay Rights Movement: Key Events and Turning Points Exploring the Heterogeneity Within the LGBT Community: Differences and Similarities Bisexual Erasure in the LGBT Community: Causes and Impacts LGBTQ+ Research Paper Topics for College Students Examining the Depiction of LGBTQ+ Characters in Modern Literature Impacts of Laws on Transgender Individuals in Sports Effects of LGBTQ+ Representation in Hollywood The Psychological Impact of Coming Out: A Comprehensive Study Health Care Inequalities Experienced by the LGBTQ+ Community Attitudes Toward Homosexuality in Different Cultures Examination of Gender Identity in Adolescence Unveiling the History of the LGBTQ+ Rights Movement Legal Challenges Faced by Transgender People Analysis of Queer Themes in the Music Industry Intersectionality of Race and Sexual Orientation in Discrimination Same-Sex Marriage Laws and their Societal Impact Parenting Styles in LGBTQ+ Families: A Comparative Study Roles of Schools in Facilitating LGBTQ+ Inclusion Religion’s Influence on Attitudes Toward Homosexuality Transgender Youth and Mental Health: An In-Depth Study Representation of Queer Characters in Video Games Evaluating the Impact of Non-Binary Gender Recognition Social Perceptions of Homosexuality in Sports Effects of Workplace Discrimination on LGBTQ+ Employees The Influence of Popular Culture on the Gay Rights Movement LGBTQ+ Research Paper Topics for University Implications of HIV/AIDS Stigma on the LGBTQ+ Community Disparity in Substance Abuse Treatment for LGBTQ+ Individuals Heteronormativity and Its Influence on LGBTQ+ Self-Perception Aging in the LGBTQ+ Community: A Sociopsychological Study Impacts of Gender-Affirming Healthcare on Transgender Individuals Roles of Art and Theatre in LGBTQ+ Activism Homophobia in the Military: Causes and Consequences Public Opinion and Policy Making for LGBTQ+ Rights Decriminalization of Homosexuality: Global Progress and Challenges Understanding Asexuality: Overcoming Ignorance and Prejudice Evolution of Queer Representation in Animated Series LGBTQ+ Refugees: Issues of Acceptance and Integration Same-Sex Parenting: Impacts on Child Development Conversion Therapy and its Psychological Ramifications Queer Coding in Cinema: Subtle Messages and Impacts Transgender Individuals in Prison: Rights and Realities Experiences of LGBTQ+ Individuals in Faith-Based Communities Importance of Comprehensive Sex Education for LGBTQ+ Youth Queer Theory: A Comprehensive Overview and Discussion Adoption Rights for LGBTQ+ Couples: A Global Perspective Understanding Bisexuality: Erasing Stereotypes and Misconceptions Decoding the Transgender Narrative in Fashion Industry LGBTQ+ Research Paper Topics on Transgender Historical Evolution of Transgender Rights Movements Social and Psychological Impacts of Transitioning for Transgender Individuals Legal Frameworks for Transgender Rights: A Comparative Analysis Intersectionality: Exploring Experiences of Transgender People of Color Healthcare Disparities for Transgender Individuals: Challenges and Solutions Understanding the Challenges and Supportive Approaches for Transgender Youth Media and Pop Culture Representation of Transgender People: Progress and Pitfalls Non-Binary Gender Spectrum: Exploring Transgender Identities Navigating Parenthood and Family Dynamics: Transgender Parenting Addressing Stigma and Promoting Well-Being: Transgender Mental Health Employment Discrimination Against Transgender Individuals: Legal Perspectives Unique Experiences and Care Needs: Transgender Aging Challenges and Human Rights Issues for Transgender Refugees Empowerment and Expression: Transgender Narratives in Literature and Art Exploring Faith and Acceptance: Transgender Identity and Religion Policies and Implications: Transgender Military Service Equality, Fairness, and Inclusion: Transgender Sports Participation Strategies and Successes: Transgender Rights Advocacy Support Networks and Activism: Transgender Community Building Inclusive Curriculum and Safe Learning Environments: Transgender Education LGBTQ+ Research Topics About Gay Rights The Impact of Same-Sex Marriage on Societal Attitudes and Norms Examining the Role of Media Representation in Shaping LGBTQ+ Perceptions Analyzing the Economic Benefits of LGBTQ+ Workplace Inclusivity Exploring the Challenges Faced by LGBTQ+ Youth in Educational Institutions Investigating the Psychological Effects of Conversion Therapy on LGBTQ+ Individuals Understanding the Intersectionality of Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation Assessing the Legal Protections for Transgender Individuals in Employment Examining the Relationship Between Religion and LGBTQ+ Acceptance Investigating the Health Disparities Faced by LGBTQ+ Communities Analyzing the Historical Evolution of LGBTQ+ Rights Movements Exploring the Experiences of LGBTQ+ Individuals in Foster Care Systems Assessing the Impact of Anti-Discrimination Laws on LGBTQ+ Mental Health Understanding the Challenges Faced by LGBTQ+ Immigrants and Refugees Investigating the Role of LGBTQ+ Supportive Families in Promoting Well-Being Analyzing the Impact of LGBTQ+-Inclusive Sex Education on Teenage Pregnancy Rates Exploring the Relationship Between LGBTQ+ Activism and Social Change Understanding the Psychological Well-Being of LGBTQ+ Elderly Individuals Investigating the Challenges Faced by LGBTQ+ Individuals in Sports Analyzing the Role of LGBTQ+ Community Centers in Providing Support Services Exploring the Intersection of LGBTQ+ Rights and Reproductive Rights Assessing the Impact of LGBTQ+ Visibility in Popular Culture on Acceptance Understanding the Experiences of LGBTQ+ Individuals in the Criminal Justice System Investigating the Intersection of LGBTQ+ Rights and Disability Rights Analyzing the Influence of LGBTQ+ Representation in Literature on Identity Formation LGBTQ+ Research Topics About Human Sexuality Exploring the Impact of LGBTQ+ Representation in Mainstream Media Analyzing the Effects of Conversion Therapy on LGBTQ+ Individuals Investigating the Role of Sexual Orientation in Mental Health Disorders Examining the Intersectionality of Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation Uncovering the Historical Evolution of LGBTQ+ Rights Movements Understanding the Relationship Between Religion and LGBTQ+ Acceptance Assessing the Psychological Well-Being of Transgender Youth Evaluating the Influence of Parental Support on the Coming Out Process Investigating the Experiences of LGBTQ+ Individuals in the Workplace Analyzing the Impact of Homophobia on Health Outcomes in LGBTQ+ Communities Exploring the Relationship Between Sexual Orientation and Substance Abuse Examining the Role of LGBTQ+ Supportive Policies in Educational Institutions Investigating the Factors Influencing LGBTQ+ Individuals’ Decision to Disclose Their Sexual Orientation Analyzing the Mental Health Challenges Faced by Bisexual Individuals Understanding the Experiences of LGBTQ+ Elders and Ageing Issues Evaluating the Impact of LGBTQ+ Inclusive Sex Education on Teenagers Investigating the Psychological Effects of Bullying on LGBTQ+ Youth Exploring the Relationship Between Gender Identity and Body Image Satisfaction Analyzing the Health Disparities Experienced by LGBTQ+ People of Color Investigating the Stigma and Discrimination Faced by LGBTQ+ Immigrants Examining the Impact of Transgender Healthcare Access on Overall Well-Being Evaluating the Intersection of LGBTQ+ Identities and Disability Discussion LGBTQ+ Research Topics Impacts of Same-Sex Marriage on Society: A Comparative Analysis Unveiling the Challenges Faced by Transgender Individuals in Healthcare Systems Roles of Media Representation in Shaping Perceptions of LGBTQ+ Identities Intersectionality of Race and Sexual Orientation in Contemporary Society Psychological Effects of Conversion Therapy on LGBTQ+ Individuals The Impact of LGBTQ+-Inclusive Sex Education Programs on Teenagers’ Well-Being Economic Disparities Faced by LGBTQ+ Communities: An Intersectional Approach Relationship Between Religious Beliefs and Acceptance of LGBTQ+ Individuals Challenges Faced by LGBTQ+ Elders in Long-Term Care Facilities The Impact of LGBTQ+ Representation in Children’s Literature on Social Attitudes Understanding the Health Disparities Among LGBTQ+ Individuals: A Comprehensive Review The Role of LGBTQ+ Supportive Organizations in Promoting Social Change Stigmatization of Bisexuality in Heteronormative Society The Impact of LGBTQ+ Rights Policies on the Global Tourism and Travel Industry Experiences of LGBTQ+ Parents in Raising Children in Contemporary Society The Role of Queer Spaces in Fostering LGBTQ+ Community Building and Resilience Influence of Social Media on LGBTQ+ Identity Formation Challenges Faced by LGBTQ+ Individuals in the Workplace: A Comparative Study Health Disparities Among LGBTQ+ People of Color The Impact of LGBTQ+-Inclusive Policies in Educational Institutions on Student Well-Being Relationship Between LGBTQ+ Representation in the Entertainment Industry and Social Attitudes Intersectionality of Gender Identity and Disability in LGBTQ+ Individuals Argumentative LGBTQ+ Research Topics LGBTQ+ Adoption Rights: Ensuring Equality and Family Stability Transgender Rights in the Workplace: Challenging Discrimination and Promoting Inclusion Homophobia in Sports: Breaking Barriers and Fostering Inclusivity The Role of Education in Promoting Acceptance and Understanding of LGBTQ+ Individuals Conversion Therapy: Debunking the Controversy and Advocating for a Ban LGBTQ+ Representation in Media: Examining Progress and the Need for Authenticity The Psychological Well-Being of LGBTQ+ Youth: Addressing Mental Health Disparities Religion and Homosexuality: Finding Common Ground for Respectful Coexistence LGBTQ+ Health Disparities: Bridging the Gap in Access to Care LGBTQ+ Rights in Developing Countries: Challenges and Strategies for Progress LGBTQ+ Aging and Elderly Care: Ensuring Support and Dignity for Older Adults The Intersectionality of Race and LGBTQ+ Identity: Understanding and Combating Multiple Forms of Discrimination Hate Crimes Against LGBTQ+ Individuals: Enhancing Legal Protection and Promoting Safety LGBTQ+ Representation in Politics: Encouraging Diversity and Inclusion in Leadership Gender Identity and Public Restrooms: Balancing Safety and Inclusivity LGBTQ+ Rights and Global Human Rights: Assessing Progress and Identifying Challenges The Economics of LGBTQ+ Equality: Exploring the Benefits of Inclusive Policies LGBTQ+ Rights in Religious Institutions: Navigating Tradition and Modern Values Bullying and Harassment in Schools: Creating Safe Spaces for LGBTQ+ Students Transgender Healthcare: Addressing Access, Affordability, and Quality of Care Pros and Cons LGBTQ+ Research Topics Social Acceptance of LGBT Individuals: Advantages and Disadvantages Employment Discrimination against LGBT Individuals: Pros and Cons Same-Sex Marriage: Benefits and Drawbacks LGBT Parenting: Positive and Negative Aspects Transgender Rights: Pros and Cons Conversion Therapy for LGBT Individuals: Benefits and Limitations LGBT Representation in Media: Advantages and 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Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site. The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely. Publications Account settings Preview improvements coming to the PMC website in October 2024. Learn More or Try it out now . Advanced Search Journal List HHS Author Manuscripts Promoting School Safety for LGBTQ and All Students Salvatore ioverno. University of Ghent Schools are often unsafe for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) students; they frequently experience negative or hostile school climates, including bullying and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity at school. Negative school climates and discriminatory experiences can threaten LGBTQ students’ well-being. Simultaneously, a consistent body of research identifies strategies to support LGBTQ and all students to be safe and thrive at school. First, policies that specifically identify or enumerate protected groups such as LGBTQ students create supportive contexts for all youth. Second, professional development prepares educators and other school personnel with tools to support and protect all students. Third, access to information and support related to sexual orientation and gender identity or expression (SOGIE), including curricula that is SOGIE-inclusive, provides students with resources, support, and inclusion, creating school climate. Fourth, the presence of student-led clubs or organizations such as gender-sexuality alliances (i.e., GSAs) improve students’ school experiences and well-being, and contribute to positive school climate. This article reviews the research foundations of each of these strategies and concludes with recommendations for multiple audiences: policy-makers, school personnel, parents, and students. Students deserve safe schools. Research-based strategies promote safety for LGBTQ and all students: 1) Explicit anti-bullying policies; 2) Teacher professional development; 3) Gender-Sexuality Alliances; 4) Inclusive curricula & spaces. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) students often experience negative school environments, where they are subject to victimization based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. As a result, LGBTQ students are more likely to report negative physical and mental health outcomes than their peers. Over the last decade, four strategies have emerged in the research literature to prevent or at least minimize these risks: specifically inclusive anti-bullying policies, professional development on LGBTQ issues, LGBTQ-related resources, and student-led clubs like Gender and Sexuality Alliances (GSAs) ( National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine [NASEM], 2019 , 2020 ). This paper summarizes research evidence on each of these safe-school strategies and provides recommendations for multiple audiences, including policy-makers, professional associations in the field of education, schools of education, school personnel, parents, and students. Before reviewing the evidence, note that studies have used several ways to define sexual orientation and gender identity. We refer to “LGBTQ students,” but when referencing original research we use the language from specific studies. For example, we refer to “LGB” when a study specifically included LGB but not transgender, questioning, or queer youth. Further, most research to date has focused on only sexual orientation (or the experiences of LGB youth) or combines LGB with transgender youth. Thus, most studies have not provided specific attention to transgender and gender diverse youth, although there has been growing research attention to transgender and gender diverse youth ( Day et al., 2018 ; Ioverno & Russell, 2021 ; Olsen & Gülgöz, 2018 ; Olsen et al., 2016 ). Finally, we refer to “school personnel” in order to include teachers as well as other school personnel, including school administrators, classroom aides, cafeteria workers, or bus drivers. Strategy #1: Inclusive, Enumerated Policies Enumerated policies are policies that explicitly list characteristics or traits of students that may be the subject of bullying and harassment at school. Inclusive, enumerated policies are a critical tool for creating safe and supportive schools for LGBTQ and all youth ( Black et al., 2012 ; Kull et al., 2016 ). In March 2021, President Biden made history by signing the Executive Order on Guaranteeing an Educational Environment Free from Discrimination on the Basis of Sex, Including Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity ( Exec. Order 14021, 2021 ). The Executive Order marks the first time that federal policy has provided legal protection against discrimination for LGBTQ students in K-12 education across the United States. However, as a presidential action, the policy lacks permanency and can be swiftly overturned by the next federal administration. Additionally, as a federal policy, federal agencies are responsible for the policy’s implementation and legal action could be pursued under this order only through the federal court system. Given the lack of action from the U.S. Congress, many states have enacted legislation over the past two decades to protect students from bullying and harassment based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression through inclusive, enumerated policies. Enumerated policies can be protective for students in a number of ways: they provide school educators and administrators with implementation guidance for anti-bullying policies and practices, signal to school communities that LGBTQ-based discrimination will not be tolerated, and provide students with a clear understanding of their rights to safety at school. Studies show that when enumerated policies are present, teachers show more support for their LGBT students ( Swanson & Gettinger, 2016 ) and intervene more frequently when hearing anti-LGBTQ remarks ( Kosciw et al., 2020 ). Further, students protected by enumerated policies are less likely to report homophobic or transphobic attitudes, remarks, and behaviors toward LGBT peers ( Horn & Szalacha, 2009 ; Kosciw et al., 2020 ). This is especially true for transgender youth; Greytak et al. (2013) found that several safe school policies and practices were associated with less victimization for all LGBTQ students, but the positive impact of inclusive policies and GSAs were even stronger for transgender youth than LGB youth. Multiple studies at state ( Meyer et al., 2019 ), national ( Kosciw et al., 2020 ; Kull et al., 2016 ), and international ( Berger et al., 2017 ) levels find that enumerated policies are associated with improved education environments for LGBTQ and all students. Specifically, in the presence of enumerated policies, LGBT students feel safer at school, hear less homophobic language, experience less identity-based victimization ( Kull et al., 2016 ), report less absenteeism at school ( Greytak, 2013 ), and are less at risk for suicide and substance use ( Frost et al., 2019 ; Hatzenbuehler & Keyes, 2013 ; Konishi et al., 2013 ). In some cases, students, parents, and school personnel are unaware of safe schools policies and lack knowledge of explicit protections for students who are (or who are perceived to be) LGBTQ ( Schneider & Dimito, 2008 ). When policy implementation lacks appropriate communication, LGBT students may feel less assured of support by their school communities ( Swanson & Gettinger, 2016 ). To counter this, a key strategy for promoting school safety is to disseminate information about school policies so students and educators understand public policies affecting their daily environments ( Hall & Chapman, 2018 ). Strategy #2: School Personnel Support and Training Support from school personnel – including school administrators, educators, and staff – is critical to promoting the safety and well-being of vulnerable and marginalized students, including LGBTQ students ( Kosciw et al., 2020 ). Most school personnel desire to support students but may not understand the needs of LGBTQ students. For this reason, training for all school personnel to increase knowledge about supporting LGBTQ students is essential ( Greytak & Kosciw, 2010 ; Payne & Smith, 2011 ). Studies show that when LGBTQ youth view school personnel as supportive, they feel safer at school, report less absenteeism, experience less victimization based on their sexual orientation and gender identity, feel like they belong in their school community, and maintain higher grade point averages ( Greytak et al., 2013 ; Kosciw et al., 2020 ; Seelman et al., 2012 ). A critical benchmark for supporting LGBTQ students is intervening when bullying and harassment occurs. National studies over the past five years have exposed the need for further support and training for school personnel on issues of LGBTQ identities. In a recent study, LGBTQ students reported that teachers intervene less often for homophobic remarks compared to racist or sexist remarks ( Kosciw et al., 2018 ; see also Kosciw et al., 2016 ). The lack of effective intervention by school personnel may stem from barriers including fear of backlash, a lack of education about how to support LGBTQ students, and little to no institutional support ( Meyer, 2008 ). A national study ( Greytak et al., 2016 ) from 2016 found that just 26% of teachers said they could support the needs of their LGBT students (e.g. discussing LGBT issues and advocating for inclusive, enumerated policies) without any barriers. The remaining 74% of teachers said they did not participate in supportive actions because of professional pressure from the school community (e.g., lack of administrative support or backlash from parents or community members), personal beliefs (e.g., that addressing LGBT issues is not necessary or appropriate), or practical concerns (e.g., lack of time and limited knowledge about LGBT issues). Some LGBTQ students report even school personnel using homophobic and transphobic language. In a recent national survey of LGBTQ students, a majority (52.4%) reported hearing homophobic remarks from school personnel, while a strong majority (66.7%) have reported hearing negative remarks about gender identity and expression from school personnel ( Kosciw et al., 2020 ). When educators and school administrators fail to intervene in homophobic remarks or make these kinds of remarks themselves, students become normalized to harmful, anti-LGBTQ language and learn that prejudice is acceptable at school. Training demonstrably benefits school personnel. Pre-service and in- service professional development for school personnel on subjects of LGBTQ identities can build empathy, awareness, and self-efficacy, developing actionable supportive behaviors for LGBTQ students ( Greytak & Kosciw, 2010 ; Payne & Smith, 2011 ). For example, professional development that incorporates exposure to LGBT people raises awareness of homophobic bullying and builds teachers’ skills to intervene in homophobic behaviors ( Greytak & Kosciw, 2014 ). LGBTQ-specific training must be distinct. In a national sample of secondary school teachers ( Greytak et al., 2016 ), training on LGBT issues relates to more intervention in response to homophobic remarks, but professional development on bullying and harassment in general was not. Teacher training on LGBT issues positively associates with activities to support LGBT students ( Swanson & Gettinger, 2016 ). Students report less bullying in schools with multiple LGBT-supportive practices in place, including providing LGBT-related professional development and having an LGBT point-person available ( Gower et al., 2017 ). Strategy #3: Student-Led Clubs (GSAs) Student-led, LGBTQ-focused, school-based clubs (often called gay-straight alliances, or gender-sexuality alliances, i.e., GSAs), are organizations composed of students and advisors that operate like other student extracurricular clubs. Through GSAs, LGBTQ students and non- LGBTQ student allies work together to promote social inclusion and foster a positive school climate for LGBTQ and all students on their school campus. In 2018, national data from the CDC’s School Health Profiles reported that 40% of students across the U.S. attend schools with a GSA or similar club ( Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2019 ). GSAs may be involved in a range of activities, including providing a platform for education and safety, leadership development, school-wide advocacy training, interpersonal support, and recreational activities ( Poteat et al., 2019 ). Consistently, participation in GSAs is associated with a range of positive outcomes for students: higher grade point averages ( Walls et al., 2010 ), more school belonging ( Toomey & Russell, 2011 ), feeling safe at school ( Ioverno et al., 2016 ), and better mental health ( Poteat et al., 2019 ). In addition, greater involvement in GSAs is linked to more youth empowerment around social justice issues, increased validation from fellow students, and more hope for the future ( Poteat et al., 2019 ). Regardless of GSA membership, simply having an active GSA at school is linked to a number of benefits for LGBT students ( Kosciw et al., 2020 ; Poteat et al., 2019 ; Walls et al., 2010 ) and heterosexual students ( Poteat et al., 2013 ; Saewyc et al., 2014 ). In a national survey of LGBT high school students, those in schools with GSAs reported less bullying based on sexual orientation or gender identity, less homophobic language, and a greater sense of belonging in their school environment ( Kosciw et al., 2020 ). In the first longitudinal study of LGB youth, having a GSA was associated with decreasing homophobic bullying and increasing feelings of safety one year later ( Ioverno et al., 2016 ). Relatedly, the presence of a GSA in high school can positively predict supportive attitudes towards LGBTQ individuals among college students ( Worthen, 2014 ). Finally, a meta-analysis showed that, across studies, LGBT students with GSAs in their schools are 36% more likely to feel safe and 30% less likely to report homophobic victimization compared to LGBT students in schools without GSAs ( Marx & Kettrey, 2016 ). In addition to improved school experiences, a growing body of research has connected having a GSA at school with better mental health and health behavior for LGBT students, including lower levels of smoking, drinking and drug use, sex with casual partners ( Heck et al., 2014 ; Poteat et al., 2013 ), psychological distress and depressive symptoms ( Poteat et al., 2019 , Toomey et al., 2011 ), suicidal ideation and behavior ( Poteat & Russell, 2013 ; Saewyc et al., 2014 ; Walls et al., 2013 ), and greater self-esteem ( McCormick et al., 2015 ). Strategy #4: Access to LGBTQ-Related Resources and Curricula An effective strategy for creating safe and supportive schools gives all students access to LGBTQ-related resources and LGBTQ-inclusive curricula ( Snapp et al., 2015 ). LGBTQ-related resources refer to information and support services provided in libraries, schools’ websites, or posters on walls in classrooms and hallways. Schools can support the visibility of these resources through in-school assemblies or school-wide announcements or the introduction of LGBTQ-inclusive textbooks and lectures ( Burdge et al., 2013 ; Katz et al., 2016 ). LGBTQ-inclusive curricula integrate topics related to sexual orientation and gender identity within a standard school curriculum (e.g., health education, history, literature, science, or mathematics). Most LGBTQ students in U.S. schools report that their curricula do not access LGBTQ people, history, or events ( Kosciw et al., 2020 ). Moreover, educators often do not know how or where to access LGBTQ-related materials ( Westheimer & Szalacha, 2015 ) or are worried that parents and/or community members may not support inclusive curricula ( Page, 2017 ). As of 2020, only four U.S. states – California, Colorado, New Jersey, and Illinois – mandate the teaching of LGBTQ history curricula. Nevertheless, a recent national survey of LGBTQ students ( Kosciw et al., 2020 ) found that when students know how and where to access appropriate and accurate information regarding LGBTQ people at school, they feel that their schools are safer for themselves and other LGBTQ students. Further, students who say that they have learned about LGBT issues at school report less bullying ( Greytak et al., 2013 ; Snapp et al., 2016 ), more safety ( Toomey et al., 2012 ), less absenteeism ( Greytak et al., 2013 ; Kosciw et al., 2020 ), and less homophobic language and negative remarks based on gender expression in their schools ( Kosciw et al., 2020 ). Inclusive curricula are particularly relevant to adolescent sexual health education, but sexuality education (if offered as school curricula at all) has often been either silent about or irrelevant to LGBTQ people and issues ( Pampati et al., 2020 ). Yet in one state-wide study, teacher sensitivity to LGB issues in HIV education was associated with lower sexual risk-taking in LGB youth ( Blake et al., 2001 ). The identification of “safe spaces” or “safe zones” for LGBT students has emerged in a few studies as a central strategy for promoting positive school climates ( Katz et al., 2016 ). Safe-Zone initiatives aim to promote inclusivity and support by providing voluntary training for school personnel on LGBT issues and providing participants with “safe zone” stickers that they can use to identify spaces (e.g., a classroom or office) where students may feel free to openly discuss topics related to sexual orientation and gender identity ( Ratts et al., 2013 ). The available research on “safe spaces” has shown that such initiatives contribute to greater inclusiveness, safety, and connection at school for LGBT students ( Evans, 2002 ; Katz et al., 2016 ; Kosciw et al., 2020 ). Conclusions and Recommendations In the last decade, strong evidence supports four strategies to create safe and supportive schools for LGBTQ and all students ( NASEM, 2019 , 2020 ). Everyone—students, parents, school personnel, and policy-makers—can suggest, support, and help implement the strategies described here. Table 1 provides specific, actionable recommendations for each strategy, for these key stakeholders. All our students deserve safe schools. Recommendations Many lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ) students experience discrimination or bullying at school; such experiences undermine youth health and achievement. In the last decade, research has identified strategies to promote school safety and wellbeing for LGBTQ and all students. Policies that specifically identify protected groups like LGBTQ students create contexts that are more supportive for LGBTQ and all youth, and are associated with student adjustment and achievement. Professional development on LGBTQ-specific topics prepares educators and other school personnel with tools to support and protect LGBTQ and all students. Access to information and support related to sexual orientation and gender identity or expression (SOGIE), including curricula that is SOGIE-inclusive, provides students with resources and support and promotes an inclusive school climate. Student-led clubs or organizations such as gender-sexuality alliances (i.e., GSAs) improve students’ school experiences and well-being, and contribute to positive school climate. Acknowledgments. This research was supported by a grant from the William T. Grant Foundation and grant, P2CHD042849, Population Research Center, awarded to the Population Research Center at The University of Texas at Austin by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. The authors acknowledge support for Russell from the Priscilla Pond Flawn Endowment at the University of Texas at Austin. 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Advanced Search Search UIC Library Website Find items on the UIC Library website, including research guides, help articles, events and website pages. Search Collections Search Website UIC Library Subject and Course Guides Researching LGBTQIA+ Populations Researching LGBTQIA+ Populations: Home A Note on Language Political Research Historical Research Health Research Thank you for visiting the guide for researching LGBTQIA+ populations. As the title suggests, this guide is meant to support researchers and those working with LGBTQIA+ populations. If you are looking for resources for LGBTQIA+ folks available at UIC, we suggest you take a look at the Gender and Sexuality Cultural Center . There is also a small section at the bottom of this page with links to a few important LGBTQIA+ resources on the UIC campus.  While we strive to keep this guide up to date, we recognize the LGBTQIA+ population is dynamic and changes quickly. If you see anything that needs updating or you know of a resource we might include, please get in touch with either Holly Hudson ([email protected]) or Ben Aldred ([email protected]).  The Ethics of Research with Vulnerable Populations Note: This page was created with the assistance of Boyd Bellinger. We thank him for his expertise. Research with LGBTQIA+ populations requires an elevated standard of care and protection. LGBTQIA+ populations may be exposed to a number of different vulnerabilities in the case of public exposure, including legal, occupational, educational and personal risks depending on location or community. These potential vulnerabilities call for heightened attention to the needs of the population being researched.  Several topics that require heightened attention: Increased need for confidentiality and anonymity Heightened attention to terminology and language in recruitment and description Recognition of intersectional issues with minoritized and indigenous populations Prioritizing safety of minor participants  Linked below are several guides that outline some of the specific population concerns that can guide the researcher in their approach to research with LGBTQIA+ populations. Ethical Research Guide from LGBT Foundation(pdf) The Ethical Research Guide from the LGBT foundation is a good starting point and is designed for both new researchers and experienced researchers. more... less... The guide is designed to comprehensively cover a range of ethical questions that might arise while conducting research, so a contents page has been included overleaf to enable you to quickly locate specific issues. If you don’t have a lot of experience with research ethics, it is recommended that you read the guide in its entirety. Research Ethics with Gender and Sexually Diverse Persons Research Ethics with Gender and Sexually Diverse Persons is aimed at experienced researchers and emerged from the Global Social Work Statement of Ethical Principles. more... less... Henrickson, M., Giwa, S., Hafford-Letchfield, T., Cocker, C., Mule, N. J., Schaub, J., & Baril, A. (2020). Research Ethics with Gender and Sexually Diverse Persons. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(18), 6615-. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17186615 A scoping review of good methodological practices in research involving transgender, non-binary, and two-spirit youth A Scoping Review of Good Methodological Practices in Research Involving Transgender, Non-binary, and Two-spirit Youth explores how some of the relevant principles have been put into practice in research. more... less... Reed, K. J. (2023). A scoping review of good methodological practices in research involving transgender, non-binary, and two-spirit youth. Journal of LGBT Youth, 20(2), 441–462. https://doi.org/10.1080/19361653.2022.2092576 Basic Search Terms Here is a research guide from the Library of Congress . It includes links you can use to browse the Library of Congress catalog for materials associated with gender- and sexuality-related subject headings. Here are some basic search terms to help you start your research on LGBTQIA+ Populations. Please note this is a non-exhaustive list and is not formatted with syntax for any specific database. To learn more about advanced searching techniques, click here Transgender Click here for a 2016 systematic review discussing the state of LGBTQIA+ systematic review search strategies. This article contains an extensive search string of LGBTQIA+ keywords Reference Librarian LGBTQIA+ @ UIC While this guide is geared toward research and researchers, we also wanted to share a few important LGBTQIA+ resources available on the UIC campus. This is in no way a complete list and for more information, we encourage you to visit the Gender and Sexuality Center, linked below Gender and Sexuality Center The UIC Gender and Sexuality Center is one of several cultural centers on the main UIC campus focused on creating inclusive spaces for minoritized individuals. All Gender Restroom Map Map locating all gender restrooms on both the UIC West and East campuses Office for Access and Equity: General Report The Office of Access and Equity is responsible for handling any discrimination, harassment, or sexual misconduct claims as well as other Title IX matters. If you have experienced any of the above, we encourage you to fill out a report Next: A Note on Language >> Last Updated: Aug 27, 2024 8:53 AM URL: https://researchguides.uic.edu/researching_lgbtqia Trans students benefit from gender-inclusive classrooms, research shows – and so do the other students and science itself Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences, Florida International University Disclosure statement Sarah Eddy receives funding from the National Science Foundation. Florida International University provides funding as a member of The Conversation US. View all partners Across the U.S., legislators are debating how and when sex and gender should be discussed in the classroom and beyond. Specifically, these bills are considering whether anything beyond male or female can be included in library books and lesson plans. These bills are part of a larger debate on how to define and regulate sex and gender, and there are no immediate answers that satisfy everyone. Many of the bills draw on science to make claims about sex and gender. For example, Florida House Bill 1069 , which legislates pronoun use in schools, assumes that all of a person’s sex markers – listed as sex chromosomes, “naturally occurring” sex hormones and internal and external genitalia at birth – will align as female or male “based on the organization of the body … for a specific reproductive role.” The bill claims that “a person’s sex is an immutable biological trait and that it is false to ascribe to a person a pronoun that does not correspond to such person’s sex.” Invoking biology is a way to sound objective, but it’s not so simple. Science itself is still grappling with the nature of sex and gender. My co-author Sam Long and I are high school and college science educators who research how to increase student motivation, interest and retention in biology . Our work and that of our colleagues show that teaching sex and gender more accurately in classrooms benefits not only gender-diverse students but all students and the field of science. Science of sex and gender Bills like Florida’s define sex as a binary set of biological traits. But scientists know that sex is far more complicated. In nature, there is a huge diversity in how sexes are arranged within bodies. For example, the sex of some organisms is classified by the size of their gametes, or sperm and eggs. Some species produce both gametes in one body. Some change whether they produce sperm or eggs over their lifetime. Others technically don’t have a sex at all. Sex in humans is actually an amalgamation of many traits , which include the type of gametes a person produces as well as their reproductive tract anatomy, hormone levels and secondary sex characteristics like hair growth and chest shape. These traits are determined not just by a few genes on the X and Y chromosomes but also by a myriad of genes on other chromosomes as well as the developmental environment . When many genes contribute to a trait, it appears as a continuum. The continuum of human sex is illustrated by the experiences of intersex individuals. For nearly two out of every 100 people, a binary definition of sex would not work . People who are intersex don’t have chromosomes, hormones or internal and external genitalia that completely match cultural expectations of what males and females should look like. Under these bills, what pronouns would they be allowed to use? There is no universal scientific rule for pronoun assignment. If sex is not binary, then gender – or personal perceptions of masculinity, femininity, a mix of both, or neither – cannot be either. A 2022 Pew Research Center survey found that roughly 1.6% of U.S. adults describe their gender as not aligned with their sex assigned at birth, which can be captured by the terms transgender or nonbinary. Overall, science does not have a definitive answer for how to define sex and gender in people that lawmakers can draw upon – science only indicates that these traits are nuanced and complex. Limiting teaching on sex and gender affects everyone Bills limiting how sex and gender are taught exacerbate the disproportionate obstacles that transgender students already face. The 2019 National School Climate Survey of over 16,700 students in the U.S., conducted by national education nonprofit Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, or GLSEN, reported that trans teens in schools without gender-inclusive curricula experienced more bullying, a decreased sense of belonging, poor academic performance and low psychological well-being. Restrictive bills also discourage LGBT students from studying science. The 2013 GLSEN Network National School Climate Survey found that LGBT teens were less interested in majoring in STEM and the social sciences when the high school classes they took in those fields were not taught with inclusive curricula. I and my colleagues found similar downstream effects on college students : Trans and nonbinary students reported feeling isolated and uncomfortable in biology courses that teach sex and gender only as a binary. They felt they couldn’t form relationships with their teachers or peers, and this lack of a supportive personal network prevented them from requesting letters of recommendation or getting involved in research. Some dropped out of STEM, and many others contemplated it. Limiting gender-inclusive curricula in schools can ultimately have negative effects on all students. Children begin developing and testing their understanding of sex and gender starting as young as 2 years old. Erasing gender diversity even in elementary schools reinforces inaccurate conceptions of sex and gender that can last a lifetime. For example, a 2018 study of 132 college students found that those who read a paper emphasizing binary sex and typical gender roles exhibited increased prejudice against transgender people . A 2019 study of 460 eighth through 10th grade students found that those taught an oversimplified and inaccurate definition of sex – as defined by sex chromosomes – had increased beliefs about the genetic basis of sex and in stereotypes about men and women , including unchangeable sex differences in intelligence and scientific ability. These studies suggest that teaching oversimplified narratives about sex and gender influences not only how students conceive sex and gender but also beliefs about their own and others’ abilities. The trans and nonbinary college biology students we interviewed suggest there is another long-term harm of oversimplifying sex and gender: lack of preparation for a future career in science or medicine. An oversimplified understanding of sex and gender does not train students to work with the diverse patients and clients they might encounter, and it can worsen health disparities for trans people. Lack of exposure to a broader range of sex and gender roles also limits potential scientific discoveries. Being taught only binary sex and genders biases the research questions scientists consider and the way they interpret their findings. The study of birdsong offers one example of how this bias can influence research. A common stereotype is that male birds are more competitive than female birds. Because competition occurs partially through song, researchers studied birdsong only in males for a long time. Some scientists recently challenged these beliefs about sex roles by finding that females sing in about 64% of songbird species , opening doors to greater understanding of the function of birdsong. What educators and scientists can do When science is being misrepresented to justify oversimplified ideas about sex and gender in schools, scientists and science educators have an important role to play. Sharing perspectives about gender diversity with school boards and elected officials can make a difference. Bringing conversations about sex and gender into the classroom can help all students feel seen and reduce gender stereotypes. Through his work with educators, my co-author, Sam Long, knows it can be intimidating to get into these conversations, but they do not have to be fights about who is right or wrong. Encouraging curiosity about human variation and questioning the portrayal of any trait as pathological simply because it is different or uncommon can help students think critically about sex and gender in respectful ways. Disability advocates offer an inclusive approach that focuses on changing the environment to fit the person rather than changing the person to fit the environment. Physical and mental variations do not inherently reduce a person’s ability to thrive; instead, it is environmental and culture barriers that are limiting or disabling. Educators can pose questions that encourage students to explore this idea. For example, red hair is as rare as intersex traits. Of the two, why are only intersex traits often framed as a disorder? Likewise, human height varies across people. How are buildings, products and services designed to accommodate a spectrum of heights? Why haven’t other physical variations been accommodated in the same way? Initiatives like Gender-Inclusive Biology , Project Biodiversity , and Welcoming Schools offer additional resources to help adapt the curriculum to acknowledge and celebrate variation in the living world. My co-author Sam is a founding member of Gender-Inclusive Biology. Encouraging students to think critically about the complexity of sex and gender will encourage everyone to pursue their passions regardless of gender stereotypes, promote creative thinking in science and medicine and support trans students. In this way, teaching about sex and gender complexity can benefit everyone. Gender stereotypes Science education Transgender Gender bias Gender diversity STEM education Inclusive classrooms Sex chromosomes Anti-trans legislation Trans youth Don't say gay bill Director of STEM Community member - Training Delivery and Development Committee (Volunteer part-time) Chief Executive Officer Finance Business Partner Head of Evidence to Action 192 IMAGES LGBTQIA+ Students LGBTQ+ experiences survey LGBTQ+ Resources Elevating the LGBTQ presence in science and research College students' attitudes toward LGBT individuals Explore 299+ LGBT Essay Topics For Your Next Research Paper VIDEO LGBTQ ( Questioning ) ? LGBTQ+ "Pastor" Asks TOUGH Question: Brilliant Answer! (Voddie Baucham) LGBTQ ( Asexual ) ? LGBTQ + ask this question LGBTQ Woman Asks TOUGH Question: Important Response public school money 💵 spent on private schools through voucher programs #shorts #lgbtq COMMENTS A qualitative investigation of LGBTQ+ young people's experiences and A semi-structured schedule was employed to address the research questions, which focussed on LGBTQ+ young people's experiences and perceptions of self-managing their mental health, what they perceived to stop or help them to self-manage and any perceived challenges to self-management specifically relating to being LGBTQ+ . LGBTQ Student Experiences in Schools from 2009-2019: A Systematic Washington, K. (in press). LGBTQ student experiences in schools from 2009-2019: A systematic review of study characteristics and recommendations for prevention and intervention Social support in schools and related outcomes for LGBTQ youth: a As research is robust, indicating the disproportionate stress that LGBTQ youth experience [ 122 ], this review is imperative to systematically explore the systems of social support for LGBTQ youth. This study seeks to respond to the following question: How does social support in elementary and secondary education relate to outcomes for LGBTQ youth? PDF Understanding the Experiences of LGBTQ Students in California Transgender and bisexual high school students were more likely than students of other gender identities and sexual orientations to experience chronic sadness and to contemplate suicide. The biggest disparities between LGBTQ subgroups are evident in the data on students' experiences of physical harassment and bullying. LGBTQ bullying: a qualitative investigation of student and school Researchers and practitioners have recently called for greater involvement of school health professionals (SHPs; e.g., school psychologists, nurses, guidance counselors) in interventions to identify and address bullying of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, ... (PDF) LGBTQ+ Students' Perspectives on Their Secondary School This study investigated how college-aged LGBTQ+ young adults recalled their secondary school experiences and aimed to address this issue: What strategies can educators use to better engage and ... 20 Years of Data Shows What Works for LGBTQ Students 20 Years of Data Shows What Works for LGBTQ Students. Leaning on decades of research, the director of GLSEN's Research Institute says schools should prioritize four key areas when supporting LGBTQ students. Twenty years ago, students weren't bullied or harassed in schools because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. At least ... (PDF) The Inclusion of LGBTQI+ students across education systems: An Abstract. Students who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex or somewhere else on the gender/sexuality spectrum (LGBTQI+) are among the diverse student groups in need of ... Social support in schools and related outcomes for LGBTQ youth: a Recent research has increasingly focused on positive factors and supports for LGBTQ youth. This scoping review explores existing social support for LGBTQ youth in schools through the Ecological Systems Theory to respond to the following four objectives: (1) define social support systems in schools, (2) identify current research on outcomes for LGBTQ youth, (3) identify barriers to support ... Exploring the intersections of LGBTQ experience and social work The issues present in this research mirror challenges that have been identified about queer and trans students' experiences within social work education: the centering of straight and cisgender students in education-related research is parallel to them being centered in the classroom and thus marginalizing LGBTQ students. Full article: Diversity and inclusion strategies for LGBTQ + students This scoping review was guided by the research question, what strategies do diversity and inclusion staff employ to support LGBTQ + students from diverse ethnic backgrounds in HEIs? LGBTQI+ Youth and Mental Health: A Systematic Review of ... Due to increased levels of stigma, discrimination and victimization Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning or Intersex (LGBTQI+) youth face particular challenges in society. With the intention of better understanding the challenges and issues that LGBTQI+ youth are experiencing, this systematic review explored qualitative studies with a focus on mental health services and the ... LGBTQ Issues in Education: Advancing a Research Agenda on JSTOR In an increasingly diverse society, educators and policy makers face the challenge of fostering educational environments that are inclusive and welcoming to all students and teachers. Schools and teachers must consider whether the educational context facilitates learning for all youth, including those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, queer (LGBTQ), or questioning their sexual ... Research paper Are we all doing it? Addressing LGBTQIA+ topics in In this study, we were interested in the self-efficacy of teacher educators in working with LGBTQ IA+students, teaching about LGBTQ historical and contemporary figures and events, and helping reduce pre-service teachers' biases and prejudices against LGBTQIA+ individuals. LGBTQ+ Research: Ethics, Methods, and Experiences in the Field Abstract. This entry will discuss the history of research ethics as they apply to LGBTQ research, the debate concerning whether or not LGBTQ individuals should be considered a 'vulnerable population', methods of best practice for conducting ethically sound, inclusive LGBTQ research, and the ethics of selecting research topics concerning LGBTQ populations and experiences. Advances in Research with LGBTQ Youth in Schools Over the past decade, there has been an increase in scholarship devoted to the topic of sexual and gender minority youth in schools (e.g., lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning; LGBTQ). This research has highlighted encouraging improvements in the school-based experiences for some LGBTQ youth, such as the growth of Gay ... LGBTQ Issues in Education This briefing focused on several of the critical areas that were addressed in the AERA report, LGBTQ Issues in Education: Advancing a Research Agenda, including bullying and k-12 students; student achievement and educational attainment; challenges conducting research; and recommendations for further research. Studying LGBT+ Lived Experiences Studying LGBT+ Lived Experiences. Data Collection Impact & Society. Jun 5, 2023. by Janet Salmons, Ph.D., Research Community Manager for Methodspace. In this post, find a multidisciplinary collection of studies conducted to understand some aspect of LGBTQ+ people's lives and their communities. In a previous Methodspace post, find articles ... Race and LGBTQ Issues in K-12 Schools We asked public K-12 teachers, teens and U.S. adults how they see topics related to race and LGBTQ issues playing out in the classroom. LGBTQIA Studies : Research and topic suggestions Article Databases Scholarly and nonscholarly articles on LGBTQ topics can be found in the following sources (accessible to current Northeastern affiliates) 256 LGBTQ+ Research Topics & Paper Ideas 256 LGBTQ+ research paper topics talk about the diverse issues, history, rights, and societal impacts related to the community. Promoting School Safety for LGBTQ and All Students Research-based strategies promote safety for LGBTQ and all students: 1) Explicit anti-bullying policies; 2) Teacher professional development; 3) Gender-Sexuality Alliances; 4) Inclusive curricula & spaces. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) students often experience negative school environments, where they are ... Home Here is a research guide from the Library of Congress. It includes links you can use to browse the Library of Congress catalog for materials associated with gender- and sexuality-related subject headings. Here are some basic search terms to help you start your research on LGBTQIA+ Populations. (PDF) exploring-challenges-and-problems-faced-by-lgbt-students-in Learn about the challenges and problems faced by LGBT students in the Philippines, a gay-friendly country, from this research paper. Trans students benefit from gender-inclusive classrooms, research shows My co-author Sam Long and I are high school and college science educators who research how to increase student ... limits discussion of LGBTQ topics in K-12 schools and allows teachers to ... essay homework paper phd project resume review speech thesis