Gonzaga University Repository

A brief overview of issues queer students face in American public schools, for the purpose of the Out to Lunch with Allies presentation series from the Gonzaga Lincoln Center

Henning, Hope Philea

Queer Students:
Issues in public
Schools 
Presented by Hope Henning
Original presentation created with Lindsay Craft
Word Cloud
What words do
you associate with
the experiences of
LGBTQ+ students?
Definitions: Thinking about queerness
Think, Pair, Share 
Dictionary. com
Noting or relating to a sexual orientation
or  gender identity that falls outside the
heterosexual mainstream or the gender
binary.
Planned Parenthood
“Queer” is sometimes used to express
that sexuality and gender can be
complicated, change over time, and
might not fit neatly into either/or
identities, like male or female, gay or
straight. 
What do you think the
proportion of LGBTQ+
students is on Gonzaga’s
campus?
What are
the policies
where we
are?
State, federal,
local, and school
board legislative
issues
Legislative 
Harm
Physical 
Harm
Mental 
Health
Bullying,
Cyberbulling,
Violence,
Harrassment
Emotional harm,
substance abuse,  
mental illness
Issues
What are the biggest issues facing queer students?
Lesiglation and
Policy:
A National Emergency
DISCUSS AND SHARE
How many anti-LGBTQ+
laws targeting schools
are being voted on in this
legislative session?
Do you know of any anti-
LGBTQ+ laws targeting
schools?
“Mapping
Attacks on
LGBT rights”
ACLU
Emerging anti-LGBTQ
Legislation
Goals of anti-LGBTQ+ Lawmakers:
-Prevent trans students from
participating in school activities like
sports
-Force teachers to out students
-Censor any in-school discussions of
LGBTQ+ people and issues.
80 anti-LGBTQ+ Bills passed in 2023
Legislative Session: Bathroom Bills, Sports
Bans, Forced Outing, Don’t Say LGBTQ+”
Human Rights
Campaign 2023
LGBT+ Youth
Report
Don’t Say Gay: Four Steps
to Understanding
26 bills in over 14 states introduced
Restriction1.  on LGBTQ+ discussions: "Don't say gay" laws restrict
or prohibit teachers from discussing LGBTQ+ topics, identities, or
relationships in the classroom.
Stigmatization of LGBTQ+ students: These laws can contribute
to the stigmatization and marginalization of LGBTQ+ students by
making it difficult for them to seek support and information
about their identities.
2.
Legal consequences for educators: Teachers may face legal
consequences, including job termination or fines, for violating
these laws by discussing LGBTQ+ issues in a positive or inclusive
manner.
3.
Controversy and legal challenges: "Don't say gay" laws have
sparked controversy and legal challenges, with critics arguing
that they infringe upon free speech and LGBTQ+ rights, while
supporters often claim they protect traditional family values.
4.

The impact of anti-LGBTQ+ legislative
attacks
Students can't absorb
or store information if
they don't feel safe,
known, and cared for
within their schools.
Real Impacts of anti-LGBTQ+
Laws:
-Physical threats
-Mental health worsening
-Safety concerns leading to some
to relocate themselves and their
family to more inclusive policy
environments. 
-Deteriorating learning conditions
Students and anti-LGBTQ+ Impacts
LGBTQ+ youth who
attend schools with
inclusive curriculum that
discusses sexual
orientation/gender
identity feel safer, are
safer, and do better in
school
School Bullying and Harassment 
by Inclusive Curriculum Status 
anti-LGBTQ+ Legislation  Impacts
Future Education 
and Employment Aspirations, by
Inclusive Curriculum Status
2 in 3 LGBTQ+ young
people reported their
mental health was a lot
worse as a result of just
hearing laws banning
people from discussing
LGBTQ+ people at school
1 in 3 said their mental
health was poor most or
all of the time, as a result
of anti-LGBTQ+
legislation.
‘I’m not going back in
the closet’
Jennifer Solomon’s
Story: 
“it keeps me up at night”
Mom of Nicolette and 11 year old
cooper both identify as LGBT+ and 
active member of PFLAG, and LGBT
family groups
“Parental rights? Whose
parental rights? Only
parental rights if you’re
raising a child according
to DeSantis?”
“DeSantis tries to paint this
picture that every family is this
1950s mom and dad with two
kids and a cat and dog. That is
not what Florida looks like; that
is not what the country looks
like.”
PHYSICAL
HARM
Bullying
32 states do not currently have any legislation preventing the bullying of
lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning students. 
Lesbian, gay, and bisexual students are 2-3x as likely to be bullied, more
likely to miss school, and almost 5x as likely to attempt suicide—the number
is even higher for trans students.
Bullied lesbian, gay, and bisexual students reported higher levels of substance
abuse and risky behaviors than heterosexual students who were bullied.
On school property:
Nationwide, 20.2% of all students,
18.8% of heterosexual students
34.2% of gay, lesbian, and bisexual students
24.9% of not sure students

Cyberbullying
Electronic bullying nationwide:
15.5% of all students
14.2% of heterosexual students
28.0% of gay, lesbian, and bisexual students
22.5% of not sure students 
These figures include being bullied through 
e-mail, chat rooms, instant messaging, websites, 
or texting.
Suicide
Made a suicide plan 
Gay, lesbian, and bisexual students: 38.2%
Heterosexual students: 11.9%
Not sure students: 27.9%
Attempted suicide
Gay, lesbian, and bisexual students: 29.4% 
Heterosexual students: 6.4%
Not sure students: 13.7%
Sexual Assault/Harrassment
CDC: “Physically forced to have sexual intercourse when they did not want to”
Nationwide, 6.7% of all students
5.4% of heterosexual students
17.8% of gay, lesbian, and bisexual students
12.6% of not sure students
Female students: lesbian and bisexual students (21.1%) vs. heterosexual students
(8.8%) and not sure students (9.8%). 
Male students: gay and bisexual students (8.0%) vs. not sure students (13.5%) and
heterosexual students (2.5%). 
About 1/5 of students reported verbal harassment based on gender expression
(21.9%) or actual or perceived sexual orientation (19.4%). 
Facts & Statistics: Washington
2018 Healthy Youth Survey for
Washington State
In Spokane County, 41.3% of gay,
lesbian or bisexual 10th graders said
they had been bullied at some point in
the past 30 days. Only 18.7% of
straight students said they had been
bullied. 
In King County, 24.8% of gay, lesbian
or bisexual 10th graders reported
being bullied. For straight students the
number was 13.84%.
DISCUSS AND SHARE
What factors do you
think impact LGBTQ+
mental health?
How do the mental health
experiences of LGBTQ+
students differ from cis/
heterosexual students? 
Mental
Health
safety & 
discrimination 46.1% of LGBTQ+ students and over50% of transgender students feel
unsafe in at least one school setting.
(Human Rights Campaign 2023
LGBTQ Youth Report).
Students reported feeling somewhat
more safe in school in 2015 than in
2005; however, they were more
likely to miss school because of
feeling unsafe in 2015 than those in
2005.
depression:
“sad or
helpless”
29.9% of all students
26.4% of heterosexual students
60.4% of gay, lesbian, and bisexual
students
46.5% of questioning/not sure
students nationwide...
 
...Felt so sad or helpless almost every
day for 2 or more weeks in a row that
they stopped doing some usual
activities. 
Prevalence was higher among gay,
lesbian, and bisexual students (60.4%)
than heterosexual students (26.4%)
and not sure students (46.5%).
learning harm: Absences
Nationwide, 5.6% of all students; 4.6% of heterosexual students; 12.5% of gay,
lesbian, and bisexual students; and 10.8% of not sure students had not gone to school
on at least 1 day during the 30 days before the survey because they felt they would
be unsafe at school or on their way to or from school (i.e., did not go to school
because of safety concerns). The prevalence of not having gone to school because
of safety concerns was higher among gay, lesbian, and bisexual students (12.5%) and
not sure students (10.8%) than heterosexual students (4.6%).
Recent research finds the majority of
teachers want to help LGBTQ+ students but
don’t always know how.
Teachers were less comfortable intervening with
bullying due to sexual orientation and gender
identity than with bullying based on race, ability,
and religion. 
83% of educators felt that they should provide a
safe environment for their LGBTQ students
Only half had taken action to do so, according to
the GLSEN.
Lack of professional development
Politicization and polarization
Administrative reluctance
Students Taught LGBTQ+
Curriculum
and the teachers that don’t want to help....
Examples of discrimination based on sexual
orientation, gender identity, or gender expression
could include:
Repeatedly misgendering a nonbinary student
after being told their pronouns.
Not investigating and addressing verbal
reports of homophobic slurs being directed at
a student.
Requiring a transgender boy to use the single-
stall restroom in the nurse’s office instead of
the multi-stall boys’ restroom.
Refusing to allow a girl to compete on a girls’
athletic team because she is transgender.
Not allowing a same-sex couple to attend
prom together.
One quarter (25.5%) of students reported hearing
school staff make negative remarks related to
students’ gender expression. 
Approximately one-fifth of students reported
hearing school staff make negative remarks
about students’ academic ability (22.5%) and
sexist remarks (20.6%). 
• Students also reported hearing school staff
make homophobic remarks (15.3%), racist
remarks (14.4%), negative remarks about religion
(14.1%), and negative remarks about transgender
people (12.6%).
In 2015, students were less likely to report that
school staff intervened in homophobic remarks
and sexist remarks than in 2005.
GLSEN, 2016 Teasing to Torment
how easy is it to
access
resources and
get help?
In Conclusion... 
LGBTQ+ students’ educational experience is
inherently more difficult.
Teachers, administrators, and schools
should work to make a supportive
community for all students, especially in a
time when LGBTQ+ rights are under attack
nationally and globally.
Small shows of support can make a world of
difference for students!
SOURCES
https://www.inlander.com/news/researchers-find-lgbtq-students-harassed-at-higher-rate-in-counties-that-
voted-for-trump-22067850
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/ss/pdfs/ss6509.pdf
https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/book-bans-dont-say-gay-bill-lgbtq-kids-feel-erased-classroom-
rcna15819
https://www.glsen.org/sites/default/files/2021-01/Washington-Snapshot-2019.pdf
https://reports.hrc.org/2023-lgbtq-youth-report?_ga=2.190035309.733345877.1699381979-
458759361.1699381979#lgbtq-youth-at-school
https://www.hrc.org/campaigns/national-state-of-emergency-for-lgbtq-americans?
_ga=2.172180387.1601827743.1699495652-458759361.1699381979
https://hrc-prod-requests.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Anti-LGBTQ-Legislation-Impact-Report.pdf
https://www.aclu.org/legislative-attacks-on-lgbtq-rights?impact=school&state=WA
https://www.edutopia.org/article/schools-struggle-support-lgbtq-
students/#:~:text=Lesbian%2C%20gay%2C%20and%20bisexual%20students,students%20by%20the%20Centers%2
0for
https://www.glsen.org/sites/default/files/201912/From_Teasing_to_Tormet_Revised_2016.pdf
https://ospi.k12.wa.us/policy-funding/equity-and-civil-rights/resources-school-districts-civil-rights-washington-
schools/gender-inclusive-schools
https://www.hrw.org/report/2016/12/07/walking-through-hailstorm/discrimination-against-lgbt-youth-us-
schools



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Queer Students: Issues in Public Schools

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