As an organization, we care deeply about our students who are at-risk. Personally, Sarah and I both worry about our LGBTQ+ students and the amount of difficulties that they are navigating in their daily lives. When we learned about the staggering statistics regarding bullying, threats of violence, and attempts at suicide among this group of students, we knew we had to help our educators to better support our LGBTQ+ students. So we were honored and extremely happy to be able to present at the IU1’s common professional development day on resources for educators based on the needs of our LGBTQ+ students.
Our LGBTQ+ students deal with some of the most intense pressures and feelings of being outsiders. According to a survey of over 28,000 LGBTQ+ youth in the United States, two out of three young LGBTQ+ people shared that simply “hearing about potential state or local laws banning people from discussing LGBTQ people at school made their mental health a lot worse.” When I was a teenager, there was no topic that was discussed politically that impacted my daily mental health. Our LGBTQ+ students are not only dealing with average teenage difficulties, they are also dealing with political issues, family rejection, stigma, bullying, and threats of violence on a regular basis. This places them at the some of highest risk of suicide of all of our students.
According to the CDC, 46.8% of LGBTQ+ teens report having “seriously considered suicide in the past year.” That is more than two and a half times the rate of U.S. teens in general. This also leads to higher rates of substance abuse, as these teens seek to self-medicate their mental health needs. It is imperative that we let our students know that they are seen, they belong, and they are cared for in our schools. In fact, 54% of LGBTQ+ teens reported that school is an affirming space for them–we can get that number higher! Simply acknowledging LGBTQ+ people and topics in our learning environments creates a higher sense of belonging for these at-risk students.
Sadly, I have lost students and family members to overdoses, suicide, and acts of violence. The heartache that we feel as educators when we lose a student is terrible and that doesn’t even compare to what their families and friends have to go through. I know that we cannot solve all the problems of the world, but if we can prevent students from feeling alone and hopeless, if we can acknowledge their presence and offer kindness, cover LGBTQ+ topics in our classes, and identify LGBTQ+ role models for our students, then we can help create a better sense of belonging for our students.
If you would like to learn more about this workshop, “Creating a Sense of Belonging for LGBTQ+ Students,” please reach out to us.
Strategies to Create a Stronger Sense of Belonging for LGBTQ+ Students
- Write and share a statement of inclusivity for your classroom or school
- Commit to learning more about this community of students
- Sponsor or support a Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) club
- Incorporate LGBTQ+ representation in your curriculum
- Regularly check-in with your LGBTQ+ students–make sure they have support outside of the classroom