School Pride

June is Pride Month, a time to celebrate and honor our nation’s LGBTQI+ community and commemorate the anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall Uprising, while also assuring that our schools are places where all students are protected and empowered. Educators, students, families, and communities of all races, genders, and orientations are uniting to demand safe and affirming schools where all students can grow, learn, and thrive.

What Is Pride Month?

During the month of June, the LGBTQI+ community celebrates Pride Month to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in New York City, which was a tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement in the United States. On June 28, 1969, New York City police officers raided a Greenwich Village tavern called the Stonewall Inn, which was well known for its support of the LGBTQI+ community. The resulting clash continued for six days as protesters made it emphatically clear that the LGBTQI+ community was ready to fight for their right to exist and live openly without fear of violence or arrest.

One year later, in June 1970, the anniversary of the riots was honored with the first organized Gay Pride Week and Parade, which evolved into the Pride March that continues to this day throughout the entire country and world. Although it takes place in June, Pride Month can be a reminder for schools to show their year-long support for LGBTQI+ students, families, and staff through a variety of policies and programs that promote inclusion to celebrate our differences, rather than divide us because of them.

Risk To LGBTQI+ Students

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), LGTBQI+ youth are at greater risk for poor mental health and violence than their non-LGBTQI+ peers. Many LGTBQI+ students face social stigma that can take many forms, such as discrimination, harassment, family and/or social rejection, or violence. These experiences can put their health at risk.

Mental Health

Poor mental health is reported far more often by LGBTQI+ youth.

• In 2021, 69% of LGBTQI+ youth reported feeling persistently sad and hopeless. For heterosexual youth, that figure was 35%.
• During the COVID pandemic, LGBTQI+ youth were almost four times as likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers.
• Although exasperated by the pandemic, these disparities have been persistent over time.

Experiences With Violence

LGBTQI+ high school students experience violence more often than their heterosexual peers, both at school and home.

• LGBTQI+ youth consistently report higher rates of bullying, being threatened or injured.
• LGBTQI+ students are also more likely to miss school because of safety concerns.
• During the pandemic, 20% of LGBTQI+ students reported that they had been physically abused by a parent or other adult at home. For heterosexual students, that figure was 10%.

School Support

It’s no surprise that LGBTQI+ students feel less connected at school. Research shows that when students feel connected to a supportive school environment and community, they do better socially, emotionally, and academically.

By implementing LGBTQI+ – supportive policies and practices, all students experience less:

• Emotional distress
• Violence and harassment
• Suicidal behaviors

Three Ways Districts Can Support LGBTQI+ Students

Creating a safe and inclusive environment for LGBTQI+ students is crucial for their well-being and academic success. Below we explore three impactful ways that districts can support LGBTQI+ students. By establishing gender and sexuality alliances, providing professional development and training for school staff, and implementing anti-harassment policies, districts can foster inclusivity and create a welcoming space for all students.

1. Establishing Gender and Sexuality Alliances (GSAs)

According to the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), GSAs are trailblazing the work needed to create more safe and inclusive school communities for all students.

2. Conducting professional development and training on inclusivity for school staff

Although professional development and training delivered to school staff members may come in many forms, an effective program should address fundamental knowledge about:

• concepts of sexual orientation and gender identity, including appropriate language
• effects of the school environment on the health of LGBTQI+ youth
• supportive school policies and practices
• unique needs of transgender and gender diverse students

3. Implementing anti-harassment policies

Fostering a sense of worthiness and belonging is essential to putting all students on a path to success. To create safe and affirming learning environments, school districts can:

• Implement clear, consistent, and comprehensive non-discrimination policies that protect students’ sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, as well as race, religion, etc.
• Assess, monitor, and strengthen school climate on a regular basis.
• Ensure that anti-bullying and harassment policies include protections and support not only for LGBTQI+ students, but also for transgender and gender nonconforming students, who face even more hostile school climates than other students in the LGBTQI+ community.
• Assess, monitor, and strengthen school climate on a regular basis.

School districts that are openly supportive of LGBTQI+ youth are critical to ensuring safe and affirming schools for all students. For many students, having supportive adult allies in school creates a more welcoming and safe learning environment. Celebrating Pride Month need not occur only at the end of the academic year, but should be cause for teaching respect, increasing knowledge, and building prosperous school communities each and every day.

Disclaimer: State laws and school policies related to sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender affirmation vary widely. Before implementing new policies or practices, please review your state laws and reach out to district administration/representative with questions or concerns.