Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender & Questioning Teens
Tucson Arizona

Making Schools Safe For Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, & Questioning Students & Staff
by Warren J. Blumenfeld

1. Assessment: Hold public hearings, and/or conduct interviews, or distribute research surveys in your school, community, and/or your state to access the needs, concerns, and life experiences of LGBTQ youth, their families, and school staff.


2. Policies:
   1. Schools are encouraged to develop policies protecting LGBTQ students from harassment, violence, and discrimination.
   2. Include "Sexual & Gender Identity" as protected categories in your anti-discrimination policies.
   3. Extend "Domestic Partnership" benefits to LGBT employees on par with heterosexual employees.
   
   
3. Personnel Trainings:
   
   1. Schools are encouraged to offer training to school personnel in violence prevention, suicide prevention, and specifically to the needs and problems faced by LGBTQ youth.
   2. Implement and participate in a "Safe Space" program in your school.
   
   
4. Support Groups: Schools and communities are encouraged to offer school- and community-based support groups for LGBTQ and heterosexual youth. ("Gay/Straight Alliances").


5. Counseling: Schools and communities are encouraged to provide affirming school- and community-based counseling for LGBTQ youth and their families.


6. Information in School Libraries: School and community libraries are encouraged to develop and maintain an up-to-date collection of books, videos, journals, magazines, posters, internet websites, and other information on LGBTQ issues.


7. Curriculum & School Programs: Schools are encouraged to include accurate, honest, up-to-date, and age-appropriate information on LGBTQ issues at every grade level, across the curriculum, and in other school programs and assemblies. Include LGBTQ issues in your school newspapers.


8. Adult Role Models: Schools are encouraged to recruit "out" LGBTQ faculty and staff to serve as supportive role models for all youth.


9. Teacher Certification: Include information and trainings on LGBTQ youth issues in college and university teacher education programs.


10. Be An Ally:
    1. Educate yourself to the needs and experiences of LGBTQ youth and their families.
    2. Attend LGBTQ cultural and community events.
    3. Wear pro-LGBTQ buttons and T-shirts, and display posters.
    4. Interrupt homophobic jokes and epithets.
    5. Be aware of the generalizations you make. Assume there are LGBTQ people at your school.
    6. Notice the times you disclose your heterosexuality.
    7. Monitor politicians, the media, and organizations to ensure accurate coverage of LGBTQ issues.
    8. Work and vote for candidates (including school board members) taking pro- LGBTQ stands.
    9. Use inclusive, affirming, or gender-neutral language when referring to sexuality and human relationships in every-day speech, on written forms, etc. Say the words "lesbian," "gay," "bisexual," "transgender" each day in a positive way.

Last updated December 31, 2005

GLBT Teen Home Page

Previous Page