# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
GLSEN's National GSA Leadership Coalition

Join the National GSA Leadership Coalition and receive an invitation to our monthly meetings where we will bring in guest speakers, share best practices, Q&A, and many ways to build and sustain your GSA.

Register to receive special meeting invitations and resources for GSA building.

*All students are invited to join this program for their own personal leadership development whether you are the president of your GSA or thinking of starting one.

Research indicates that GSAs (Gender and Sexuality Alliances) improve school climate, individual well-being and educational outcomes for LGBTQ youth. Participation in GSAs is related to stronger school connectedness and improved academic achievement for LGBTQ youth, and regardless of whether LGBTQ students themselves participate in their school's GSA, just having a GSA in their school can create a more positive school climate for LGBTQ students.

When you register we will send you:

monthly updates,

free GSA & school resources,

invitations to local youth summits,

and opportunities to get free swag.

Webinars to Support GSAs - For Students and Advisors

Transhood: Culture Close Up on HBO Max with Sr Youth Programs Manager a.t. furuya (they/them/theirs).

In Oct 2020 GLSEN and the NEA (National Education Association) held a virtual GSA Advisors Summit. These webinars cover topics for elementary, middle, and high school GSAs such as starting a virtual GSA, activities for virtual GSA meetings, organizing platforms, discussions on supporting Black LGBTQ+ students, and supporting LGBTQ+ students during the pandemic. Click here to view and download the PowerPoints for presenters.

2020 GSA Summit: High School Panel and Discussion

2020 GSA Summit: LGBTQ and Black Lives Matter/Organizing Virtual Events (Day of Action)

GLSEN + Hulu Q&A with the cast and writer of Love, Victor

How to Organize a Virtual Rainbow Graduation

Q&A with the Cast and Writer/Director of The Half of It

For Student GSA Leaders: Creating Safe Virtual Spaces for LGBTQ Students

For Educators & GSA Advisors: Creating Safe Virtual Spaces for GSA Meetings

Register to receive free GSA & school resources.

Join a national movement creating inclusive schools for all.

Webinars to Support Day of Silence - For Students and Advisors

For Student GSA Leaders: Organizing Day of Silence and Breaking the Silence

For Educators & GSA Advisors: Organizing Day of Silence and Breaking the Silence

GSA Activities and Ice Breakers

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
GLSEN's National GSA Leadership Coalition Join the National GSA Leadership Coalition and receive an invitation to our monthly meetings where we will bring in guest speakers, share best practices, Q&A, and many ways to build and sustain your GSA. Register to receive special meeting invitations and resources for GSA building.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
From December 1993 through September 2011, the U.S. military allowed gay and lesbian service members to serve in the armed forces as long as they didn't disclose their sexual orientation.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
GLSEN research shows that LGBTQ students who attend schools with curriculum that is inclusive of LGBTQ people, history, and events experience a better school climate and improved academic outcomes.

Curriculum serves as a mirror when it reflects individuals and their experiences back to themselves. At the same time, curriculum serves as a window when it introduces and provides the opportunity to understand the experiences and perspectives of those who possess different identities. An inclusive curriculum should be balanced and include diverse windows and mirrors for every student.

Having LGBTQ-inclusive mirrors and windows in school curriculum can help create a more positive environment and healthy self-awareness for LGBTQ students, while raising the awareness of everyone.

All teachers can use our Inclusive Curriculum Guide to reflect on your existing curriculum and find places to increase your LGBTQ+ representation.

Order a copy of Reading the Rainbow: LGBTQ-Inclusive Literacy in the Elementary Classroom to see how other teachers have successfully implemented LGBTQ+ issues into their curriculum.

Looking for LGBTQ+ books for your classroom? We recommend these lists:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
GLSEN research shows that LGBTQ students who attend schools with curriculum that is inclusive of LGBTQ people, history, and events experience a better school climate and improved academic outcomes. Curriculum serves as a mirror when it reflects individuals and their experiences back to themselves.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
OUT MetroWest: Enriching lives. Building community.

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.bagly.org/welcome

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
LGBTQIA+ Support Groups | The Stonewall Center

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
UMass Students * Five College Students * Youth * Parents * Trans * Women * Men * Alcoholics

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Fenway Health: Health Care Is A Right, Not A Privilege.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The mission of Fenway Health is to enhance the wellbeing of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and all people in our neighborhoods and beyond through access to the highest quality health care, education, research and advocacy.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The mission of Fenway Health is to enhance the wellbeing of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and all people in our neighborhoods and beyond through access to the highest quality health care, education, research and advocacy.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Register for All Children - All Families' free online learning offerings, and subscribe to our monthly e-newsletter delivering the latest best practice tips for LGBTQ inclusion to your inbox every month!

Select one of the links below to jump to the resource(s) you're looking for:

Perspectives of Youth Adopted from Foster Care by Lesbian and Gay Parents, AdoptUSKids, 2012
This longitudinal study focuses on the personal perspectives of 40+ children and youth adopted by lesbian and gay parents. The youth discuss their feelings about being placed with lesbian or gay parents, their experiences with social workers, interactions with friends, and more.

Barriers & Success Factors in Adoption from Foster Care: Perspectives of Lesbian and Gay Families, AdoptUSKids, 2010
This executive summary of research findings from AdoptUSKids and University of Texas at Austin focuses on the experiences of lesbian and gay parents during the adoption process, including their interactions with adoption agencies, the home study application, and the impact of negative stereotypes.

All Children - All Families offers best practice guidance and model policies in the following areas:

Working with LGBT Families in Adoption, Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2011
This 11-page resource from CWIG provides much of the basic information child welfare and adoption professionals need to work effectively with LGBT families in adoption, including relevant terminology, recruitment tips, challenges to overcome, and more.

Expanding Resources for Children III: Research-Based Best Practices in Adoption by Gays and Lesbians, Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute, 2011
This report on the Adoption Institutes' four-year study presents empirical data about the experiences of families headed by "non-heterosexual" adults and recommends best-practices to improve pre-adoption and post-adoption services for LGBT families.

Engaging LGBT Families - Talking with Experts, AdoptUSKids, 2010
In this 3-part series, three experts share the best tools and practices for child welfare agencies to recruit and retain prospective LGBT foster and adoptive parents.

Expanding Resources for Waiting Children II: Eliminating Legal & Practice Barriers to Gay & Lesbian Adoption from Foster Care, Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute, 2008
This report recommends key changes to agency policy and state legislation to eliminate barriers that prevent lesbian and gay adoptive parents from providing permanent homes to foster children.

LGBTQ in Child Welfare: A Systematic Review of the Literature, Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2016
This report offers a comprehensive literature review on LGBTQ youth in the child welfare system that analyzes unique risks and vulnerabilities, explores policy protections, and offers best practice recommendations.

Sexual and Gender Minority Youth in Foster Care, The Williams Institute, 2014
This report out of Los Angeles County provides demographics and highlights the mistreatment and discrimination faced by LGBTQ youth in foster care.

Out of the Margins: A Report Highlighting the Experiences of LGBTQ Youth in Care, CWLA Press, 2006
CWLA and Lambda Legal partner to createOut of the Margins, a report that highlights the experiences of LGBTQ youth in care and offers strategies to improve the child welfare system for LGBTQ youth in care.

Youth in the Margins: A Report on the Unmet Needs of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Adolescents in Foster Care, Including a Survey of Fourteen States and Proposals for Reform, Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, 2001
Broken into three parts,Youth in the Margins discusses "unaddressed problems of LGBTQ youth in out-of-home care," strategies for reform in the child welfare system, and policy recommendations based on fourteen states' foster care policies.

Assessing/Discussing SOGIE

Respectfully Asking Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) Questions, NYC Administration for Children's Services, 2016
The purpose of this resource is to assist staff members with how best to present the opportunity for youth to disclose their sexual orientation and/or gender identity. This information may also prove relevant to decisions regarding educational services, the PINS and delinquency diversion processes, disposition, reunification and placement.

Guidelines for Managing Information Related to the Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression of Children in Child Welfare Settings, NCL Rights, 2013
This resource offers professional guidelines to collect, record, and disclose information on youth's sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. The publication also includes age-appropriate strategies and considerations of privacy.

Child Welfare/Foster Care & Adoption

Congregate Care/Group Homes

Transgender & Gender Non-Conforming Youth

Understanding Transgender & Gender Non-Conforming Youth

Ensuring Equitable Care

A Collaborative Resource on LGBTQ Youth Homelessness, At the Intersections, True Colors Fund & LGBTQ Taskforce, 2016
This resource explores youth experiencing homelessness who live at the intersections of various marginalized identities, which may include their race, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, immigration status, ability, and more.

Serving Our Youth 2015: The Needs and Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning Youth Experiencing Homelessness, The Palette Fund, True Colors Fund, & The Williams Institute, 2015
This report uses the findings from a survey of youth homelessness service providers to explore the current state of LGBTQ youth experiencing homelessness.

Surviving the Streets of New York: Experiences of LGBTQ Youth, YMSM, and YWSW Engaged in Survival Sex, Urban Institute, 2015
This report interviews and provides care recommendations for New York City LGBTQ youth, young men who have sex with men (YMSM) and young women who have sex with women (YWSW) who engage in survival sex.

Street Child: A Memoir by Justin Read Early, Available on Amazon, 2013
This book focuses on a young boy's difficult experience as he escapes his violent home, gets remanded into state custody, and then lives on the streets of Seattle and San Francisco with LGBTQ homeless youth.

Toolkit for Practitioners/Researchers Working with LGBTQ Runaway and Homeless Youth, National Resource Center for Permanency and Family Connections, 2012
This toolkit offers various evidence-based programs, practice models, and assessment tools for practitioners and researchers to use with LGBTQ runaway and homeless youth.

Preventing the Tragedy of LGBT Youth Homelessness, Social Work License Map, 2012
This infographic provides statistics on LGBT youth homelessness, including factors that lead to homelessness and mental health problems within the population.

National Recommended Practices for Serving LGBT Homeless Youth, National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2009
This publication categorizes recommendations for homeless youth service providers in three sections: steps that caretakers should take to better the experiences of LGBT youth, ways to improve agency culture in serving LGBT youth, and steps that youth workers and administrators can take to improve residential settings.

Working with Homeless LGBTQ Youth, Lambda Legal, 2002
By providing information on homeless shelters, risks that homeless LGBTQ youth face, the special needs of homeless transgender youth and more, this article offers child welfare professionals best tips to work with LGBTQ homeless youth.

Schools in Transition, Human Rights Campaign, 2015
This guide offers fundamental information about gender, guidelines for meeting the needs of transgender or gender-expansive students, talking points for common questions and concerns, and other practical resources.

Welcoming Schools, Human Rights Campaign Foundation
Welcoming Schools is a comprehensive approach to creating respectful and supportive elementary schools. On the program's web page, you can find resources and professional development to embrace family diversity, create LGBTQ-inclusive schools, prevent bias-based bullying and gender stereotyping, and support transgender and gender-expansive students.

Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network (GLSEN)
GLSEN works to improve our nation's K-12 schools for LGBTQ youth and their website includes lesson plans, programs to help teachers and students take action, research on LGBTQ issues in education, and much more.

GSA Network
This LGBTQ racial and gender justice organization's website includes resources to help youth and their advisors start their own Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA), leadership and activist training for youth, and research about the experiences of LGBTQ youth in schools.

California Senate Bill 731, 2015
This landmark legislation establishes critical protections for transgender youth in California's foster care system; requiring that all youth in out-of-home care, including those who identify as transgender, be placed according to their gender identity, regardless of the gender listed on their official documents.

State Policies Concerning LGBTQ Youth, CSSP, 2014
This resource highlights state legislation from 2014 as it relates to LGBTQ youth, including public accommodations, educational facilities, foster care and more.

Working with Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender And Questioning/Queer Youth, Minnesota Department of Human Services, 2012
This practice guide from MN DHS offers specific tips for engaging LGBTQ youth, preserving their relationships and placement prevention, and ensuring safety in placements.

Information Memorandum from Administration on Children, Youth and Families on LGBTQ Youth in Foster Care, 2011
This information memorandum strongly encourages child welfare workers and facilities to ensure that LGBTQ youth are supported and protected while in care.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
LGBTQ Resources for Child Welfare | Human Rights Campaign

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Register for All Children - All Families' free online learning offerings, and subscribe to our monthly e-newsletter delivering the latest best practice tips for LGBTQ inclusion to your inbox every month!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Boston GLASS | Justice Resource Institute

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Boston GLASS (Gay & Lesbian Adolescent Social Services) provides a continuum of services to LGBTQQ+ youth of color and their allies in the Greater Boston area. As a leader in LGBTQ+ youth services, we also provide education and consultation to other providers and community organizations.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Trevor Project - Saving Young LGBTQ Lives

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A national 24-hour, toll free confidential suicide hotline for LGBTQ youth.

# data[].attributes.body
TSER Store

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
· © 2018 Trans Student Educational Resources · Designed by Press Customizr ·

# data[].attributes.body
TSER Infographics

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
TSER's trans-related infographic series. We encourage you to share and print these graphics! Below are the released infographics and corresponding references.

You are free to use these graphics in any manner (even commercially) as long as they include credit and are not altered. You may also want to check out our Trans Facts and Teacher Tips pages! Click on the graphic to view full size, related references, links, and discussion.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
TSER's trans-related infographic series. We encourage you to share and print these graphics! Below are the released infographics and corresponding references. You are free to use these graphics in any manner (even commercially) as long as they include credit and are not altered. You may also want to check out our Trans Facts and Teacher Tips pages!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Schools are places of learning and also miniature societies. The climate of a school has a direct impact on both how well students learn and how well they interact with their peers. Teachers and administrators work hard to make their classrooms welcoming places where each student feels included. But despite these efforts, students who are-or who are perceived to be-lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender (LGBT) continue to face a harsh reality.

According to a recent Human Rights Campaign survey, LGBT students report being harassed at school-both verbally and physically-at twice the rate of non-LGBT youth. With heightened stressors like bullying, harassment and a lack of role models, LGBT students are also more likely to experience negative educational outcomes.

Needless to say, LGBT students need allies.

Studies have shown that creating a supportive environment for LGBT students improves educational outcomes for all students, not just those who may identify as LGBT. And remember, it's not about politics-it's about supporting students. Any educator, regardless of his personal beliefs, can be a resource for LGBT students.

It all starts with awareness. Often educators are unsure how to support their LGBT students in a meaningful way. These best practices were compiled to give school leaders the knowledge they need to create a climate in which their most vulnerable students feel safe and valued. Through inclusive policies and nurturing practices, administrators, counselors and teachers have the power to build an educational environment that is truly welcoming to all students.

Build an Inclusive School Climate

Gay-Straight Alliance Clubs (GSAs)

GSAs are a great way to educate students about diversity and support LGBT students. They can also be a valuable resource to administrators trying to gauge the temperature of their school climates.

Remember that a GSA club is no different from any other student club and cannot be subjected to any extra regulations.

Inclusive Leaders and Allies

Leaders who promote a safe and inclusive environment are essential in creating a positive school climate, and they should be rewarded accordingly.

Publicly praise staff members who actively promote an inclusive environment. This practice both affirms their positive action and creates a culture in which other staff members are unafraid to be allies to LGBT and gender-nonconforming students.

Clothing and Dress Codes

Clothing is a key way students express their various identities-and many fashion choices are protected by the First Amendment.

Enforce dress codes among all students equally. A school cannot constitutionally forbid male students to wear dresses, for instance, if other students are allowed to wear dresses.

Empower students to express themselves. Messages supporting LGBT rights are protected speech, whether they're spoken, worn on a button or printed on a T-shirt.

Transgender and Intersex Students

Gender (how a person feels) and biological sex (the physical makeup of a person's anatomy) are two different things, and they are not always aligned. For example, a person may be raised as a girl but identify as a boy. Others may have been born with a condition that places their biological sex between male and female; they may still be deciding which gender they will ultimately adopt.

Help students whose gender is incorrectly listed on paperwork to correct the situation and ensure school staff and students address them using their preferred pronouns.

Designate a gender-neutral restroom. Binary (women/men or boy/girl) restrooms aren't inclusive and can be unsafe spaces for transgender and intersex students. Allow each transgender or intersex student to use the restroom in which that student is most comfortable, whether it's the gender-neutral restroom or the restroom that corresponds with the student's self-identified gender.

Proms and Other School Events

LGBT students and students who do not conform to gender norms can easily feel excluded from extracurricular events like proms if care is not taken to implement inclusive practices and language.

Use gender-inclusive language on all event communications, including invitations.

Educate event organizers about students' First Amendment right to attend events with a same-sex date and to wear clothing of their choice.

Privacy

Four of 10 LGBT youths say the community in which they live is not accepting of LGBT people, which makes it absolutely imperative that educators respect students' right to privacy.

Never reveal a student's sexual orientation or gender identity without the student's permission-even to the student's family.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Schools are places of learning and also miniature societies. The climate of a school has a direct impact on both how well students learn and how well they interact with their peers. Teachers and administrators work hard to make their classrooms welcoming places where each student feels included.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
LGBT-Inclusive Curriculum Guide for Educators

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Move from an add-on approach to a value add! Curriculum that includes positive representations of LGBT people and history can affirm LGBT students, improve school climate and align with Common Core standards. Check out the guide in the blue Resource Downloads box to the right for: Best Practices Planning Tips Connections to Common Core Standards Guided Reflection Make your curriculum LGBT-inclusive!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
GSA Network will help you fight for LGBTQ issues and LGBTQ people to be included in the lessons you learn at school.

Are you in California? Learn about the laws that are on your side and how you can take action in your school. Check out our FAIR Education Act section!

Find out about the FAIR Education Act in California, and how to personally contribute in your classes through your class assignments and presentations. Get ready to educate your teachers and provide them with lesson plans and assignments that meet the updated CA state education guidelines. Prepare to convince teachers and administrators to incorporate LGBTQ topics into the curriculum and implement district-wide changes to curriculum standards.

Why is LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum important & necessary?

LGBTQ people have made contributions to the history and culture of the United States and the world in many fields. Unfortunately, most textbooks and curriculum standards completely neglect this aspect of history!

In many schools, learning about LGBTQ issues - if it happens at all - takes the form of tolerance, diversity, or anti-bullying education, which teaches the importance of not discriminating against each other. Such programs are important first steps, but they are not enough. True acceptance means recognizing that different groups have all contributed in meaningful ways to society.

As the California Safe Schools Coalition and GSA Network report, Lessons That Matter: LGBTQ-Inclusivity and School Safety, shows, learning about LGBTQ issues at school contributes to a safer school climate for all students. Learn the facts.

Don't live in CA? Get your campaign started:

1. Evaluate your education! Pay attention in your classes. Are your teachers teaching about the historical achievements of LGBTQ individuals, and are these issues included in your textbooks? Are things being left unspoken or made invisible? Ask questions and speak up if you think omissions are being made. Write a paper or design a project about LGBTQ history for an assignment or suggest topics for classroom discussions.

2. Educate yourself! Sit down with your GSA members and start teaching yourselves about what LGBTQ historical figures have accomplished. There are several books and online resources that will provide you with plenty of information on how to begin. Contact GSA Network for useful resources, like our Queer People of Color History 101 workshop, which you can use for free.

3. Take over class! Get your teacher's permission to take over class and lead a discussion about LGBTQ history or present a lesson of your own.

4. Celebrate LGBTQ history month! October is LGBTQ history month, and this is a great opportunity for your GSA to educate your entire school. Put up posters about key LGBTQ historical figures all around your school. Download info at http://glbthistorymonth.com. Collect short pieces about LGBTQ history and poems from queer poets like Audre Lorde, Adrienne Rich or Walt Whitman and read them over the intercom during homeroom and during lunch. Screen historical documentary films or plan a school-wide assembly with speakers talking about LGBTQ history.

5. Support your teachers & administrators! Encourage and thank teachers who are already teaching the history you need to learn. Advocate for staff training on implementing age- and subject-specific LGBTQ-inclusive curricula. Arm yourself with information from the California Safe Schools Coalition about existing LGBTQ-inclusive curricula that already fits existing state curriculum standards and frameworks: http://www.casafeschools.org.

6. Change the rules! Find out who makes decisions in your school district about curriculum. Advocate for the adoption of curricula that is inclusive of LGBTQ people.

7. Improve textbooks! Find out who in your school district buys the textbooks you use. Work with that person to talk to textbook companies about the need for inclusive curriculum. Help them understand why they should start printing textbooks that include everyone's history.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
LGBTQ-Inclusive Curriculum | Genders & Sexualities Alliance Network

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Are you in California? Learn about the laws that are on your side and how you can take action in your school. Check out our FAIR Education Act section! Find out about the FAIR Education Act in California, and how to personally contribute in your classes through your class assignments and presentations.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
GLSEN Safe Space Kit: Be an ALLY to LGBTQ Youth!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Support LGBT students, educate about anti-LGBTQ bias, and advocate for positive changes in your school. Be a visible ally!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
The Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ Youth

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This map of resources is compiled by the Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ Youth. It is meant to help youth, families, teachers, and providers find LGBTQ services near to them. To view the map in full screen, click the box in the top right corner of the map.

Filter by

Do you have feedback or a resource to add? Let us know below.

DISCLAIMER: This map is a work in progress as we continue to add resources and features. If you have feedback to share, or would like your own resource listed, please share it in our form. Please also note that the listing of a resource does not imply endorsement of the Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ Youth, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, or any other non-profit organization, commercial entity, or government agency. Resources will be added as capacity allows.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ Youth

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This map of resources is compiled by the Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ Youth. It is meant to help youth, families, teachers, and providers find LGBTQ services near to them. To view the map in full screen, click the box in the top right corner of the map.