They feel mostly safe at school, but they feel like they have to hide their identities and it hurts their mental health. A turning point for Sarah was when a teacher called other students homophobic slurs in front of her.  

“because of that, I haven’t been as open about my sexuality and who I love

Matthew said he could never play sports because, “I would be judged and I would have to hide who I am, which kind of hurts.” (Matthew, personal communication, February 10, 2021). He thinks if he didn’t hide, other people would be uncomfortable. “That’s just what happens when you’re a part of the community,” he told me, “It sucks really bad” (Matthew, personal communication, February 10, 2021).

He just accepted this as the way things are, and so did Sarah. But, when educators stand up against homophobic behavior and help create a better school culture that makes it clear discrimination of any kind is not tolerable, all students can feel welcome. Showing acceptance for the LGBT community and enforcing anti-harassment policies may make students feel more safe to be themselves. GSA’s and other groups can help accomplish this too by providing safe spaces and resources or advocating for better school policies, and they are associated with, “less substance use, fewer suicide attempts, and lower truancy” for students, regardless of orientation, as well as “greater sense of agency, self esteem, and empowerment” (Horn et. al, 2019).

2. Lack of Representation

In over a decade of schooling, neither Matthew nor Sarah could remember ever seeing an LGBT person represented at school. Both of them agreed it was part of why they felt they should not be open about being LGBT at school and wished they had seen people like themselves represented. Matthew remarked that he thinks if he didn’t hide, other people would be uncomfortable. “That’s just what happens when you’re a part of the community,” he told me, “It sucks really bad” (Matthew, personal communication, February 10, 2021).