The LGBTQ+ community in schools and education

In some schools members of the LGBTQ+ community feel safe and able to express themselves, in others it is quite the opposite with members feeling as though they can't express themselves without the fear of being outed or a victim of a hate crime. Many members of the community report having higher levels of anxiety and depression while in school because of the unsupportive and judgmental environment.

Young members of the LGBTQ+ community can be greatly helped with figuring out their identity through their school system, whether that comes from close friends or trustworthy teachers. While some queer students don't feel comfortable in their educational environment and fear for their safety when it comes to figuring out their identity. It can be very difficult to figure out how you feel about your identity when you have no close role models to look up to, examples of people who's are similar in the way you identify, or understanding people to talk to about it.

Some hardships are very common in education institutes with the LGBTQ+ community. It can be very difficult for members of the community to find or build a supportive space for themselves when their surrounding peers or environment doesn't allow them to feel safe with how they identify or express themselves. Being in a unsupportive environment can also cause young members of the community to internalize their feelings and not validate themselves. This can cause students to doubt the emotions and the way they're feeling about a certain person or how they want to be seen by the public; with being in an unsupportive environment people can start to think in the same bad way about themselves, internalized homophobia can set in and they can look down on their thoughts of themselves. They also can feel as though they aren't supported but their peers and if they are themselves they would get singled out, outcasted, disowned, bullied or harassed. Not having a safe learning environment or safe environment in general to grow up in can be very harmful to the way members of the community feel about themselves and how they think others feel about them. Having a supportive environment is very important to figuring out one self at their own pace, without others' opinions and bias affecting that.

It also is very difficult for young members of the community to figure out when to come out to their peers and let the public know about their sexuality or gender expression. When young LGBTQ+ students don't have close and supportive friends or similar expressing people to look up to, they can be very clueless as to when and/or how to come out. I believe that it is very beneficial to have someone to talk to, look up to, and get advice from when in this phase and figuring yourself out. When thinking about coming out there also should be no rush, especially if you are in an unsafe environment or worry about family relationships and support, you should figure yourself out in your own time and only come out when you feel comfortable and safe to do so.

It also can be hard for members to find friendships or relationships with people that identify similarly to them. If it is an unsafe environment, there are likely very few people who are out about their gender expression or sexuality and it can be hard to connect with them when the community is so small and the environment doesn't allow members to be, live, or act safely. Not having these connections can be difficult because members have figure things out on their own or feel as though they are alone in their environment.

It is very important for members of the community to feel supported in an educational space and have people that they can connect with and talk to about their expression and sexuality. Having someone or and environment like this can help younger members become more comfortable with themselves and their progression with figuring themselves out. It is very important for members of the LGBTQ+ community to feel safe, understood, and heard and creating that environment is easier than it appears, students, peers, and teachers just need to do more to help create that safe space.