Unsupportive school environments are having a devastating impact on LGBT+ young people’s wellbeing. How can educators support them?

Growing up LGBT+ is still unacceptably tough.

In a post-Section 28 world, where LGBT+ topics can legally be openly discussed in the classroom, this might be hard to believe.

But sadly, Just Like Us’ research has shown that 91% of LGBT+ pupils have heard homophobic language in the past year, and 43% have experienced bullying. Half of pupils (48%) have had little to zero positive messaging about being LGBT+ at school in the last 12 months.

A lack of support at school and at home has a devastating effect on LGBT+ young people. LGBT+ young people from unsupportive school and family backgrounds are three times more likely to “never or rarely” feel optimistic about their future. When they aren’t supported, they’re also four times as likely to feel ashamed of being LGBT+, and more than four times as likely to “never or rarely” feel close to other people.

National Coming Out Day (11 October) is an opportunity for all of us to consider how to create space for LGBT+ people to feel safe, and for schools in particular to ask: “How can we better support LGBT+ young people?”

For LGBT+ young people to feel safe, visible allyship is vital

The experts on what support LGBT+ young people need are LGBT+ young people themselves so we asked some of our ambassadors, 18 to 25-year-olds who volunteer to speak in schools about their experiences, to share their advice to educators.

“I think it's important not to forget that, even in schools with LGBT+ issues integrated into the curriculum and support policies, students still face bullying and harassment. I've seen teachers turn a blind eye because 'it just doesn't happen here'. Listening to your students and taking criticism about available support is vital for keeping a healthy teaching environment.” – Amy (she/they)

“Homophobia and transphobia don't have to be a part of LGBT+ students' school experience. Make it clear that you stand against hateful language and behaviour! By speaking openly and sensitively about LGBT+ people within your lessons, you could help a student feel a bit more comfortable in who they are.” – Louisa (she/her)

“Don’t dismiss or invalidate a person's experience because you haven’t heard of their sexual orientation or gender identity before. Listen to them. Learn. It means everything to have someone care enough to educate themselves.” – Zilla (she/they) 

Just Like Us helps schools ensure that LGBT+ young people are free to be themselves

Just Like Us provides a huge variety of tools to help schools ensure their LGBT+ pupils are safe, happy and thriving.

We work to make sure that all schools can be places that visibly and unequivocally celebrate difference by offering:

• Our free Pride Groups programme, a national network of lunchtime and after school clubs that help LGBT+ and ally young people to learn and get support
• School talks from our LGBT+ ambassadors
• A free resource portal which provides inclusive resources for all key stages and curriculum subjects
• Supporting schools to celebrate School Diversity Week, the UK-wide celebration of LGBT+ equality in primary and secondary schools

Whether or not you think a young person may be LGBT+, and whether or not they have come out to you, this National Coming Out Day is a chance to show all pupils that your school is a place where they are safe.

When schools create supportive environments where young people are free to be themselves, they foster a culture that benefits the entire school community, equipping them with a sense of assurance and allyship that they will take with them into the future.