An estimated 34,000 LGBTQ+ youth ages 13 to 17 live in Colorado, according to data from a federal survey on teen health. For many of these young Coloradoans, school is not a safe place.
According to the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network’s 2021 School Climate Survey, 80% of U.S. LGBTQ+ youth feel unsafe at school. Experiences of harassment and violence are common for these students.
In a single school year, 76% of LGBTQ students experienced in-person verbal harassment, 49% were bullied, 23% were physically harmed or threatened, and 53.7% were sexually harassed, according to GLSEN’s survey and a 2024 survey by the Trevor Project. In Colorado, the Healthy Kids survey tells us that less than half of LGBTQ+ students feel they belong at their school.
As a Colorado resident for more than 20 years, I have seen the progress we have made in protecting our most vulnerable. When I graduated from a Colorado Springs high school in 2008, I could not have named a single classmate who was publicly “out” and I had never heard of a Gay-Straight Alliance, what is today called Genders & Sexualities Alliance Network (GSA). Since then, Colorado has enacted relatively robust legal protections for LGBTQ+ youth. We should be proud of what we have accomplished together. But there is still work to do.
Rates of anxiety and depression among LGBTQ youth are alarmingly high with 66% reporting recent symptoms of anxiety and 53% reporting recent symptoms of depression. According to the Trevor Project, almost 40% of LGBTQ+ young people seriously contemplated attempting suicide in the last year. Among transgender and nonbinary youth, this number rose to 46%. Rates were highest for students of color and 12% of all LGBTQ+ students had attempted suicide in the last year.
The link between these outcomes and school experiences are clear. LGBTQ students who experienced higher levels of in-person victimization were almost three times as likely as other LGBTQ students to have missed school in the past month. Their academic performance was lower, as was their self-esteem. Their rate of depression was elevated, and they were twice as likely to report that they did not plan to pursue any type of post-secondary education. Suicide attempt rates tripled among LGBTQ students who had been bullied in the past year.
While this data is sobering, it also offers potential solutions. GSA’s are student-led organizations that bring LGBTQ+ students and allies together. They provide a safe space for LGBTQ+ students, build community, and support advocacy efforts.
One-third of LGBTQ students have an active GSA or similar group at their school. Students who do are less likely to hear homophobic remarks and more likely to report staff intervening when they do. They are less likely to feel unsafe in school and less likely to have missed school. These students report better psychological well-being, lower depression levels and a lower likelihood of seriously contemplating or attempting suicide.
Every student deserves to feel safe and to know that they belong at school. Without costing taxpayers anything, GSA’s improve outcomes for future Coloradans. These organizations increase student safety, lower suicide rates, and improve school outcomes.
If you are a student or educator interested in starting a GSA at your school, GLSEN offers an online guide..
Rachel Ray is a new school counselor and soon-to-be graduate of the University of Denver’s school counseling program. She is a parent to two elementary students and has worked in Colorado public schools for four years.
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