2: A Day in the Life of the LGBTQ+ Student: Exploring the Impacts of Educational Environment and Representation in School

For most of the year, LGBTQ+ youths spend more time in school than anywhere outside of their home. Therefore, school environments play a critical role in their mental health and wellbeing. Through vignettes and research, this chapter explores the day-to-day realities of LGBTQ+ students and the consequences of their school environments. Sadly, most of them feel unsafe at school, where they often face various kinds of harassment or assault that leads them to missing days or even changing schools. These detrimental school environments also can have negative impacts on mental health, causing decreased self-esteem and increased depression levels. On the other hand, LGBTQ+-inclusive environments in schools have shown positive impacts on all aspects of these students’ lives, specifically including their mental and emotional health. Schools with inclusive environments enact and uphold inclusive policies, have supportive staff, and include the presence of pro-LGBTQ+ organizations available for students. In addition to a school’s environment, another issue impacting the mental health of these students is LGBTQ+ representation, or the lack thereof, in school curricula. Whether or not students see themselves reflected in school has a direct correlation with their sense of belonging and their ability to become a thriving adult.