The Epidemic Of Bullying Against LGBTQIA+ Students

It's no secret that LGBTQIA+ students face a higher risk of being bullied in school. In fact, according to a report by the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN), over 85% of LGBT students report verbal harassment in school, 60% report sexual harassment, and 27% report physical harassment.

This epidemic of bullying has severe consequences for LGBTQIA+ students. These students are more likely to experience anxiety and depression and are at an increased risk for suicide. In fact, according to the Trevor Project, LGB youth are four times as likely to attempt suicide as their straight peers.

Something needs to be done to address this problem. But what can be done?

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First and foremost, it's important to create a safe and inclusive environment for all students, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. This can be done in several ways, such as:

• Providing training for staff on how to support LGBTQIA+ students
• Developing policies and practices that specifically address the needs of LGBTQIA+ students
• Creating student groups or clubs that are inclusive of all sexual orientations and gender identities
• Ensuring that the curriculum is inclusive of LGBTQIA+ perspectives and experiences

In addition to creating a safe and inclusive environment, it's also important to address bullying directly when it occurs. This means having a zero-tolerance policy for bullying, and ensuring that all students know that they can report incidents of bullying without fear of retribution.

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Finally, it's important to engage with parents and guardians about the issue of bullying against LGBTQIA+ students. Parents and guardians need to be aware of the risks that their child faces, and they need to be equipped with the tools to support their child if they do experience bullying.

Bullying against LGBTQIA+ students is a serious problem with serious consequences. However, some steps can be taken to address this problem. By creating a safe and inclusive environment for all students, addressing bullying directly when it occurs, and engaging with parents and guardians about the issue, we can begin to create schools that are truly welcoming for everyone.

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