Since legislation targeting conversations about sexuality, gender identity and LGBTQ-related topics in schools has spread across the country, 15-year-old Jaime Lauriano and his peers in Arizona have felt scared, discouraged and confused.
As chairman of his school’s GSA, or Student Alliance for Equality, Lauriano said he frequently asks questions about the club’s future, particularly in the context of a recent bill State that would require permission from a guardian to participate in student groups involving sexuality, gender, or gender identity.
For many, the GSA is one of the only spaces where students feel accepted and can fully express their gender and sexuality, he said.
His peers look to him for advice, but Lauriano, a gay high school sophomore, is equally worried about the group’s future.
“We’ve tried to promote our club as a safe haven, a place where students can come and hang out, talk to each other, and feel like they’re with their community,” Lauriano told USA TODAY. “But when things like that happen, it completely destroys that idea and it scares the students.”
Across the country, students watch the barrel of bills targeting discussions of sexuality, gender identity and LGBTQ-related topics in classrooms, made more visible by the recent passage of the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill in Florida. Even the possibility of these bills passing has fueled frustration, confusion and feelings of hopelessness among LGBTQ youth across the United States, several high school students told USA TODAY.
Florida’s bill, officially titled Parental Rights in Education, restricts discussions of sexual orientation or gender identity in elementary schools. Since being signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis this spring, more than a dozen similarly-intended bills limiting conversations about LGBTQ topics have been introduced across the country.
The legislation has worried students for whom schools may be the only place where they can talk openly about LGBTQ issues.
In Arizona, the bill requiring permission for students to join groups involving sexuality and gender, HB 2011, is currently in committee. This echoes a previously overturned law, dubbed by opponents “no promo homo”, which banned sex education in public schools that promoted a “homosexual lifestyle”.
Legislation makes students ‘feel like they’re alone’
Rayne Duncan, 17, a senior in Arizona, works with a high school leadership development program called Team GLSEN SHINE, which helps students organize GSAs and advocacy campaigns in their schools through leadership training. Duncan, who is non-binary, is also the president of his school’s GSA.
“I think it’s important for (students) to have safe spaces, that’s why we have GSAs and why we have leaders who make sure GSAs work well and are a safe place for people can go,” they told USA TODAY. “If there’s a place in their school where they can go after school and have a community, they don’t feel isolated.”
USA TODAY spoke with 10 students who identify with the LGBTQ community in states where similar legislation is proposed. They shared their feelings of anger and disgust that these spaces were at risk and that their conversations could be controlled. They also said they feared being discriminated against and worried about the hardships that might ensue for them and their peers.
“It makes the students feel like they’re alone,” Lauriano said. “It scares us, scares us of the future and what it has to offer.”
For LGBTQ youth – those who are trans and non-binary in particular – attacks on support systems and resources can be disastrous. In the past year, more than half of transgender and non-binary youth have considered attempting suicide, according to a 2021 survey from the Trevor Project, which provides crisis and suicide prevention services to those under 25. years.
But young people in “affirming” schools, such as those where LGBTQ are represented in the curriculum, were nearly 40% less likely to attempt suicide than young LGBTQ people in non-affirming schools, according to the project. Trevor.
LIFELINE CHANGES: LGBTQ advocates hope for ‘culturally competent’ training with lifeline shift from suicide prevention to 988
Javier Gomez, 18, is one of many students who have staged walkouts at Florida schools to protest the original “Don’t Say Gay” bill. Gomez, who is gay, said homophobia and discrimination along with working as an activist made him mature faster than the average high school student.
“It seriously diminished my sanity,” Gomez said. “I understand a world with a different perspective and it’s really difficult because it brings a lot of anxiety about the future, for myself, for my educators and for my peers.”
‘There’s not a lot you can do, especially as a kid’
An Ohio bill, HB 616, is closest in language to Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” legislation, and it includes a ban on educational materials and curriculum “about sexual orientation or gender identity,” in addition to instruction bans on critical race. theory, which is not taught in K-12 schools, and intersectionality.
Abby Doench, 17, a student in Ohio, said she fears for younger students at her high school who may not have the support she received when she came out.
“It’s scary. It really makes you angry and makes you feel really useless,” Doench said of the legislation. “There’s not much you can do, especially as a kid… It’s all these people making rules about you that you have no say in, and it’s distressing. “
Several LGBTQ youth in affected states, most of whom are too young to vote, shared similar frustration with USA TODAY about elected officials making decisions about their education and school spaces without consulting or considering the perspective of students.
“Officials don’t care,” Duncan said. “They don’t care about young people. They certainly don’t care about young gay people. They’re just stuck in this little bubble of themselves so they can’t see that their actions will result in death.”
In Iowa, Senate Bill 2024, currently in subcommittee, prohibits any “gender identity instruction” in K-6 classrooms without parental consent. Iowa junior Nadaley Freet, 16, said these “parental rights”-focused rulings try to drown out young people’s voices and make them feel ignored.
“I feel like they’re trying to strip us of our opinions,” said Freet, who is bisexual. “They’re trying to enlighten us and say, ‘Oh, no, you’re just young. You don’t know what you’re talking about.'”
Bullying of transgender kids ‘has gone through the roof’
As more legislation draws attention in these states, students have also reported experiencing or witnessing LGBTQ students being bullied in their schools.
CJ Walden, a 17-year-old high school student in Florida, said he lives in a “liberal and democratic” area but experiences homophobia daily at school.
He said he feels lucky to be supported by others to eliminate interactions, but he knows many other students cannot.
In Iowa, Freet said the passage of a bill banning transgender girls from participating in women’s sports has left her trans peers isolated, bullied and suffering, often with no places to escape to. comfort and support each other at school. On several occasions, she said she comforted LGBTQ friends and younger students she found crying in the bathroom.
“Since the various bills have been passed…the bullying of trans kids here has skyrocketed,” Freet said. “It makes them feel like outcasts. Like they don’t belong there…they’re bullied to the point that they don’t like who they are anymore.”
Duncan said lawmakers and the public don’t understand the impact of these bills on the well-being of LGBTQ youth, who are going through a stage of life that comes with its own challenges.
“Being a teenager is hard enough already. You put all these things on, and it adds more and more weight,” Duncan said. “…Too many kids get run over.”
How do you enter LGBTQ?
Here are some key LGBTQ+ inclusion strategies SMEs can consider adopting for a more LGBTQ+-friendly workforce:
- Review your LGBTQ+ inclusion policies. …
- Provide LGBTQ+ training. …
- Create an LGBTQ+ network. …
- Name LGBTQ+ allies. …
- List your pronouns. …
- Incorporate gender-neutral language. …
- Create unisex toilets.
Where can I start learning Lgbtq? One of the best starting points for learning about the LGBTQ community is basic LGBTQ terminology. These definitions are compiled from a more comprehensive list at It’s Pronounced Metrosexual. It was created in collaboration with The Safe Zone Project as well as a large number of community members.
What is Stonewall book?
It was a gay bar in New York’s Greenwich Village. One evening in June 1969, a crowd rose up against police harassment. This sparked the start of the LGBTQ rights movement in America. All the foregoing!
What is the most prestigious award for books? One of the most prestigious literary prizes: the Nobel Prize for Literature. It is the oldest literary prize awarded since 1901.
Who created the Stonewall award?
Winston Leyland (ed.)
Who has won the Coretta Scott King Award?
Mildred D. Taylor, is the recipient of the 2020 Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Lifetime Achievement Award.
How many book awards are there?
17 literature prizes are awarded each year, including the Arthur Rense Prize and the Thornton Wilder Prize for Literary Translation.
What are the Stonewall Awards?
The Stonewall Awards were an annual event organized by UK charity Stonewall to recognize people who have affected the lives of British lesbian, gay, bi and trans people. The event was first held in 2006 at the Royal Academy of Arts and from 2007 at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
What is the Stonewall Honor Book award?
Stonewall Book Awards – Mike Morgan & Larry Romans Children’s and Young Adult Literature Award. According to the American Library Association’s website: “The Stonewall Book Awards are given to books in English that have outstanding merit regarding the gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender experience.”
Are there award ceremonies for authors?
Submissions for the National Book Awards open each March. To be eligible for the National Book Award for Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and Young People’s Literature, a book must be written by a US citizen or approved through the petition process.
How many book awards are there?
17 literature prizes are awarded each year, including the Arthur Rense Prize and the Thornton Wilder Prize for Literary Translation.
Who has won the Coretta Scott King Award?
Mildred D. Taylor, is the recipient of the 2020 Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Lifetime Achievement Award.
What is the most prestigious American literary award?
The Booker Prize for Fiction promotes the best in literary fiction by rewarding the best novel of the year. The prize is the world’s largest literary prize and has the power to transform the fortunes of authors and publishers.
What is the highest literary award in America?
National Book Awards, annual honors given to the highest quality books written by Americans and published by American publishers. The awards were created in 1950 by the American Book Publishers Council, the American Booksellers Association and the Book Manufacturers Institute.
Is the Booker Prize prestigious?
Booker Prize, in full Man Booker Prize, formerly Booker McConnell Prize, prestigious British prize awarded each year to a complete novel in English.
Which is the most prestigious award in the field of Literature and science?
Rep. The Nobel Prize is the most important and prestigious award in the world. A person receives the Nobel Prize for outstanding achievements in fields such as physics, peace, chemistry, medicine, literature, and economics.
Why is LGBT History Month celebrated?
LGBT History Month was launched in the UK by Schools Out UK and first took place in February 2005. The event aims to raise awareness and challenge prejudice against LGBT people and the story.
Why is October LGBT History Month? October is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) History Month in the United States. It was first observed in 1994. October was selected because it coincides with National Coming Out Day on October 11 and because it is the month of the first March on Washington for Lesbian Rights and homosexuals in 1979.
Why is LGBT History Month in February?
LGBT History Month takes place February 1-28, 2022. February is a poignant month in LGBT history. It was chosen for LGBT History Month to coincide with the repeal of Section 28 in 2003, a policy that prohibited the “promotion” of homosexuality.
What is the purpose of LGBT History Month?
The purpose of Memorial Month is to recognize the impact that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people have had on history locally, nationally and internationally. In 1994, a coalition of education-based organizations in the United States designated October as LGBT History Month.
Why do we celebrate LGBT History Month in February?
LGBT History Month is an annual month-long celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and non-binary history, including the history of LGBT rights and related civil rights movements. In the UK it is celebrated in February each year, to coincide with the abolition of Section 28 in 2003.
Is February LGBT History Month?
LGBT History Month is an annual month-long celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender history, as well as the history of gay rights and related civil rights movements.
What is the difference between LGBT History Month and Pride Month?
Pride month is dedicated to respecting community visibility and the movement towards equality, while LGBT history month is a respect for the history of gay rights and related civil rights movements .
Why do we celebrate LGBTQ History month?
The purpose of Memorial Month is to recognize the impact that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people have had on history locally, nationally and internationally. In 1994, a coalition of education-based organizations in the United States designated October as LGBT History Month.
Is LGBTQ allowed on Roblox?
And Roblox is a community where everyone is welcome. We’re all here to have fun, so let’s help each other make Roblox a great place for everyone! To our LGBT+ members, know that you are welcome and valued on Roblox.
Is Gore allowed on Roblox? It depends. Gore in Roblox is kind of a mystery topic, but from what I’ve seen, as long as you keep it to a minimum (ex: blood, injuries, decals) and don’t go into hardcore (ex: dismemberments, organs ), you should be fine.
What are Roblox rules?
Roblox does not allow bullying, harassment, trolling, harassment, or bullying on its platform. We also do not allow any content that depicts, glorifies or promotes such behavior. This includes: Singling out a user or group to ridicule or abuse them.
What is the number one rule in Roblox?
One of the number one rules on Roblox is not to share any personal information such as your age, location, real name or password (even with their real friends).
Is online dating allowed in Roblox?
Online dating is against Roblox’s Rules of Conduct, and anyone who participates in these activities is at risk of being punished on their account (as outlined in the Terms of Service).
Did Roblox delete Lgbtq hangout?
�� LGBTQ DATING �� The game content was deleted in November 2019. The game was reloaded in December 2019. The game is slowly failing due to inactivity.
What is the most loved game in Roblox?
Pet Simulator Adopt Me! was the most popular Roblox game of all time, with over 27.39 billion hits as of February 2022. The second-tier obstacle course Tower of Hell amassed 16.69 billion hits, respectively.
What is the most disliked game?
Big Rigs was listed as one of the worst games ever made by GameSpot and Computer and Video Games. After declaring it the “worst game ever made” in a “Games You Should Never Buy” segment, X-Play’s Morgan Webb declined to rate Big Rigs because their scale went from just 1 to 5.
