Description
OUT Maine has an ambitious goal to create welcoming and affirming environments for Maine LGBTQ+ youth, and by reading and using this guide that goal becomes more and more achievable. And so we thank you for opening this guide to find more information about how to make your school more welcoming and affirming for all students!
By recognizing inequity patterns and promoting awareness and behavior changes, we can start undoing practices leading to unfair outcomes in education. As a public or private school, it is important to provide all students with equal opportunity and access to a safe and supportive educational experience, regardless of their sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. Schools are one of the primary places where students receive social and emotional support. LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or question) youth need these kinds of support.
As of 2021, there are more LGBTQ+-identified youth in Maine than ever before — 26.2% of Maine’s high school teens identify as LGBTQ+ (Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey (MIYHS), 2021). At the same time, rates of violence, harassment, and discrimination are still exceptionally high for LGBTQ+ youth. Given this reality, it becomes increasingly important to create safe spaces in our schools that explicitly welcome LGBTQ+ youth.
The following foundational practices are critical for welcoming and inclusive school environments.
- Create and reinforce a vision and mission statement that is welcoming and inclusive of students of marginalized identities including LGBTQ+ students.
- Assess, strengthen and reassess school climate on an ongoing basis.
- Adopt protective policies.
- Provide professional development and student learning opportunities.
- Implement efforts and programs that prioritize positive school culture.
- Connect LGBTQ+ Youth and Families to Supportive Resources
This guide will provide a variety of resources to utilize in your school to create welcoming and affirming environments for each and everyone of your students.
Each category provides background information, potential challenges you may face when implementing change, and examples of how this issue can affect LGBTQ+ youth. Taking these steps will make your school more LGBTQ+ friendly and be more inclusive, welcoming, and affirming for all students.
