Feeling safe at school remains a major concern for students who identify as transgender, nonbinary or gender-expansive. Nearly a third of these students, known by the acronym TGE, missed at least one day of school in the last month for safety reasons, and most (80%) reported being harassed or assaulted due to their race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity.
Students at schools with inclusive and affirming policies reported higher GPAs and levels of school belonging, according to the latest survey conducted by LGBTQ+ advocacy group The Trevor Project. Students who face misgendering, harassment and discriminatory policies suffered poorer mental health, lower feelings of connectedness and more absences.
Most TGE students (60%) reported regular attendance, but 25% reported missing 16 or more days of school in a single academic year. Chronic absences occurred more often at schools with discriminatory policies.
Over half of the students surveyed reported at least one discriminatory policy at their school. The most common was prohibiting students from using the bathroom or locker room associated with their gender identity.
TGE students are also more likely to be involved with advocacy and activism. Over 50% of those surveyed were involved in at least one activism-related activity, and 75% either participated in or led an event focused on LGBTQ+ issues or served as a member of a policy-making group.
Having more supportive educators and positive depictions of LGBTQ+ people and topics at school led to a stronger sense of belonging and higher GPAs. Almost all students surveyed (97%) reported having at least one supportive educator at their school.
Students said educators have shown their support for LGBTQ+ students with stickers, flags and other visuals. However, students noted that displays can feel performative or inauthentic without concrete actions that affirm students’ gender expression or access facilities associated with their gender identity.
Educators can stand up for TGE students by providing systemic social-emotional support, respecting preferred pronouns and names, and disciplining anti-LGBTQ+ behaviors.
The survey asked 3,758 middle and high school students who identify as TGE about their experiences at school, harmful school policies, and access to resources and support. The report’s findings were consistent with research that shows a welcoming school environment is correlated with feelings of belonging and overall greater well-being.
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