Youth's Lives Every Day
For LGBTQ+ young people, feeling supported at school can make a meaningful difference in their mental health and well-being. According to The Trevor Project’s 2025 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People, school is the second-most-affirming space identified by LGBTQ+ young people, with 57% describing it as a place where they experience affirmation. And that support matters: LGBTQ+ young people who reported having access to LGBTQ+ supportive spaces at school reported lower rates of suicide attempts than those without access to those spaces.
Creating an LGBTQ+ affirming school environment doesn’t require educators to have all the answers or to be perfect. Acknowledging learning is a journey, trust is developed over time. It starts with creating spaces where young people know they are seen, respected, and supported.
That’s why The Trevor Project and the Human Rights Campaign Foundation have partnered to produce Supporting LGBTQ+ Youth Mental Health in Schools, a Back to School resource offering practical ways educators and school staff can support LGBTQ+ students across developmental stages, from Pre-K through high school.
What does LGBTQ+ affirmation look like in practice?
The ways educators support LGBTQ+ young people can look different depending on a student’s age and developmental stage, but the foundation is consistent: listen to young people, respect how they describe themselves, protect their privacy, and create environments where everyone is treated with dignity.
For younger students, that may mean using the name and language a child shares, treating gender and family diversity as a normal part of classroom life, and addressing teasing or exclusion immediately.
For students in elementary and middle school, educators can normalize respect for names and pronouns, provide opportunities to identify trusted adults, establish clear expectations around bullying and bias, and create space for students to talk about what they need to feel comfortable and supported.
For high school students, affirmation can include ensuring school systems reflect affirmed names where possible, addressing harassment as a school climate issue, supporting students navigating identity across different contexts, and communicating clearly about confidentiality and its limits (i.e. policy, reporting, etc.).
These actions may seem simple, but they can have a powerful cumulative effect. Affirmation is not one conversation or one policy, it is something young people experience through the everyday interactions, expectations, and systems that shape their school environment.
Is your school LGBTQ+-affirming?
For schools and educators looking to take the next step, The Trevor Project’s Is Your School LGBTQ+-Affirming? checklist offers a practical starting point.
The checklist can help educators and school leaders think beyond individual interactions and consider the broader school environment—including policies, practices, resources, and opportunities for LGBTQ+ students to feel supported.
Rather than viewing LGBTQ+ inclusion as a destination, schools can use the checklist as a tool for reflection and continuous improvement:
- Where are LGBTQ+ students already experiencing support and affirmation?
- Where might there be gaps?
- Do school policies and practices reflect the needs of LGBTQ+ students?
- Do students know where they can turn to for support?
- Are educators equipped to respond when LGBTQ+ students experience bullying, bias, or discrimination?
- What can the school do to make affirmation part of its everyday culture?
Small changes can help create meaningful signals to LGBTQ+ young people that they belong.
Building skills across your school community
Resources and checklists can help schools identify opportunities for improvement—but educators also need the knowledge, skills, and confidence to put those practices into action.
The Trevor Project offers training programs designed to help educators and school communities build LGBTQ+ competency and create safer, more supportive environments for LGBTQ+ young people. Trainings can help participants better understand the experiences of LGBTQ+ youth, recognize the ways stigma and discrimination can affect mental health, and develop practical skills for responding with greater confidence and care.
Whether you are looking to support classroom educators, student support staff, school leaders, or your broader school community, training can be an important part of building sustainable LGBTQ+-affirming practices.
Interested in bringing LGBTQ+ competency training to your school or organization? Reach out to [email protected] to learn more about The Trevor Project’s training offerings.
Every young person deserves to feel supported at school
Creating LGBTQ+-affirming schools is about more than responding when a student comes out or addressing a specific incident. It means building environments where LGBTQ+ young people can show up as themselves, know where to turn for support, and trust that the adults around them will treat them with respect.
Every educator and school staff member has an opportunity to contribute to that environment.
Start by learning. Reflect on your current practices. Use tools like Supporting LGBTQ+ Youth Mental Health in Schools and The Trevor Project’s Is Your School LGBTQ+-Affirming? checklist to identify opportunities for action. And when your school community is ready to build its skills, seek out training that can turn knowledge into practice.
When schools affirm LGBTQ+ young people, they help create spaces where young people can feel seen, supported, and able to thrive.
