Blog

Creating LGBTQ+-Affirming Schools: Practical Ways Educators Can Support LGBTQ+ Youth

Download the Supporting LGBTQ+ Youth Mental Health in Schools guide here. 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…
A young person waves the Progress Pride flag.
Blog

As Pride Month Ends, Celebration of Legislative Wins Continues

The parades, picnics, and festivals that symbolize Pride Month may have concluded until next June, but we know that Pride celebrated by and for LGBTQ+ communities reverberates year-round. This is particularly true when considering the legal advancements made for LGBTQ+ young people across the nation during the 2024 state legislative sessions. While discriminatory bills that aim to erase or harm LGBTQ+ young people and adults alike often make headlines, it’s critical that we recognize the collective power we have in supporting legislators who champion key legal advancements. With over 260 LGBTQ+ affirming bills introduced in 40 states aimed at advancing…
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Train the Trainer: New Educational Program for LGBTQ+ Allies

When inclusive spaces come under attack by lawmakers across the country, the need for education grows greater. When adults are given the proper tools and training, they transform into supportive allies, which can make all the difference in defending against those attacks.  At The Trevor Project, our Education team helps adults (educators, coaches, community leaders and more) understand the needs of LGBTQ+ young people. We equip them with the knowledge they need to affirm, uplift, and advocate for those young people. We empower people to become the best allies they can be — especially important considering the impact supportive adults…
Blog

In Their Own Words: LGBTQ+ Young People Head Back to School

We asked our Trevor community some of the big questions as they head back to school this year. Their answers brought us back to the fact that all kids just want to be kids and belong at school, and some of their advice was super heartwarming. See how LGBTQ+ young people across the country are feeling as they pack their backpacks this year. What are you most looking forward to at school this year? “Going to a school with an LGBTQ+ support group for the first time!” “This year I'm finally ready to be out and proud! Going to finish…
Waist high picture of Selina Peña wearing a white shirt and black vest.
Blog

Allyship In The Classroom With Selina Peña

For Selina Peña (she/they), queer Chicanx educator and content creator, school has always been a refuge. She teaches at the very high school she graduated from, a school that provided a safe haven from her home environment. “Growing up in a bordertown, I took on various roles, including translator and caretaker,” Selina explained. “Now, as a queer Latina high school teacher in south Texas, I'm committed to fostering an inclusive and empowering classroom. I am aware of the value of representation in school and how it affects students' sense of identity and self-worth. I work hard to make sure my…
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What Trevor Learned on the Ground at the Walkouts and Rallies in Florida

We know that so many of you are exhausted, demoralized, and angry about the record number of anti-LGBTQ bills being introduced in state houses across the nation. Every time we hear fresh news of another one of over 500 harmful bills this year, we at Trevor feel despondent. The common sense idea of freedom – the freedom to parent, treat patients, express oneself, talk about one’s life at school – is under attack by politicians more focused on optics than standing up for their constituents. It’s easy to feel hopeless, and I was starting to feel that way. We knew…
Advocacy

The Trevor Project Is Advocating For LGBTQ Affirming Schools

Whether through legislation, litigation, or public education at the federal, state, and local levels, The Trevor Project is a leading advocate for LGBTQ young people’s mental health and wellbeing across the country. Trevor Project Advocacy Campaign Manager Gabby Doyle (she/her) is focused particularly on advocating for LGBTQ students, young people at risk of finding themselves in unsafe, phobic environments. I came to The Trevor Project after serving as State Partnerships Manager at SIECUS: Sex Ed for Social Change, advocating for comprehensive sex education policies across the country. Now, I work with The Trevor Project on suicide prevention policies in schools.…
Supporting LGBTQ Young people in the Classroom and Beyond with Keygan Miller
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Supporting LGBTQ Young People In The Classroom And Beyond

It’s almost time for students to go back to school, which can be stressful, confusing, and overwhelming for some. Especially in a political climate where LGBTQ identities are under attack by federal and state legislatures, LGBTQ young people could be going back to a hostile or unsafe environment this fall — the opposite of what a school should be. Keygan Miller (they/them), Public Training Manager at The Trevor Project, has a unique perspective as a former educator on what LGBTQ young folks need from their teachers. After serving as a youth educator, I came to The Trevor Project with a…
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In Defense Of Saying Gay/Trans

Last week, we saw the passage of HB 1557, also known as the “Don’t Say Gay/Trans” bill, by the Florida state Senate. This bill will ban classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in schools, and appears to threaten LGBTQ support in schools and includes vague parental notification requirements which could effectively “out” students to their families without their consent. This bill, which has passed at every level of the Florida state legislature, now awaits the governor’s final decision before being signed into law. The potential impact of the passage of “Don’t Say Gay/Trans” on the health and happiness…