Reducing harm for the LGBTQ+ community

Abstract

Despite progress in recent years, members of the LGBTQ+ community remain underrepresented and underserved in the school system. Ferial Pearson and Steven Gill draw on research literature and their own experiences as out queer educators to recommend a set of actions educators can take to reduce harm to members of these communities in school. They call for explicit safe/brave spaces and school cultures, support for LGBTQ+ educators, greater representation in school curricula, and professional development for teachers. Current research shows the benefits of these approaches, but more research is needed to learn what school-level practices and policy changes will be most beneficial to students in different regions and with different intersecting identities.