GLSEN Research Learning Series Archives

Completed webinars from the Fall 2012 Learning Series

For over 20 years, GLSEN (the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network) has worked to ensure safe schools for all students, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. For more than 10 of those years, GLSEN's Research Department has been documenting the school experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth in the National School Climate Survey (NSCS). The NSCS assesses the educational experiences of LGBT youth and remains one of the few studies to examine the school experiences of LGB students nationally and the only national study to consistently include transgender student experiences.

Experiences of LGBT Youth in U.S. Schools: Newly Released Findings from the GLSEN 2011 National School Climate Survey
DATE: Wednesday, September 12th
TIME: 4-5pm ET

This webinar presented an overview of research findings from the 2011 National School Climate Survey, as detailed in a new report on the school experiences of LGBT youth in the U.S. We discussed the prevalence of a hostile school climate for many LGBT youth, including the high frequency of homophobic remarks made in school and of in-school victimization because of sexual orientation and gender expression. We also discussed the negative effects of a hostile school climate on LGBT students' academic achievement, educational aspirations, and psychological well-being as well as the importance of in-school supports for LGBT students, such as Gay-Straight Alliances and inclusive curricular resources.

Is It Getting Better?: Changes in School Climate for LGBT Youth Over Time
DATE: Wednesday, October 17th
TIME: 4-4:45pm ET

This webinar discussed how the educational landscape for LGBT middle and high school students has changed over the years, as detailed in the 2011 National School Climate Survey. We highlighted changes from 2001 to 2011 in indicators of a hostile school climate, such as hearing homophobic remarks and experiences of harassment and assault. We also discussed changes over time in the availability of positive resources for LGBT students in their schools, such as supportive educators, student-led clubs (i.e., Gay-Straight Alliances or GSAs), comprehensive anti-bullying/harassment policies and LGBT-inclusive curricular resources.

Prom Dates Denied, Dress Codes Gendered and Further Stories of School Policies and Practices that Discriminate Against LGBT Youth
DATE: Wednesday, November 28th
TIME: 4-4:45pm ET

This webinar discussed school policies and practices that discriminate against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth, as detailed in the 2011 National School Climate Survey, the most recent installment of a biennial survey conducted since 1999. We discussed school policies and practices that discriminate against LGBT students, such as those that limit expression of LGBT identities or relationships. We also discussed resources for students and strategies for educators and advocates of LGBT youth to create safer schools.

Un/Safe Places: The Experiences of LGBT Youth in Rural Schools
DATE: Wednesday, December 12th
TIME: 4-4:45pm ET

This webinar discussed findings from GLSEN's new report on the experiences of LGBT rural students. We highlighted findings related to rural students' experiences with biased remarks and bullying, and their access to LGBT-related resources. We also examined differences in rural students' experiences compared to suburban and urban students, and how the benefits of resources may differ by area of the country. Finally, we recommended strategies for educators and advocates of LGBT youth to address the needs of rural LGBT youth specifically.

Webinar on GLSEN's Elementary School Climate Report and Curricular Resource DATE: February 1, 2012

GLSEN's Elementary Research & Toolkit Webinar from GLSEN Videos on Vimeo.

This webinar discusses findings from the newly released report, Playgrounds and Prejudice: Elementary School Climate in the United States. We discussed findings related to students' and teachers' experiences with biased remarks and bullying, and their attitudes about gender expression and family diversity. We also provided an overview of the new GLSEN curricular resource for elementary school teachers: Ready, Set, Respect! Elementary School Toolkit.

For 20 years, GLSEN (the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network) has worked to ensure safe schools for all students, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. For 10 of those years, GLSEN has been documenting the school experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth in the National School Climate Survey (NSCS). The NSCS assesses the educational experiences of LGBT youth and remains one of the few studies to examine the school experiences of LGB students nationally and is the only national study to include transgender students.

The four webinars below are on findings from the most recent NSCS, GLSEN's 2009 National School Climate Survey

Experiences of LGBT Youth in U.S. Schools: Newly Released Findings from the GLSEN 2009 National School Climate Survey

DATE: Wednesday, September 15th, 2010

WEBINAR: Experiences of LGBT Youth in U.S. Schools: Newly Released Findings from the GLSEN 2009 National School Climate Survey from GLSEN Videos on Vimeo.

This webinar presented an overview of research findings from the 2009 National School Climate Survey, as detailed in a new report on the school experiences of LGBT youth that was released on September 13th. We discussed the prevalence of a hostile school climate for many LGBT youth, including the high frequency of homophobic remarks made in school and of in-school victimization because of sexual orientation and gender expression. We examined the negative effects of a hostile school climate on LGBT students' academic achievement, educational aspirations, and psychological well-being as well as the importance of in-school supports for LGBT students, such as Gay-Straight Alliances and inclusive curricular resources. In this webinar we also presented findings about changes over the past decade on indicators of a hostile school climate and access to LGBT-related resources in schools.

Educators as Allies: The Critical Role of Supportive Educators in LGBT Youth's School Experiences

DATE: Thursday, October 28th, 2010

WEBINAR: Educators as Allies: The Critical Role of Supportive Educators in LGBT Youth's School Experiences from GLSEN Videos on Vimeo.

Supportive teachers, principals, and other school staff serve as an important resource for LGBT students. Drawing from findings from the 2009 National School Climate Survey, this webinar explores how the presence of supportive educators can have a significant positive impact on school climate as well as on LGBT students' academic achievement, school connectedness, and longer-term educational aspirations. It also highlights key things educators and school officials can do to improve schools for LGBT youth and GLSEN's newly revised Safe Space Kit, a tool designed to help educators create a safe space for LGBT youth in schools.

Dis/Similarities Among LGBT Youth: Individual- and School-Level Differences in School Climate

DATE: Wednesday, November 17th, 2010

LGBT students are a diverse population and although they all may share some experiences related to school climate, these experiences also vary. Based on findings from the 2009 National School Climate Survey, this webinar explores how school experiences vary for LGBT youth across race/ethnicity, gender identity, and sexual orientation, and also by school characteristics: grade level, school type (public, non-religious private, religious-affiliated), geographic region, and locale (urban, suburban, rural).

We're Here, We're Queer!: The Experiences of "Out" LGBT Youth in School

DATE: Thursday, December 16th, 2010

WEBINAR: We're Here, We're Queer!: The Experiences of "Out" LGBT Youth in School from GLSEN Videos on Vimeo.

For LGBT youth, being able to be out or open about their sexual orientation and/or gender identity at school may not only enhance their feelings of school belonging, but also contribute to healthy development and positive well-being. Yet, being out may also be related to increased vulnerability at school. This webinar will present findings from the 2009 National School Climate Survey on how being out in school is related to in-school harassment and assault, psychological well-being, and attachment to school.

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