LGBTQ-Inclusive Sexual Health Education

FACT: Schools are unsafe and unwelcoming for most LGBTQ students, which can have negative impacts on health and well-being. 

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth need and deserve to learn in settings that are inclusive of their experiences and that give them the education necessary to stay safe and healthy.

Educators can use the resources below to ensure that all students are seen and validated in their health and sexuality classes. If you’re a health and/or sexuality educator, you can share these resources with your administration and where relevant, use them in your classroom. If you’re a student, family member, or non-health educator, make sure that the health teachers at your school are aware of these resources so they can ensure all students, including LGBTQ students, are receiving the information they need to lead safe and healthy lives.

FACT: You can improve the health and well-being of LGBTQ students in your school. 

• Be a visible and supportive ally to LGBTQ students
• Ensure access to comprehensive sexuality education
• Support your school’s Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA)
• Implement comprehensive and LGBTQ-inclusive policies

Resources for Classroom Use: 

• Unheard Voices: From the epicenter of the AIDS epidemic - includes an audio clip and lesson plan.

• Gender Terminology and Discussion Guide - LGBTQ-inclusive sexual health classes need to include gender terminology. Use our visual and discussion guide to facilitate this important conversation.

• Rights, Respect, Responsibility: A K-12 Sexuality Education Curriculum  - LGBTQ-inclusive sexual health curriculum by Advocates for Youth

• Sex, Etc. -  resources written by and for high-school aged youth - by Answer

• Amaze - animated videos targeted towards 10-13-year-olds - by Answer

Video Resources

GLSEN Voices: Bi Student Identity (YouTube)

GLSEN Voices: Trans Student Identity 

GLSEN Voices: How to Support Non-binary Students (YouTube)

Resources for Continuing Education:

Print Resources:

• A Call to Action for Inclusive Sex Ed

• Get the Facts: School Climate and HIV Risk

• Pronoun and Gender Inclusive Language Resource - Understanding the importance of pronoun visibility and using gender-neutral language when addressing classes is an important step towards creating an inclusive and affirming learning environment for all students.

• No promo homo Research Brief - Laws prohibiting the “promotion of homosexuality” (often referred to as “no promo homo” laws), are local or state education laws that expressly forbid teachers of health/sexuality education from discussing lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) people or topics in a positive light – if at all. Find out more about these laws and their harmful impacts in this research brief.

Webinars and Websites: 

• Making Room for Gender Diversity in School Health Services and Sex Education  -Made in partnership with School-Based Health Alliance and Gender Spectrum

• www.glsen.org/bi

• Here you’ll find videos, resources, and blogs for supporting bisexual students.

• ·www.glsen.org/trans

• o   Here you’ll find videos, resources, and blogs for supporting trans and gender expansive students.

Blogs:

• Educators Can’t Ignore Trans Students. Our Futures Depend on it  

• 10 Ways Educators and GSA Advisors can Support Asexual Students

• Including LGBTQ-Content in Sex Education

• What My Sex Ed Never Taught Me about Queer Relationships

• 8 Tweets that Show What Sex Ed Really Looks Like

Articles:

• What does it mean to be pansexual?

• Sex Ed Needs to Better Include the Issues of LGBT Students

• GLSEN and AIDS United release HIV Prevention Resource for Educators