LGBTQ Students: How Sexual Orientation And Gender Identity Can Impact The College Experience
College can be a turbulent time for any student, but members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community often experience additional layers of stress due to discrimination or lack of inclusion. Understanding more about the challenges some LGBTQ students may encounter in college and ways to support these students could contribute to a world where queerness is not only accepted but celebrated.
Definitions of gender identity, sexual orientation, and gender expression
Before exploring how to support LGBTQ students on campus, individuals may familiarize themselves with the following terms.
Gender identity
Gender identity is a person’s internal sense of what gender they are, which may or may not match their biological sex or the sex they were assigned at birth. Gender might not fit into neatly divided gender categories, as can be the case with transgender and non-binary youth or adults. Gender identity is unique and differs from gender expression.
Sexual orientation
Sexual orientation is a pattern of sexual or romantic attraction a person experiences towards others and an identity. Sexuality can involve attraction to a particular gender, multiple genders, all genders, or no genders. Some people find sexuality fluid, while others might be fixed in their sexual orientation.
Gender expression
Separate from gender identity, gender expression refers to a person’s external display of gender, often through aesthetic choices like clothing or hairstyle. Gender expression can help someone be comfortable in their skin and may reduce gender dysphoria. Gender Dysphoria causes disgust and discomfort in one’s body due to the sense that their body doesn’t fit their true gender.
Gender expression, sexual orientation, and gender identity in education: Challenges faced by LBGTQ students
Navigating identity and education: College as a time of self-discovery
For some students, college may be the first time in their lives that they can explore who they are, as it may be the first time they are living on their own. For LGBTQ students, self-discovery may be heightened, as college might be the first environment in which they are able to engage with openly queer people who affirm their identities and experiences. This process can be liberating and frightening, as it may also be the first time students encounter direct harassment and discrimination, as well.
Creating inclusive schools and environments for LGBTQ students
Truly inclusive environments don’t only allow for the existence of LGBTQ students but also support LGBTQ students in thriving. Creating these environments can involve a significant shift in how institutions treat all students when regarding gender and sexual orientation.
The importance of inclusive language in education
Inclusive language can promote a more welcoming environment for all people. Inclusive language that focuses explicitly on LGBTQ populations can include:
- Use gender-neutral language whenever possible, such as saying “people” instead of “women and men” or “parents” instead of “mothers and fathers”
- Normalize the sharing of pronouns
- Call someone by their chosen name, even if that name does not match the name on their student ID
- Challenge discriminatory language and anti-gay and anti-trans slurs
- Create a no-tolerance policy for homophobia, transphobia, and oppressive behavior or speech
Promoting awareness of LGBTQ challenges in higher education
Not everyone may fully understand the impact of policy on the lives of LGBTQ students. However, there are ways schools, faculty, and other organizations can support these individuals, including the following.
Discrimination protections
Recent updates to federal law include gender identity and sexual orientation as protected classes under Title IX, which prohibits educational discrimination against certain groups. Federal agencies, including the Office of Civil Rights, have been charged with enforcing these federal laws. However, some states have changed state laws in ways that may negatively affect LGBTQ students, such as states restricting people from using bathrooms that are not consistent with their biological sex or the sex they were assigned at birth.
Given these contradictions, colleges and universities may proactively protect their LGBTQ students. Higher education institutions can include explicit language in their anti-discrimination policies forbidding harassment based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Communicating these policies to the broader campus community and consistently enforcing them can be crucial, as unenforced policies lead to a harmful school environment that can be dangerous to students.
The importance of recognizing sexual orientation and gender identity in campus policies
Campus policies can go beyond preventing discrimination. Policies can also codify support for LGBTQ students in campus functioning, ensuring these students have equal access to school resources and school activities. These policies can include:
- Incorporating gender-neutral or single-stall restrooms all over campus, with menstrual hygiene products available in all restrooms
- Allowing students to select their university housing based on their gender identity, as opposed to their biological sex or the sex they were assigned at birth
- Making sure campus health and counseling centers provide staff who are trained in the needs of LGBTQ people
How to be an ally
An ally can be loosely defined as anybody who does not identify as a member of the LGBTQ community but supports LGBTQ people and wants to make the world safer and more inclusive for them. Research conducted by the Harvard Business Review found that people who were able to make the most difference in supporting the LGBTQ population had the following characteristics:
- They were accepting and made other people feel safe and supported, regardless of their identity
- They took action to advocate for, raise awareness of, or defend LGBTQ people
- They had humility about their own levels of knowledge and awareness and didn’t make advocacy work about themselves
On campus, allyship may look like amplifying LGBTQ voices, challenging homophobia and transphobia, and educating other people on LGBTQ concerns.
Resources for LGBTQ student support
Whether you are an LGBTQ student navigating higher education or an ally trying to learn more and support people with different experiences than you, there may be times when you seek additional mental health support. The following resources might be available:
- Campus counseling centers: Colleges and universities may offer free or low-cost on-campus counseling centers for all students. These centers have staff who are specifically trained to address the mental health needs of college students, including LGBTQ students.
- Online therapy: With online therapy through an accredited service, you may access counseling services from anywhere with a reliable internet connection.
- National organizations: Organizations like the Human Rights Campaign and the Trevor Project can provide resources and mental health support specifically for members of the LGBTQ community.
- Crisis helplines: If you are seeking immediate support, the federal 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available, as well as the Trevor Project hotline and online chat for LGBTQ+ youth up to age 25.
Therapy options for students
Campus counseling centers can be helpful but are often in high demand. If you are an LGBTQ student hoping to connect specifically with an LGBTQ counselor, you may be asked to wait longer to secure an appointment. Online therapy through a platform like BetterHelp may bridge this accessibility gap, as you can often be matched with a counselor within 48 hours of signing up for therapy. In addition, online therapy platforms may offer support groups, such as those for LGBTQ+ people, to meet others with their identity.
Research has found that online therapy may be as effective as traditional in-person therapy at addressing mental health concerns, including those more likely to impact LGBTQ college students. One study examined the use of online therapy in treating depression and anxiety symptoms and found that symptom reduction was comparable to in-person treatment.
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