Mental Health Challenges LGBTQ+ Students May Face & How Colleges Might Address Them

College can be a turbulent time for any student, but members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ+) community often experience additional layers of stress due to discrimination or lack of inclusion. Here, we’ll examine some of these challenges that queer college students may face, how universities can promote inclusivity and safety for queer students, and how LGBTQ+ young people can seek mental health support.

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Understanding the basics of gender identity, sexual orientation, and gender expression

The LGBTQ+ community encompasses a wide range of identities, as signified by the “+” commonly seen at the end of the acronym. Understanding the basics of gender identity, sexual orientation, and gender expression may help a person understand the diversity of this community.

Gender identity

Gender identity is a person’s internal sense of what gender they are, which may or may not match the one they were assigned at birth. Gender often does not fit into neatly divided, binary gender categories.

“Cisgender” is a term that refers to people who identify with their assigned gender at birth, while “transgender” is a term that refers to people who identify with a different gender than the one they were assigned. Non-binary, genderfluid, genderqueer, and gender non-conforming are just a few examples of many other gender identities a person may hold.

Sexual orientation

Sexual orientation is an identity based on a pattern of sexual and/or romantic attraction a person experiences towards others. Sexuality can involve attraction to a particular gender, multiple genders, all genders, or no genders. Some people find their sexuality to be fluid, while others might feel 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. Freedom of gender expression can help someone feel comfortable in their skin and may reduce gender dysphoria. Gender dysphoria is when an individual experiences distress or discomfort due to the sense that their body or expression doesn’t fit their true gender

Unique challenges often faced by LBGTQ+ students

These experiences can not only disrupt a person's education, but also make them feel unsafe and put them at higher risk of developing mental health challenges.

College as a time of self-discovery 

For some students, college is the first time in their lives that they are away from home and can feel free to fully explore who they are. For LGBTQ+ students, this experience of self-discovery may be heightened, as college could be the first environment in which they’re able to engage with openly queer people who affirm their identities and experiences. This process can be both liberating and frightening, as it may also come bundled with new experiences of harassment and discrimination based on their queer identity.

Creating inclusive schools and environments for LGBTQ students

Truly inclusive environments don’t just allow for the existence of LGBTQ+ students, but specifically support LGBTQ+ students so they can thrive. Creating these environments may involve a significant shift in how institutions treat all students in regards to gender and sexual orientation as well as how they treat students of other marginalized identities.

The importance of inclusive language in education 

Inclusive language in classrooms, on university signage and communications, and elsewhere on campus can help promote a more welcoming environment for all students and staff. Inclusive language that’s mindful of LGBTQ+ populations in particular can look like:

• Using gender-neutral language whenever possible, such as saying “people” instead of “women and men” or “parents” instead of “mothers and fathers”
• Normalizing the sharing of preferred personal pronouns
• Calling students by their chosen name, even if it’s different from the name on their student ID
• Having clear consequences for the use of discriminatory language
• Creating a no-tolerance policy for homophobia, transphobia, and hateful speech or behaviors

Discrimination protections

According to federal law, gender identity and sexual orientation are 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. However, some states have changed state laws in ways that may negatively affect LGBTQ+ students, such as by preventing people from using bathrooms that align with their gender identity.

Given these contradictions, colleges and universities may need to take measures to proactively protect their LGBTQ+ students. For example, 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.

University policies can also codify support for LGBTQ+ students in terms of campus functioning, ensuring these students have equal usage of school resources and admittance to school activities. These policies could include things like:

• Incorporating gender-neutral or single-stall restrooms all over campus, with menstrual hygiene products available in all
• Allowing students to select their university housing based on their gender identity as opposed to the sex they were assigned at birth
• Making sure campus health and counseling centers provide staff who are trained in cultural competence and the needs of LGBTQ+ students

How to be an ally to queer students on campus

In this context, an ally can be loosely defined as an individual who does not identify as a member of the LGBTQ+ community themselves but supports LGBTQ+ people and wants to make the world safer and more inclusive for them. Research conducted by the Harvard Business Review indicates that allies who were able to make the most difference in supporting the LGBTQ+ population tended to have 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, and/or defend LGBTQ+ people
• They had humility about their own levels of knowledge and didn’t make advocacy work about themselves

On campus, allyship may look like amplifying LGBTQ+ voices, sharing your own pronouns and always using the preferred name and pronouns of others, and challenging homophobia and transphobia.

Resources for LGBTQ+ student support

There are resources available for LGBTQ+ students navigating the challenges of higher education. Those who are seeking support might look into:

• Campus counseling centers. Many colleges and universities offer free or low-cost on-campus counseling centers for all enrolled students to use. These centers usually have staff who are specifically trained to address the mental health needs of college students.
• Local LGBTQ+ community centers or clinics. If available, spaces like these in your college’s city or town may offer free or low-cost counseling services to queer individuals or may be able to provide a referral.
• On-campus groups. Some universities have queer-focused clubs, from queer networking groups to LGBTQ+ activism groups. Joining such a group may connect you to social support and make it easier to learn about other queer-friendly resources on campus.
• National organizations. Organizations like the Human Rights Campaign and the Trevor Project provide online mental health resources specifically for members of the LGBTQ+ community.
• Online therapy. With online therapy, you can receive counseling services from anywhere with a reliable internet connection, and for a cost that’s less than most in- person therapy services without insurance

Seeking support as an LGBTQIA+ student?

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Benefits of online therapy for students

For students who are unable to find the mental health support they may need on campus, online therapy could be another option worth exploring. With a platform like BetterHelp, you can get matched with a licensed therapist according to your needs and preferences as outlined in a brief questionnaire. You can then meet with your therapist virtually, via phone, video, and/or in-app messaging. Online therapy is also typically more affordable than in-person sessions without insurance.

Research indicates that online therapy may often be as effective as traditional in-person therapy for addressing various mental health concerns, including those more likely to impact LGBTQ+ college students. For example, a 2020 study examined the effectiveness of online therapy for treating depression and anxiety symptoms. Its findings suggest that clients who engaged in online therapy experienced a similar level of symptom reduction as those who engaged in in-person therapy.