A Spirit of Hope
Today is Spirit Day, GLAAD’s annual event to show support for LGBTQ youth and speak out against bullying—both personal bullying and the sweeping bullying of anti-LGBTQ laws and rhetoric.
Schools/Education
“Banned Together” Auction Will Help Send LGBTQ-Inclusive Books to Schools
Nonprofit Pride and Less Prejudice has donated over 16,000 LGBTQ-inclusive picture books to elementary classrooms since 2019—and if their 2024 virtual auction meets its goal, they will be able to send 1,600 more. The auction runs today through Sunday (September 26 to 29), so check out some of the amazing celebrity items you can bid on!
5 New Books to Support Transgender Youth in School and Beyond
Five books out this year offer invaluable resources for educators and others seeking to support transgender and gender nonconforming students and make schools places where children of all gender identities may learn and flourish.
40+ School-Themed, LGBTQ-Inclusive Picture Books
Schools have formed a common setting for LGBTQ-inclusive picture books for more than 40 years! Here are some titles both new and old, perfect for back-to-school time and throughout the school year!
LGBTQ Back-to-School Resources: 2024 Edition
It’s that time again! Here are some of my best tips for LGBTQ parents with kids in school; LGBTQ-inclusive, school-related book recommendations; and my updated annual resource list about creating welcoming schools, developing inclusive curricula, supporting LGBTQ youth in sports, countering book bans, and more.
Biden Administration Strengthens Title IX Nondiscrimination Protections for LGBTQ Students and Others
The U.S. Department of Education has released regulations that will better protect LGBTQ students, sexual violence survivors, and others against discrimination in schools. Regulations addressing the inclusion of transgender, nonbinary, and intersex students in school sports, however, are still pending.
Make Some Noise Today for LGBTQ Youth
It’s a day to say gay—and lesbian, bi, transgender, and queer! GLSEN’s annual Day of Silence has been rebranded this year as the Day of (No) Silence, a time for LGBTQ students and their allies to take action against anti-LGBTQ harassment and discrimination in schools.
New Study Looks at How Children of LGBTQ Parents Experience Stigma at School
A new study of LGBTQ parents found that two-thirds of the participants—and especially trans parents—said their children experienced structural and/or interpersonal stigma at school. The parents, however, shared a variety of proactive and reactive ways they worked to prevent or offset such stigma.
Florida Students Can Now “Say Gay/LGBTQ” After Major Settlement
Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay/LGBTQ” law has been defanged. More than a dozen Florida parents, students, and teachers, plus LGBTQ organizations Equality Florida and Family Equality, who had challenged the law’s constitutionality, reached a settlement yesterday that removes the most harmful, anti-LGBTQ aspects of the legislation.
“The Advocate Educator”: An Invaluable Guide to Supporting Trans and Nonbinary Students
A new, action-oriented guide for educators and others wanting to create supportive school environments for trans and nonbinary youth is set to be one of the most important LGBTQ-related books of the year. The authors spoke with me about their work.
