Classrooms need to be safe and welcoming spaces for all children, including children and teens who identify as LGBTQ+. And teachers need to have all the tools to nurture and support all learners and build a classroom community that is inclusive and inviting. To that end, we have pulled together resources to educate ourselves, our classrooms, and our school communities to better support our LGBTQ+ students and colleagues.
This post has been updated as of June 6, 2025.
LGBTQ+ History
- The Facing History & Ourselves website offers "ideas and guidance on how to incorporate LGBTQ+ voices and history into your teaching.”
- LGBTQ History.org has created a LGBTQ Rights Timeline in American History that spans from Colonial Life and Founding of the Nation (1607-1770) to The 21st Century Transformation (2000-Present). The website also offers lesson plans, and video and multimedia resources.
Inclusion Resources
- The ABCs of L.G.B.T.Q.I.A.+ via The New York Times
- The Human Rights Campaign Foundation's Welcoming Schools Organization resources
- Glossary of terms that relate to the LGBTQ community via the Trevor Project
- The Coming Out Handbook via the Trevor Project
- The Annual National Mental Health Survey highlights the needs and struggles of LGBTQ+ students in the U.S. Via the Trevor Project.
- A Guide To Gender Identity Terms via National Public Radio
- EDTalks: Creating Gender Inclusive Schools by Jason Bucklin
Applying Your Learning
If you are looking for ways to make your classroom more safe and inclusive for LGBTQ students, these resources may be helpful.
- Supporting LGBTQ+ Youth via National Education Association. Also included is a link to their resource toolkit.
- Heinemann’s Writing as Healing podcast series was joined by Willie Carver Edward Taylor Jr. to talk about writing as a way to unravel your personal truth and as a mechanism to clear your heart and head.
- U.S. Department of Education provides a page on Supporting Transgender Youth in School
- Gender-Diverse & Transgender Children Definitions + Additional Information & Resources via The American Academy of Pediatrics' Healthy Children Organization
- GLSEN (The Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network) has a number of resources and toolkits
- Incorporation of LGBTQ+ Studies in K-12 Education via the American Federation of Teachers
Ally Resources
As teachers, caregivers, and community members it’s important to seek out opportunities for professional development and self-work.
- Bystander Intervention to Stop LGBTQ+ Harassment and De-escalation Training Workshop via Right to Be
- LGBTQ Inclusive School: Action Planning via GLSEN
- LGBTQ+ Student Experiences at HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities). "Dig into the experiences of LGBTQ+ students, and learn how to support inclusive practices at HBCUs," via Best Colleges.
- Report on Being an LGBTQ+ Ally via The Human Rights Campaign Foundation
- A Guide for Supporting Transgender Students in K-12 Schools guide via The Human Rights Campaign Foundation
- GLAAD Resource List works through entertainment news, and digital media to share stories from the LGBTQ community that accelerate acceptance.
- Stories & Numbers. Helping students, parents, and school personnel create safe and supportive schools for LGBTQ and and all youth, brought to you by OutYouth, Equality Texas, and The University of Texas at Austin Department of Human Development and Family Sciences.
- Caregivers Toolkit from Texas GSA Network. Out Youth's Texas Gender & Sexuality Alliance (GSA) Network connects and empowers LGBTQIA2+ and allied youth leaders statewide so they can fearlessly be themselves while making schools safer for everyone.
- Be a Beacon TX provides LGBTQIA+ Competency Training for K-12 Staff to be a beacon of compassion and acceptance for youth of all sexual orientations and gender identities on their campuses.
- Q+ EDU Parent Support imagines what the world would look like if schools actually met the needs of LGBTQIAP2+ students. This interactive virtual experience is designed to connect, inform, and empower LGBTQIAP2+ and ally students, parents, and educators. Content will cover queer life, student
leadership, parent support, education advocacy, and queer sex and relationships. This project
has been organized by individuals from the Central Texas GSA Coalition, the Texas GSA Network,
and Out Youth. - Family Acceptance Project is a research, intervention, education and policy initiative to prevent health and mental health risks for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer-identified (LGBTQ) children and youth, including suicide, homelessness, drug use and HIV — in the context of their families, cultures and faith communities. They use a research-based, culturally grounded approach to help ethnically, racially and religiously diverse families learn to support their LGBTQ children.
- Out Youth Support for Families. Out Youth serves Central Texas LGBTQIA+ (lesbian/gay/bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning, intersex, and asexual) youth and their allies with programs and services to ensure these promising young people develop into happy, healthy, successful adults.
This post was originally published on June 8, 2022. Check back for updates and share with fellow educators.
