Teachers in red states are terrified to stand up for LGBTQ+ students

[Jessica_Rose ✅]

Teachers in red states are terrified to stand up for LGBTQ+ students

https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2026/09/teachers-in-red-states-are-terrified-to-stand-up-for-lgbtq-students/ 🔗

Greg Owen (29 Sep 2026)

A new study from the Human Rights Campaign reveals the corrosive effects of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation – and the local school-level policies reinforcing it – on mental health, academic performance, and the overall well-being of LGBTQ+ students.

LGBTQ+ students are much more likely than non-LGBTQ+ students to report having experienced harassment and bullying in the 17 states identified as "negative" in the survey, when it comes to laws and school policy related to LGBTQ+ students, HRC found.

"The report finds that harassment, bullying, and other barriers to LGBTQ+ inclusion are more prevalent in states with limiting policies, where educators report widespread restrictions on LGBTQ+ resources, visible expressions of support, and assistance for transgender students," a statement released with the report says.

"As just one example," HRC revealed, "while 59 percent of educators in states with limiting policies report restrictions on supporting their transgender students, just 6 percent to 8 percent of educators in states with supportive policies report the same, underscoring the impact of these policies on school climate, student well-being, and the stakes of the upcoming midterm elections for LGBTQ+ youth and inclusive classrooms."

36 percent of educators witnessed anti-LGBTQ+ student bullying in states with restrictive LGBTQ+ inclusion policies, while that number dropped to just over a quarter in states with supportive LGBTQ+ inclusion policies.
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@Sarah B