Latest news with #GLSEN
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Protect gender non-conforming students. That's what Title IX demands
In classrooms across the country, gender non-conforming students are forced to play roles they never auditioned for. They are pressured to fit into outdated scripts about what boys and girls should look and act like. It's a reality that brings to mind "The Catcher in the Rye's" Holden Caulfield: a young person suffocating under society's expectations, longing for authenticity in a world full of "phonies." But while Holden had the privilege to rebel, gender non-conforming youth today face harassment, fear, and institutional neglect simply for showing up as themselves. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits sex-based discrimination in federally funded schools. Recent legal interpretations, including Bostock v. Clayton County (2020), have made it clear that this includes gender identity and expression. Yet, enforcement remains patchy and inconsistent, and schools too often resort to silence instead of safety. More: Cincinnati-area trans people, families 'exhausted' from Trump orders against them According to GLSEN, an education organization working to end discrimination, harassment, and bullying based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression, 71.6% of gender non-conforming students report being verbally harassed because of their gender expression. These students are not safe, and they know it. Title IX, originally passed to ensure educational equity, must be enforced to protect all students, including those who challenge gender norms. We need the U.S. Department of Education to strengthen enforcement and training, Congress to stand firm against rollbacks, and, above all, the public to understand that this isn't about politics. It's about giving every child the freedom to learn without fear, no matter who they are or how they dress. More: University of Cincinnati's 'biological' bathroom signs removed. 'Error' cost $16K No student should be punished for refusing to fit into someone else's story. Elisabeth Sebastian, Fort Wright, Ky. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Title IX means nothing if schools ignore gender identity | Letter
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Parents don't stop fighting for their LGBTQ+ kids
Living in Florida as the parent of LGBTQ+ youth for the past few years has been exhausting. Extremist politicians and special interest groups have masqueraded as protectors of parents' rights in a ruthless quest to silence the increasing diversity of Generation Z and enact discriminatory policies that target LGBTQ+ youth. Keep up with the latest in + news and politics. They don't speak for all parents. I haven't stopped fighting for my kids, and neither should you. This week, GLSEN chapters across the country are supporting students as they speak out and break the silence that stands in the way of mutual understanding. For decades, these Day of No Silence actions have drawn attention to the pervasive bullying that LGBTQ+ youth faced in schools. This year, students like my children are using their voices to raise the alarm about the state of the school experience for LGBTQ+ youth, and will do so this Friday on April 4. Recent data from GLSEN's National School Climate Survey shows that 83% of LGBTQ+ youth are bullied or harassed at school and 59% of LGBTQ+ youth face discriminatory policies or practices at school. In Florida, we've seen this firsthand. The 'Don't Say LGBTQ+' law passed in 2022 started as a targeted restriction for grades K-3, but it evolved into a comprehensive crackdown on free expression that threatened students, teachers, and school districts across the state. The law had an immediate impact on schools, with picture books featuring two moms or two dads being taken off shelves, teachers being told they couldn't talk about their families, and Safe Space stickers removed from classrooms. My nonbinary child was in sixth grade at the time, and I took the State of Florida to court to fight for my child. We all fought back, and a legal settlement last year nullified most of the law's efforts to silence expression related to LGBTQ+ identity. Now, Donald Trump is trying to revive these failed strategies at a national level. It's a true race-to-the-bottom. Trump is working to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education and weaponizing what is left against marginalized students. He's launched investigations into school districts, floated prosecution of teachers, and threatened to withhold federal funds from whole states unless transgender youth are silenced. No matter the noise in Washington, the law itself hasn't changed. Efforts to suppress free expression and undermine equal treatment are contrary to the founding principles of this country and key legal protections. LGBTQ+ students continue to have rights under the U.S. Constitution and federal civil rights laws, including Title IX. School leaders know that everyone benefits from a safe and welcoming learning environment - it's not just the right thing to do, but it's also their legal obligation. We have a lot of work to do to hold the line and ensure that no one - either in school or in government — bullies our kids. It's a fight for our future, and we can't give up now. I'm in. Are you? Jennifer Cousins is a parent of four, including two LGBTQ+ children, living in Orlando, Florida. She serves as the chair of the Central Florida Chapter of GLSEN. For more information, visit Voices is dedicated to featuring a wide range of inspiring personal stories and impactful opinions from the LGBTQ+ community and its allies. Visit to learn more about submission guidelines. Views expressed in Voices stories are those of the guest writers, columnists, and editors, and do not directly represent the views of The Advocate or our parent company, equalpride.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
GESD mom wins fight for preliminary injunction, allowed back on school grounds
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A parent who has won her fight for a preliminary injunction. Carrie Schmidt is now allowed back on school property and at school events. A federal court hearing was held on Thursday. The lawsuit, which spans 70 pages, centers around Schmidt, a mother, who believes this is part of a coordinated effort by the district. Schmidt told FOX4 that both her children and her constitutional rights were being violated. The mother of two previously led efforts to ban certain books in the classroom. At one point, she represented more than 90% of the complaints filed to the district regarding books she believed should be removed. Schmidt volunteers by packing snack packs for the men's and women's wrestling teams. One day, while doing so, she decided to walk around the school. She began taking photos of signs that she claims violate an executive order issued by President Donald Trump, called 'Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schools.' Police investigating shots fired into crowded Lawrence home She believes the executive order places the teacher-posted signs in direct conflict with the law, not because the signs say, 'safe space,' but because of the group GLSEN, which sponsors the sign. She believes the executive order places the teacher-posted signs in direct conflict with the law, not because the signs say, 'safe space,' but because of the group GLSEN, which sponsors the sign. After taking the photos, Schmidt sent them to a popular conservative, anti-LGBTQ Twitter page called 'Libs of TikTok.' One of the photos, which included a teacher's name, was shared by the page, resulting in online threats directed at the teacher. According to a letter from the district sent to Schmidt, the harassment became so severe that, at one point, the teacher had to leave work. That's when Schmidt's ban from school events went into effect. Download the FOX4 News app on iPhone and Android Following Thursday's hearing, Schmidt released the following statement to FOX4: 'No one pays me to fight for our children. The people that attack me without knowing what is going on is something I guess I have to bear. The judge said the district overreacted, which is an understatement in my opinion. The judge said I had done nothing disruptive and that the school district had too thin of skin. The judge put me back with every other parent who can come on the property or anywhere to support my children. Whatever persecution from others ignorant of what is at stake is a price I am willing to make.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Axios
20-03-2025
- Health
- Axios
Politics, discrimination hurt young LGBTQ+ Floridians' mental health
Politics, discrimination and intolerance are contributing to high rates of depression and anxiety among LGBTQ+ young people in Florida, per a new report. At the same time, they're struggling to access mental health care due to cost and lack of support. The big picture: The findings from crisis intervention nonprofit The Trevor Project's late-2023 survey of 984 LGBTQ+ Floridians aged 13-24 give a glimpse into the mental health toll of growing up in America's least gay-friendly state. Case in point: Almost all respondents said recent politics had negatively affected their well-being a lot or sometimes, while 69% said they or their family had considered moving out of state "because of LGBTQ+-related politics and laws." What they're saying: Such policies "oftentimes make these young people feel like their own state has turned against them and does not want them there," said Maxx Fenning, executive director of youth-led LGBTQ+ rights group PRISM. "Florida seems to get redder and redder, but that doesn't make our kids any less queer or trans," said Jen Cousins, Central Florida chapter chair of LGBTQ+ education nonprofit GLSEN and mother of two queer children. "They're still going to be born. They're still going to come into society. We're not going to stop them just because there are intolerant people." By the numbers: More than a third of respondents reported they'd seriously considered suicide in the last year. About one in 10 attempted it. The rates were higher among transgender and nonbinary respondents: 45% considered killing themselves, while 14% tried to. Two-thirds of respondents reported feeling symptoms of anxiety, while 54% said they'd experienced signs of depression. Again, those rates were higher among trans and nonbinary respondents. Between the lines: The report emphasizes that LGBTQ+ young people aren't "inherently prone to higher suicide risk. … Rather, they are placed at higher risk because of how they are mistreated and stigmatized in society." About a quarter of respondents said they had been physically threatened or harmed based on their identity, while 63% said they'd experienced discrimination. Less than half said the community where they live is accepting of LGBTQ+ people. Respondents also reported low rates of support from their family members. How to help:"Trusting that I know who I am" was the top way folks could demonstrate their support, respondents said. That was followed by "Standing up for me" and "Not supporting politicians that advocate for anti-LGBTQ+ legislation." Spending time with and listening to queer youth can go a long way, Cousins said, as can educating yourself through books like " What's the T?" by Juno Dawson. "You cannot support these kids enough," Cousins said. The latest: More than 300 people showed up in Tallahassee this week to kick off Equality Florida's Pride at the Capitol campaign, Fenning said. Organizers said that such work helped defeat 21 of 22 anti-LGBTQ+ bills last year.
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
As a queer former teacher, I know Ohio's bathroom law will harm students
Ohio's anti-trans "bathroom bill" − Senate Bill 104 − requiring K-12 schools and colleges to ensure that students use the bathroom corresponding with their sex assigned at birth went into effect on Feb. 25. Teachers and administrators who care deeply about creating a safe and respectful environment for all students are now in the difficult position of enforcing a law that causes harm to transgender, nonbinary and gender expansive students. As a former teacher, I'll break down some key reasons why this law is both unnecessary and harmful for everyone involved. Teachers already have a lot on their plates. They juggle lesson planning, student safety and countless other responsibilities. Adding "bathroom monitoring" to their list is unreasonable. This law was created by politicians who don't understand the daily realities of teachers or their students. Forcing teachers to follow unnecessary and harmful rules only increases their stress, takes time away from students and takes time away from teaching. This law isn't about protecting students; it's about demonizing transgender students. More: Cincinnati Children's Hospital doesn't threaten minors. Anti-trans politicians do. | Opinion Forcing students to use the wrong bathrooms leaves them feeling unsafe and distressed. According to the Trevor Project's 2024 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People, "53% of LGBTQ+ young people reported experiencing recent symptoms of depression, including nearly three in five transgender and nonbinary young people (59%) and more than two in five cisgender young people (44%)." Creating an environment where students feel unsafe and distressed seven-plus hours a day, five days a week for months out of the year would just add to those numbers in Ohio. Ultimately, teachers want to help their students, but this law creates confusion and limits their ability to provide support. Transgender students already face challenges, and laws like this ignore their needs and cause lasting harm. As Randy Marsh from South Park famously said, "I thought this was America." This law strips away our students' freedom to choose how to express their gender. For many transgender students, being able to use the bathroom that matches their gender identity is essential to their dignity and self-expression. When we take that away, we strip away the freedoms that define us as Americans. In doing so, SB 104 limits freedom of speech and expression - a constitutional right - by forcing people to act and speak in ways that don't reflect who they truly are. Teachers work hard to create safe and inclusive spaces for all students. Research from GLSEN, an organization focused on ending discrimination and bullying of LGBTQ people, shows that LGBTQ+ students feel a stronger sense of belonging when schools adopt inclusive policies. This law undermines those efforts. As someone who grew up queer and attended a public school in Centerville, Ohio, I know how important it is for students to feel safe and supported. School was one of the few places where I could explore my identity without fear. By enforcing this law, we are denying future generations the chance to do the same. Instead of divisive laws like SB 104, let's focus on real issues like school-based violence, access to healthy lunches, educational achievement and more. Let's stop trying to govern bathrooms over baseless claims and start addressing the challenges facing our schools and students. Nico Schrenk is an openly queer LGBTQ+ advocate and public speaker who serves in the Department of External Affairs at Equitas Health as the Name Change Clinic Coordinator for the Ohio Name Change Legal Clinic, which is a partnership between Equitas Health and TransOhio. These legal clinics offer free monthly legal assistance to the transgender, nonbinary, and gender expansive community of Ohio in accessing their legal name changes and/or gender marker changes on identity documents. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Ohio's bathroom law is a cruel attack on trans students
