K-12 Education
Last updated September 9, 2022
Youth
General
LGBTQ: Understanding Sexual Orientation and Gender Identities by TEEN LINE in 2015 | This 15-minute YouTube video features the founder of this website, Chris Angel (they/them), as someone who was both interviewed and a co-producer of the overall video. Hear from youth in Los Angeles, CA about their coming out process, support, and embracing their identities. Professionals speak to the importance of support, safety, and celebrating individuality. It’s been used in high school classes and clubs for LGBTQ+ 101 education, though it’s appropriate viewing for anyone and holds well to the present day.
Matthew’s Place | Words by & for LGBTQ+ youth
Queer Kid Stuff | Educational YouTube series that explains LGBTQIA identities and issues to young children and their parents
Rainbow Book List | Over 100 books covering LGBTQ+ inclusion for youth from birth to age 18
The Gender Book | A fun, colorful, community-based resource, which illustrates the beautiful diversity of gender - a gender 101 for anyone and everyone.
Events
These are some events GSA’s tend to organize throughout the academic year:
Day of Silence | Student-led national event where folks take a vow of silence to highlight the silencing and erasure of LGBTQ people at school. The 2021 Date: April 23rd
National Coming Out Day | October 11th yearly
No Name-Calling Week | Organized by K-12 educators and students to end name-calling and bullying in schools
Solidarity Week | Solidarity Week is a student-powered campaign dedicated to building collective support for LGBTQ+ students and educators. This week-long program helps people learn about and practice solidarity with different identities.
Spirit Day | Anti-bullying campaign and yearly pledge to stop bullying by wearing purple
Transgender Day of Visibility | In 2009, TDOV started to celebrate the victories & accomplishments of transgender and gender non-conforming people while continuing the awareness of the work still needed to save trans lives.
For more events, check out LGBTQ Awareness Events
GSA-Specific Resources
Support for Student-led Clubs | Informative and educational resources for students/educators when starting new club
GSA Network | Trans and queer youth uniting for racial and gender justice
GSA Network National Directory | Directory of the National Association of GSA Networks
GSI Pronoun Stickers | Our official Etsy store! Discounts are available for events and large quantities. Proceeds support the costs to run GSI and keep our directory updated and ad-free. Please contact the shop owner for a quote.
Legal Resources and Rights
Cultivating Respect: Safe Schools for All | Additional links and training for schools PFLAG recommend here
GLAD: Legal Advocates and Defenders | Serving the New England area, including issues regarding LGBTQ youth
GLSEN | LGBT schools issues, reports, and guides – Model Laws & Policies
It Gets Better Project | Inspires people across the globe to share their stories; great for lesson plans
Know Your Rights: A guide for LGBT high school students | A list of rights for LGBTQ students
Know Your Rights: A Guide for Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Students | A pamphlet published by the ACLU and GLSEN. It covers issues commonly faced by transgender and GNC students in public schools by identifying students’ rights and providing the corresponding authority guaranteeing those rights.
Teachers, School Staff, Family
“But I’m Not Gay”: What Straight Teachers Need to Know About Queer Theory | Elizabeth J. Meyer’s article describes how the persistence of homophobia and the related tool of sexism in schools harm everyone in the community and how gender codes work to limit the opportunities available to students and teachers in schools and society, addresses the concepts of language and discourse and how understanding this form of power is essential to understanding how to transform school cultures and explains several of the key ideas in Queer Theory that are most relevant to educators working in schools today.
Everyone Is Gay | For family and educators of LGBTQ+ young people; includes advice
Family Equality Resource Library | Features a wide range of resources, including book lists, guides, and considerations for making classrooms more LGBTQ+ inclusive
Gender Wheel Curriculum | Holistic & nature-based approach to gender and draws from multiple disciplines for a broader understanding. Adaptable to any age; currently available materials focus on Ages 0-10. Also features Playing with Pronouns Game Cards & Kits
Get To Know You Sheet 2.0 | Created by Ace Schwarz (they/them) of Teaching Outside the Binary, this name + pronoun sheet will help you honor your students and their wishes.
Just the Facts about Sexual Orientation and Youth | A Primer for Principals, Educators and School Personnel by the American Psychological Association (APA) and 12 other organizations. The information in this booklet has been developed by a coalition of education, health, mental health, and religious organizations that share a concern for the health and education of all students in schools, including lesbian, gay, and bisexual students.
National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) | Fact sheets, toolkits, and other resources regarding LGBQ youth and Transgender youth
NCTE: National Council of Teachers of English | The Guidelines for Gender-Fair Use of Language offer suggestions for language use that will open rather than close possibilities and that speakers and writers should consider when engaged in communication activities that include: writing papers and publications, preparing handouts and materials, designing and delivering oral presentations, speaking with students, parents, and community members, working with students, developing curriculum selecting texts and media, and exploring language use in classrooms serving on local, regional, and national committees
Stop Bullying | Provides information to educate and stop bullying, including defining what bullying is, tips for prevention, and more.
Suggested Reading by PFLAG NYC | Books for parents and families, coming out, children, teens, and more.
Teaching Tolerance | K-12 classroom lessons, materials, and toolkits
TransYouth Family Allies | Partners with educators, service providers, and communities to develop supportive environments in which gender may be expressed and respected
Welcoming Schools | Improving school climate in elementary school environments with training, resources, and lessons