Supporting our LGBT Youth

According to Chung and Bemak (2012), advocacy does not stop at counseling skills and multicultural competencies. An advocate must possess other qualities such as commitment, energy, motivation, passion, flexibility, and tenacity (Chung & Bemak, 2012). One must also understand institutional barriers to change and social change models (Chung & Bemak, 2012).

As counselors, we must assess ourselves and question our actions. Are we truly putting in the work to create systematic change? I ask myself this same question as I work with the LGBT students at my school.

LGBT students are still faced with a hostile school climate (Gonzalez, 2017). Unfortunately, for many LGBT students, it is likely that they feel unsafe at school and are absent from school due to those safety concerns (Gonzalez, 2017). Research also shows that school personnel may not consistently intervene when anti-LGBT bullying or harassment occurs (Gonzalez, 2017). As counselors, we should not turn our cheek when we become aware of such harassment. We should also not let other school personnel sweep bullying under the rug either. Oftentimes, our LGBT youth feel as though they do not have a voice. Counselors are here to provide a voice for the unvoiced. We want to provide all students a safe space and empower students to become the best they can be.

How do we do that for our LGBT youth? According to Roe (2013), support from school counselors is linked to lower victimization and suicide rates. To support our LGBT youth, one must be a visible LGBT advocate, intervene when harassment occurs, and use inclusive language (Simons, Hutchison, & Bahr, 2017). Believe it or not, our students are observant. Students will often observe our office for supportive symbols (Roe, 2013). Hence, placing a LGBT ally/advocate poster or sticker in your office can make a world of difference. Additionally, counselors can create LGBT-inclusive curriculum in their program to show support (Gonzalez, 2017). Research has also found that support can be in the form of groups such as Gay Straight Alliances (Roe, 2013). We can check our school’s extracurricular groups to ensure there is a supportive group of LGBT youth or we can sponsor/create groups at our schools if they do not exist. Additionally, counselors can identify community resources that are supportive of the LGBT community. Therefore, counselors and community members can join forces to create more inclusive school environments.

Overall, we must be cognizant of our actions and words. We must ensure that we are inclusive, and we do not have a blind eye to bullying and harassment. Support can be given in the simplest way just by having a rainbow in your office. As counselors, we really can make a difference. Join me in changing the world. I’ll meet you on the other side of the rainbow.

References

Chung, R.C., & Bemak, F. P. (2009). Social justice counseling: The next steps beyond

multiculturalism in application, theory, and practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Gonzalez, M. (2017). Advocacy for and with LGBT students: An explanation of high school

            counselor experiences. Professional School Counseling, 20(1), 38-46.

Roe, S. (2013). “Put it out there that you are willing to talk about anything”: The role of school

counselors in providing support to gay and bisexual youth. Professional School Counseling, 17(1), 153-162.

Simons, J.D., Hutchinson, B., & Bahr M. W. (2017). School advocacy for lesbian, gay, and

            bisexual students: Intentions and practice. Professional School Counseling, 20(1), 29-37.