GLSEN’s Latest Research Brief Demonstrates the Power of Inclusive Learning

For Immediate Release: July 18, 2024

GLSEN’s Latest Research Brief Demonstrates
the Power of Inclusive Learning for LGBTQ+ Youth

GLSEN Calls on Educators and Policymakers to Utilize Its Comprehensive Findings and Methods to Create More Inclusive Learning Environments as LGBTQ+ Youth Return to School

New York, NY (July 18, 2024) - Today, GLSEN, the leading education organization dedicated to creating safe and inclusive K-12 schools and learning environments for LGBTQ+ youth, releases its Inclusive Learning Research Brief, which compiles data on the importance of inclusive instruction, school books, and school media centers (or internet). As school resumes this fall, GLSEN calls on educators, administrators, and policymakers to utilize the brief’s key findings to narrow their pursuit of a safe and inclusive learning environment for all students.

The brief synthesizes over two decades of research from GLSEN’s National School Climate Survey (NSCS) and other studies on the positive impacts of inclusive instructional materials (including textbooks), school library resources, internet access, and other learning resources with uplifting representations of LGBTQ+ people; Black, Indigenous, and people of color; and people with disabilities.

"At GLSEN, we believe that every student deserves a learning environment where they feel seen, valued, and respected," said Melanie Willingham-Jaggers, Executive Director of GLSEN. "The findings in our new research brief highlight the undeniable positive impact of LGBTQ+ inclusive learning on LGBTQ+ youth. We call on educators, administrators, and policymakers to act on these insights and commit to creating classrooms where all students can thrive."

Chris Schmeckpeper-Kobzina, GLSEN Collier County Chapter Lead, emphasized the local impact, stating, “In Florida, the surge in censorship, book bans, and attacks on LGBTQ+ youth has created an increasingly hostile environment for our students. The need for inclusive resources has never been more urgent. When LGBTQ+ youth see themselves reflected in their curriculum and library books, it not only validates their identities but also fosters a sense of belonging and safety. This research brief underscores the critical need for educators and policymakers to champion inclusivity and ensure that all students have access to supportive and affirming resources in our schools.”

For decades, GLSEN’s NSCS has examined the relationship between being taught any positive representations of LGBTQ+ people, history, and topics at school and LGBTQ+ youth wellbeing and educational success. For the first time, the Inclusive Learning Research Brief utilizes NSCS data to evaluate the impacts of LGTBQ+ inclusive school libraries, textbooks and other instructional materials, and school internet access.

The following key findings are available in GLSEN’s Inclusive Learning Research Brief:

70% of LGBTQ+ youth with access to many LGBTQ+ inclusive school library resources said they felt accepted by their peers, compared to 39% of LGBTQ+ youth with access to only a few inclusive school library resources.
LGBTQ+ youth with access to sex education that addressed sexual orientation and gender identity were less likely to report missing school due to feeling unsafe.
LGTBQ+ inclusive textbooks, school library books, and school internet are associated with youth being less likely to report feeling unsafe because of their LGBTQ+ identity and missing school because they felt unsafe.

The full brief can be found here.

ABOUT GLSEN

GLSEN, the nation’s largest advocate for LGBTQ+ issues in K-12 education, has been dedicated to establishing inclusive schools and learning environments for over 34 years. Amidst increasing threats against LGBTQ+ youth nationwide, GLSEN actively addresses harassment and discrimination by empowering educators, advocating for policy changes, and combating book bans through its Rainbow Library Program, which provides LGBTQ+ affirming literature to over 6 million students across 30 states.

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GLSEN’s Latest Research Brief Demonstrates the Power of Inclusive Learning