Sharing your identity with friends, family, and community should be empowering and affirming, but for LGBTQIA+ young people, coming out is often scary rather than a moment of celebration.
According to the 2023 National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ Young People, fewer than 40% of LGBTQ young people found their home to be LGBTQ-affirming, and the majority of LGBTQ young people experienced verbal harassment at school. The survey also showed that the spread of anti-LGBTQ policies and legislation across the country has had a significant impact on mental health.
If you’re wondering how you can help, one action step you can take is learning more about the list of topics that LGBTQ young people reported would be helpful for the people in their lives to know more about.
Take ownership of your learning and encourage the young people you care for to learn more too, whether or not they are LGBTQIA+. Support, acceptance, and safe spaces are critical. Over the years, national surveys have consistently shown the life-saving impact of affirmation and a supportive community.
Browse these titles
Books are a great way to start a conversation about love, identity, coming out, and allyship. If you’re looking for more support, check out our Social Emotional Learning Kit about gender identity, or one of our Discovery Kits about pronouns.
Explore the virtual tutorial: Book Club on Demand: 'Tegan & Sara: Junior High'
Read and discuss Tegan and Sara: Junior High, an autobiographical graphic novel about a pair of twins surviving the 7th grade at a new school. This on-demand virtual book discussion guide provides discussion questions and links to music by Tegan and Sara. Click the play button to get started!
About Hal
Hal is a children’s librarian who specializes in serving LGBTQ+ young people and their allies. He is passionate about identity exploration through collaborative storytelling and imaginative play.