Dear John,

This week, the White House made history. During a period of ongoing attacks on transgender children’s access to health care and sports in many states, President Biden signed an Executive Order ensuring safeguards against sexual harassment in education settings prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. This news deserves celebration. LGBTQ+ students now have federal protections against sexual harassment as they attend school and live as their truest selves in the classroom and beyond. This most recent action follows earlier executive orders on preventing and combatting broader forms of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity and advancing racial equity.

Our research on the experiences of LGBTQ+ students in schools reflects the need for policies such as this. In 2019, a majority of LGBTQ+ students (58.3%) had been sexually harassed at school, and 13.4% said that it happened often or frequently. President Biden’s new executive order is a necessary action toward creating an inclusive and supportive school climate for all children in our country. We hope this step makes these statistics less jarring and learning environments more welcoming for students everywhere.

The executive order works to ensure that:

• All students attend school without fear of discrimination, sexual harassment, and sexual violence on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. 

• LGBTQ+ students who have intersecting marginalized identities, including those who are transgender and nonbinary, BIPOC, people with disabilities, and/or English learners, will be protected from discrimination in their schools based on their unique identities and lived experiences.

• Schools will provide appropriate support and resources to students who have experienced these types of discrimination.

We look forward to working with Secretary Cardona and the education department to advance GLSEN’s mission and priorities in the coming days through our research and policy guidance. After the past administration’s obvious attacks against LGBTQ+ youth, we are finally able to breathe knowing that students have obtained federal protections that prohibit and prevent the discrimination many of them face on a daily basis.  

In addition to working with coalition partners to advance protections against sexual harassment in education, our legislative priorities include: 

• Encouraging positive school transformation where every LGBTQ+ student’s identities are affirmed 

• Removing barriers to educational opportunity caused by discrimination, bullying, and harassment

• Centering equity in K-12 learning communities so LGBTQ+ students are able to thrive and reach their full potential. 

Passing the Equality Act is the next essential step to continue our momentum — to get your elected officials to support this legislation, send them a note here. GLSEN has been doing this work for 30 years, and we are so thrilled to see our recommendations put into executive action. This is a promising step toward our school system becoming the true network of support that our nation’s students deserve. We can’t wait to keep up our momentum to advance this vital work.

In solidarity, 
Melanie Willingham-Jaggers
she/they
Interim Executive Director

 

GLSEN Inc.
110 William Street
30th Floor
New York, NY 10038
United States

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