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Hi John,

We are excited to share our latest research brief from our Research Institute: “ The Experiences of Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) LGBTQ+ Students in U.S. Secondary Schools. [[link removed]] ”

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In GLSEN’s 20+ years of research, we have determined that schools are not safe or welcoming spaces for LGBTQ+ youth, who consistently face hostile school environments due to their sexuality, gender identity, race, and/or ethnicity. LGBTQ+ youth of color are particularly vulnerable to these discriminatory envrionments. Until recently, the specific experiences of Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) students has not been thoroughly studied, and even less studied are the experiences of MENA students who identify as LGBTQ+.

Here are the key findings from our brief:
1.
More
than
half
(61%)
of
MENA
LGBTQ+
students
felt
unsafe
regarding
their
sexual
orientation.
2.
Nearly
half
(46.9%)
of
MENA
LGBTQ+
students
reported
experiencing
harassment
or
assault
based
on
their
race/ethnicity.
3.
More
than
a
third
(39.8%)
of
MENA
LGBTQ+
students
have
missed
at
least
one
day
of
school
in
the
last
month
because
they
felt
unsafe
or
uncomfortable.
4.
MENA
students
are
more
likely
to
experience
religion-based
victimization
than
nearly
all
other
racial/ethnic
groups.

READ THE ENTIRE BRIEF HERE > [[link removed]]

Among LGBTQ+ students in general, experiences with anti-LGBTQ+ victimization at school often result in lower school engagement, attendance, and belonging, as well as lowered educational aspirations, such as graduating high school on time. Victimization also results in a lower psychological well-being, lowered self-esteem, and greater depression. MENA LGBTQ+ students are particularly susceptible to victimization due to the intersections of their identity. Racial, ethnic, and LGBTQ+-biases have been found to compound these negative attitudes at schools.
This report sheds light on one of the most under-researched identities in our country’s school system. It is incredibly important to understand the experiences of Middle Eastern and North African LGBTQ+ students so that we can work toward creating safer, more affirming schools where all students can thrive.

Joe Kosciw, Ph.D.
Director of Research
Pronouns [[link removed]] : He, Him, His

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glsen.org [glsen.org]


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