Students identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender feel safer at schools with gay-straight alliances, according to a study by Vanderbilt University’s Peabody Research Institute.
The study found bullying reports were significantly lower at schools with the alliances. The students reported having a greater sense of personal safety as well.
Among the study’s findings, students are:
• 52 percent less likely to hear homophobic remarks
• 36 percent less likely to be fearful for their personal safety
• 30 percent less likely to experience homophobic victimization
“Compared to their straight and gender-conforming classmates, LGBTQ students are at an increased risk of victimization in high schools, and our work suggests that GSAs might be a promising solution to this problem,” said Heather Hensman Kettrey, a Peabody Research Institute researcher.
The report is an analysis of 15 independent studies where nearly 63,000 high school students were interviewed.
Gay-straight alliances are protected under the federal Equal Access Act of 1984.
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