For the first time ever, the 2023 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance (YRBS) data included demographic questions on sexual orientation and gender identity. Youth-serving professionals can now compare the experiences of LGBTQ+ youth to their heterosexual and cisgender peers and the data shows a stark contrast highlighting the safety concerns and mental health distress of LGBTQ+ youth. Here are just a few toplines from the CDC report:

  • Almost one in three (29%) LGBTQ+ youth were bullied on school property in the prior year compared to only one in six (16%) of their heterosexual and cisgender peers.
  • One in five (19%) LGBTQ+ youth skipped school due to safety concerns at least once in the last 30 days, compared with one in ten (10%) of their heterosexual and cisgender peers.
  • One in five (20%) LGBTQ+ youth have attempted suicide in the last year, compared to one in twenty (6%) of their heterosexual and cisgender peers.

It was a previous release of the CDC YRBS data, which at the time only included questions on sexual orientation, that was the impetus for the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRCF) to launch Project THRIVE in 2019. Project THRIVE is a multi-year national campaign to create more equitable, inclusive support systems, and communities for LGBTQ+ youth. Today, the campaign has over thirty national partners including the American Association of School Librarians (AASL).

As students, families, educators, and librarians head back to school this year, there is an opportunity to be a safe and supportive school, library, and community for all students regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. This semester will likely be extra difficult for LGBTQ+ youth and particularly transgender youth, as their very identities are up for debate in the Presidential Election. According to the Trevor Project’s 2024 US National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People, 90% of LGBTQ+ young people said their well-being was negatively impacted due to recent politics and 45% of transgender and non-binary young people reported that they or their family have considered moving to a different state because of LGBTQ+-related politics and laws. Additionally, according to a March 2024 article by The Washington Post, anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes have increased by 166.4% on K-12 campuses this past year. It is imperative, particularly this year, that libraries and librarians be safe and affirming places for transgender students seeking refuge from the political storm that surrounds them.

Libraries have and can continue to be that safe haven for students. They often serve as a quiet place for students to collect themselves and a space to explore their identities and communities through inclusive books and resources. As Julia Stivers, a school librarian and member of AASL, highlighted in a recent Project THRIVE webinar, “libraries act as places of expression,” and allow students to realize their authentic selves. When students see themselves reflected in the books in their library, it can affirm who they are, provide possibility/role models for future opportunities, and provide a sense of belonging in reminding students that they are not alone in who they are. This is why book bans are so dangerous for transgender youth and why it is so important to have age-appropriate books and materials in your library this year. It is for this very reason that HRCF partners with the National Education Association (NEA) and AASL on the National Day of Reading to celebrate stories supporting transgender and non-binary youth. Additionally, HRCF’s Welcoming Schools Booklists provide age-appropriate book ideas for your library.

Libraries and librarians can make the difference in the lives of their transgender students by being the safe place and affirming adults that these youth desperately need. HRCF along with 14 Project THRIVE partners, including AASL, have created the 2024 Back-to-School Checklist that features best practices and policies to support LGBTQ+ and particularly transgender students. This school year, make a positive impact in your school for your students by creating a haven where all students do not just survive, but thrive.