This study explored the relationships between the existence of and length of time since implementation of school-based Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) and explicit antihomophobic bullying policies in secondary schools across British Columbia, Canada, with experiences of anti-gay discrimination, suicidal ideation and attempts among lesbian, gay, bisexual (LGB), mostly heterosexual, and exclusively heterosexual students. Analyses of the province-wide random cluster-stratified 2008 B.C. Adolescent Health Survey (n = 21,708) compared students in schools with GSAs or policies implemented at least 3 years, and less than 3 years, with those in schools without GSAs or anti-homophobia policies, using multinomial logistic regression, separately by gender. LGB students had lower odds of past year discrimination, suicidal thoughts and attempts, mostly when policies and GSAs had been in place for 3+ years; policies had a less consistent effect than GSAs. Heterosexual boys, but not girls, also had lower odds of suicidal ideation and attempts in schools with longer-established antihomophobic bullying policies and GSAs. Given consistently higher documented risk for suicidal ideation and attempts among LGB and mostly heterosexual adolescents, prevention efforts should be a priority, and school-level interventions, such as GSAs, may be an effective approach to reducing this risk, while also offering prevention benefits for heterosexual boys.

Two proposed U.S. federal laws would provide explicit protection for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) students in public schools. These federal laws follow actions by many states and school districts to define and implement laws or policies to protect the safety of LGBTQ students in schools. Research during the past decade has shown that LGBTQ youth are a vulnerable population, and that the negative school experiences of LGBTQ students often contribute to their vulnerability. This Social Policy Report reviews research relevant to these federal, state, and local laws and policies. Research on sexual orientation/identity development is reviewed, with attention to the growing numbers of youth that “come out” or disclose their LGBTQ identities to others during their school‐age years. Schools are often hostile environments for LGBTQ students; this evidence is considered along with research on the consequences for compromised achievement and emotional and behavioral health. We then review strategies in education policy and practice that are associated with well‐being for LGBTQ (and all) students.

Introduction: This study explored how transgender (trans) youth and parents of trans youth made decisions around hormone therapy initiation as well as trans youth experiences of barriers to care. Methods: Participants included 21 trans youth (ages 14-18) and 15 parents of trans youth who resided in British Columbia, Canada. Data for this grounded theory research consisted of transcripts and lifeline drawings collected through semi-structured interviews conducted August 2016 through February 2017.Results: The decision-making processes of youth and of parents are illustrated in three-phase temporal models, starting with discovery, leading to (inter)action while seeking care, and reflection after hormone therapy initiation. Youth who sought hormone therapy were clear about their decision to access this care. Throughout these processes, youth experienced numerous parent-and system-related barriers to care. Youth with the lowest levels of parent support experienced more system barriers, with non-binary/genderfluid youth experiencing greater barriers and less support for hormone therapy than youth with binary genders. A new barrier identified in this study was health care provider imposed requirements for parental involvement and/or approval, which rendered some youth unable access to hormone therapy. Conclusions: Health care providers should be aware of the deliberation and information-seeking in which youth engage prior to seeking care as well as the temporally misaligned decisionmaking processes of youth and parents. Understanding the challenges trans youth experience due to insufficient parental support and system barriers can provide important context for health care providers striving to provide accessible, gender-affirming care and decision-making support for trans youth.

The purpose of this study was to (1) describe risk and protective factors associated with a suicide attempt for Māori youth and (2) explore whether family connection moderates the relationship between depressive symptoms and suicide attempts for Māori youth. Secondary analysis was conducted with 1702 Māori young people aged 12–18 years from an anonymous representative national school-based survey of New Zealand (NZ) youth in 2001. A logistic regression and a multivariable model were developed to identify risk and protective factors associated with suicide attempt. An interaction term was used to identify whether family connection acts as a moderator between depressive symptoms and a suicide attempt. Risk factors from the logistic regression for a suicide attempt in the past year were depressive symptoms (OR = 4.3, p < 0.0001), having a close friend or family member commit suicide (OR = 4.2, p < 0.0001), being 12–15 years old (reference group: 16–18 years) (OR = 2.7, p < 0.0001), having anxiety symptoms (OR = 2.3, p = 0.0073), witnessing an adult hit another adult or a child in the home (OR = 1.8, p = 0.001), and being uncomfortable in NZ European social surroundings (OR = 1.7, p = 0.0040). Family connection was associated with fewer suicide attempts (OR = 0.9, p = 0.0002), but this factor did not moderate the relationship between depressive symptoms and suicide attempt (χ2 = 2.84, df = 1, p = 0.09). Family connection acts as a compensatory mechanism to reduce the risk of suicide attempts for Māori students with depressive symptoms, not as a moderating variable.

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