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-LGBTQQ Youth 101: A Comprehensive Manual for School Counselors is now available!

Congratulations to GSSC's Austin Laufersweiler:
GLSEN's Student Advocate of the Year!!!

This time last year, I was another gay student trapped in the proverbial closet. Silenced by the hostility of my peers and the indifference of my teachers, I became invisible. I sacrificed the authenticity of my emotions for a false sense of acceptance. In spite of my pain and isolation, denial seemed easier than the alternative. It was familiar and safe. Yet even in denial, my sexuality was questioned. I was bullied and called a “faggot.” I faced harassment in the hallways and was forced to change my route to class.

In the midst of these experiences, I knew that something had to change- not just for me, but for all the other students at my school who, because of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression, were too afraid to be themselves. I also knew that change, no matter how much one hopes for it, does not happen on its own; it requires activism, persistence and deep-seated conviction. I certainly had conviction; what I lacked, however, was the confidence to effectively challenge the status quo. Discouraged, I crawled back inside my closet. Change, I decided, would have to wait.

Several days later, I stopped by the school counseling office to inquire about my schedule. As I walked passed the office of one of the counselors, I noticed a Safe Space sticker on her door. Although presumably insignificant to most students, this sticker gave me a feeling of safety I had never before experienced at school and it reignited within me that familiar hunger for change. With this new sense of hope and support, I asked the counselor to consider being the sponsor for a Gay-Straight Alliance; she excitedly complied. This partnership sparked a movement I could have never anticipated. Since that fateful afternoon, I have helped launch several successful campaigns at my school including the Day of Silence, Think B4 You Speak and a modified Safe Space training for faculty members. I have taken my message for safer schools to college classrooms, town hall meetings and academic symposiums, calling on educators to step up as advocates for LGBTQQ youth. I am also working with a local middle school to develop a mentoring program for LGBTQQ students and a workshop for faculty members. This October, I will be honored as GLSEN’s first-ever Student Advocate of the Year at the Respect Awards in Los Angeles. And to think, it all started with a sticker.

This story is a testament to those seemingly “little” things that can ultimately make a significant difference. In the words of my friend, Dr. Anneliese Singh, “school counselors do not empower students; they merely create a space where students feel safe enough to empower themselves.”

To all the educators who help create that space, I extend my deepest gratitude. Your support means more than perhaps you will ever know.