Understanding Institutional Support and Service Experiences of Lesbian and Gay Youth

Abstract

Sexual minority youth, such as youth that identifies as lesbian or gay, often face many specific issues related to their sexual orientation that require institutional support and services, yet little is known about their experiences receiving support and using services. This research aims to explore the institutional support and services experiences of lesbian and gay youth. A qualitative method is used to analyze the experiences of lesbian and gay youth age 16 to 25, who received support or used services either from educational institutions or lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other non-heterosexual and gender-diverse support organizations. Their stories reveal that various factors influence how they perceive the effectiveness of the support and services. This research offers insight into how school staff can provide effective support and services that meet the needs of sexual minority youth. Keywords: sexual minority youth, gay, lesbian, institutional support, educational institution, LGBTQ+ support organization