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Updated October 2025
THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENT FOR LGBTQ+ AND ALLY STUDENTS
Postsecondary students nationwide are facing increased cost of tuition and housing along with diminishing resources available on campus. On top of these challenges, LGBTQ+ students face unique challenges. The community includes various sexual orientations, gender identities, and backgrounds, resulting in different forms of mistreatment that impact their educational access and success.
Understanding these challenges is crucial for advisors, administrators, and educators to better support both LGBTQ+ students and their allies, helping them thrive and fostering a more welcoming world.
UNIQUE NEEDS OF LGBTQ+ STUDENTS
LGBTQ+ students are more likely to face harassment, mental health issues, and financial challenges compared to their peers. They report mistreatment on campus, higher debt (averaging $14,769 more), and poorer mental health outcomes. About 22% move away from their hometown to find more welcoming college environments, compared to just 5% of non-LGBTQ+ students.
WHY IT MATTERS
LGBTQ+ students' sense of belonging is lower (71.9%) than that of their peers (83.5%), which impacts their academic success. Fostering a welcoming campus is vital for their retention and well-being.
"In a cultural moment when LGBTQ+ identity is being policed, silenced, and erased in education, it's important to have LGBTQ+ voices in higher education." - Robyn, Kevin Hummer Flagship Scholar
Part of creating that welcoming environment is having allies as supporting members of LGBTQ+ students’ communities.
“I think that allies have a really important role in supporting the community everyday, whether it's moving giant pieces of protective policy or just small everyday acts of allyship.” - Elliot, Point Scholar
HOW TO SUPPORT LGBTQ+ STUDENTS
1. Share Resources: Direct students to alternative support from LGBTQ+ and ally organizations like Point Foundation. You can find more of Point’s resources at pointfoundation.org/resources
2. Support Changemakers: Encourage visibility and support through LGBTQ+ and ally staff groups and mentorship roles. For more guidance, see Point’s resource on collaborating with student changemakers.
3. Know Students' Rights: Educate students about their rights using resources from GLSEN, Lambda Legal, and the Southern Poverty Law Center.
4. Create Supportive Environments: Build a supportive environment by displaying LGBTQ+ symbols and participating in safe space training.
CONCLUSION
As postsecondary resources decline, the role of allies in supporting LGBTQ+ students is more crucial than ever. If Educators, administrators, and campus communities can create welcoming environments, providing resources, and are visible allies, we can help these students thrive and build a better future for all.
