Creating LGBTQ+ Inclusive Classrooms

It’s hard to believe it, but for some, back to school is already around the corner! As we prepare to set up our rooms and routines, it is important to consider how we can make our classes inclusive for LGBTQ+ students. Creating an inclusive classroom does not need to be a big or massive production. You don’t need to buy a fancy curriculum or do a complete overhaul of what you’re currently implementing. Many of the ideas I’m going to share are simple changes that can be made quickly and easily. 

Source: Freepik

Source: Freepik

Educate Yourself

First and foremost, education is a really powerful tool. It is important to understand the vocabulary and terms that exist within the LGBTQ+ community (asexual, pansexual, etc.), as well as the ones society reinforces (i.e. the gender binary). I am not telling you to memorize every single term. However, I am encouraging you to seek out these terms and at least become familiar with them. 

Joe Tong is in the process of releasing his animated series #100daysofqueer. He is taking terms from QMUNITY’s Queer Terminology publication and creating helpful animations that break down and define those terms. Check out the series on his Instagram page. These would be great to share out to your staff/co-workers in a daily email.

Get Rid of Gendered Language

Phrases like “boys and girls,” “you guys,” or “ladies and gentlemen” are so common in classrooms. According to GLSEN’s report on Trasngender Youth in American Schools, it is estimated that 150,000 students between the ages of 13 and 17 identify as transgender or gender non-conforming. Therefore, many students do not fit neatly into the gender labels we so often use in class. Using gendered language can subtly alienate students, so we should work to avoid using these phrases. 

Try these instead:

  • Everyone

  • Students

  • Learners

  • Name of your school’s mascot (i.e. Cougars)

  • Scientists/Mathematicians/Readers

It will definitely take some practice, and you’ll probably mess up (I still do sometimes). Spend the rest of the summer using gender neutral language in everyday conversations. If you mess up in front of students, self-correct with a gender neutral phrase and move on. Practice makes perfect!

Be Mindful of How You Sort/Group Students

When you assign student seats, do you alternate boys and girls? When you divide the class for an activity, do you have boys go to the one side of the room and girls to the other? 

Again, when we ask students to put themselves into a male/female box, we reinforce the gender binary and tell them they have to choose one or the other. Consider other ways you can group students.

Ask for Student Pronouns...

We shouldn’t assume someone’s gender identity based on how they look or act. It is so important to normalize asking for pronouns so students learn not to make those assumptions too. You can do this by adding a section on your “Get to Know You” sheets that you hand out during the first week of school. If you aren’t doing something like this already, I highly recommend it. You can learn so much about your students through these sheets.

...But Don’t Force Them to Share Their Pronouns Publicly

I am comfortable in my identity. However, when I first started using they/them pronouns, it made me very anxious to announce that in a room full of people because more often than not, I was the only non-binary person in the room. It automatically made me “different.” Imagine that same scenario for a college student. A high school student. A middle school student. Some students are not ready to announce their pronouns, and subsequently, their identities, to the class. And we need to be mindful of this. 

Let’s go back to the “Get to Know You” sheet. When you ask for student pronouns, you can add these follow-up questions:

  • May I use your pronouns in front of other students? Yes/No

  • May I use your pronouns when I contact home? Yes/No

  • May I use your pronouns when I talk to other teachers? Yes/No

  • Would you like to follow up with me about any of the information you’ve given? Yes/No (or give them a space to write)

When you frame it like this, you give students so much power and autonomy over their identities. You also allow them to tell you their comfort level with their pronouns. Some students may be ready for their peers to know but not their families/caregivers. 

I highly recommend checking out @teachlikeagirl’s post about creating name plates. She discusses a subtle, inclusive way for students to opt in (or out) when it comes to visibly sharing their pronouns. You can also read more about this topic here.

Include LGBTQ+ Stories in Your Classroom Libraries

Books are windows, mirrors, and doors for our students. They need to be able to see themselves as well as others who are different from them in the texts they read. If you are unable to purchase books for your own classroom library, try and work with your school library to include more LGBTQ+ titles.

It is super important to note that these books should not be labeled “LGBTQ+” or placed in a special LGBTQ+ section. These stories exist within every genre and should not be singled out. 

Here are LGBTQ+ book lists I created to help get you started:

These lists are definitely not comprehensive. Check out your local libraries and see what LGBTQ+ titles they have in their collections. You can borrow them for your classroom too! Gender Inclusive Classrooms also has a phenomenal book list for grades K-5.

Incorporate LGBTQ+ Themes Across Contents

Incorporating LGBTQ+ themes and ideas into your curriculum doesn’t need to be a big or difficult task. In fact, many content areas naturally lend themselves to this integration. 

I hosted an Instagram series where I posted suggestions about how to incorporate LGBTQ+ narratives in different content areas. I encouraged others to comment with what they do in their own classes, and the response was amazing! I learned so much and have new ideas on how I can incorporate more this year.

Check them out here:

Stop Bullying in Its Tracks

LGBTQ+ students experience significantly more bullying compared to their heterosexual peers. Approximately 70% of students are bullied because of their sexual orientation (HRC) and 66% of students heard phrases like “that’s so gay” being used negatively in classrooms (GLSEN). 

I cannot stress enough how important it is to stop bullying behavior as soon as it starts. However, you need to make students part of the process. Simply telling a student, “Don’t say that” isn’t enough. This does nothing to explain to the student why what they’re saying is wrong. When students understand the “why” and learn to develop empathy, they are less likely to engage in these behaviors. 

When you hear homophobic remarks, follow these four steps (adapted from Julie Olsen Edwards):

  1. Find out what students think

    • Listen, ask questions, pay attention to ideas 

      • Why did they say it? What were they trying to accomplish?

    • Let students know they’ve been heard

  2. Tell the truth

    • Give accurate information and check to see what students are thinking/feeling/understanding

      • Do students understand why the phrase is harmful? Do they understand what their words mean?

    • Phrase it in terms of justice/injustice 

      • Why was the statement fair/unfair?

  3. State the justice issue

    • What is kind/hurtful? How do we know?

  4. Speak your values

    • “In this classroom we don’t use that phrase because…”



This definitely isn’t a comprehensive list of every possible thing you can do to create an inclusive classroom for LGBTQ+ students, but it is an awesome start. I would also like to take a second to acknowledge the privilege some educators may have over others. Unfortunately, support for LGBTQ+ students is not equal in many areas. I am fortunate to be able to implement all of these strategies in my classroom, but I know that is not the case for every teacher. I promise, even if you are only able to implement one or two of these ideas, you are making a difference. 

While this blog post focuses specifically on LGBTQ+ inclusive classrooms, it is important to remember that there are many other ways to create safe and inclusive classrooms for all students. Check out these additional resources below!