Due to the invisible nature of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) undergraduate population, it is difficult for student affairs professionals at community colleges to identify and address the needs of sexual minority students on campus. Given the lack of literature regarding LGBTQ students at community colleges, student…

Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) are often the starting places for conversations about students with disabilities in higher education. Section 504 and the ADA provide mandates for protection from discrimination and provision of reasonable disability accommodations (e.g., sign language…

Community colleges are among the most diverse institutions in the American higher education system. Students across lifestyles, creeds, racial/ethnic backgrounds, gender groups, ability levels, and socioeconomic status reflect the legacy of two-year institutions to provide educational opportunities for many on the margins of full participation.…

This article describes the rationale and design of The Reduction of Stigma in Schools--an innovative professional development program that aims to empower educators to create supportive learning environments for LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) students. Part of a larger evaluation study, the authors illustrate how the core…

Traditionally, student issues regarding disability and sexuality have been viewed and addressed in isolation on college campuses. However, students with multiple minority identities are in need of services and personnel that are responsive to their unique needs as members of two historically oppressed minority groups. This qualitative exploration…

This meta-synthesis of empirical and nonempirical literature analyzed 24 journal articles and book chapters that addressed the intersection of disability, [homo]sexuality, and gender identity/expression in P-12 schools, colleges and universities, supported living programs, and other educational and social contexts in Australia, Belgium, Canada,…

This paper examines aspects of coming out as a gay or lesbian person through the models of identity development presented in the literature as well as presenting some findings from face-to-face in-depth interviews conducted with young people telling us what it is like to grow up and identify oneself as gay. The coming out process is set in the…

College students with disabilities who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) represent diverse cultural minorities with multiple service needs involving disabilities, identities, and adjustment strategies. This article discusses LGBT college students with disabilities as multiple cultural minorities with a focus on educational…

In the two places where children should feel safe and supported (home and school), gay and lesbian youth are routinely reviled. Educators have a clear professional mandate to address sexual-minority students' needs. Stratford (Connecticut) Public Schools are addressing five important issues concerning professional development, support staff and…

Educational systems are falling short of addressing the needs of sexual minority students. Not only are gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender students left off the list of diversities needing services, but they are also at times targeted by students and educators as deserving of attack. The damages done by the educational system, either through…

A discussion of concerns of gay and lesbian college students, based on interviews on one campus, focuses on these issues: understanding and articulating sexual identity; campus and classroom experiences; communication with faculty; and the effects of learning style, classroom content, and research on their lives. Recommendations are made for…

Examines the special needs fomented by sexual orientation when considering graduate education and access to the academic job market. Offers information on terms and definitions regarding sexual orientation, cultural influences, the relationship between one's personal and professional life, institutional policy, coming out, faculty-student…

"Harvard Education Letter" is published bimonthly at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. This issue of "Harvard Education Letter" contains the following articles: (1) Making Schools Safer for LGBT Youth: Despite Signs of Progress, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Students Say Harassment Persists (Michael Sadowski);…

The first half of this article reviews literature on some of the unmet needs of gay and lesbian students in schools and highlights educators' attitudes and beliefs toward individuals with differing sexual identities. Although the majority of literature reviewed in this article does not portray educators as being supportive of gay and lesbian…

This paper presents a model for advising Latino/a students in graduate social work programs. The model is based on ecological-systemic and empowerment theory and ascribes to the social work values and cultural competence standards proposed by the National Association of Social Workers. It has been developed within an institution that has sought…