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LGBTQIA+ young people face significant discrimination in the UK, reporting higher levels of school bullying and poorer mental health outcomes than their heterosexual and cisgender peers (Wilson & Cariola, 2020). This is heightened for transgender young people, whose identities have become the subject of sustained moral panic and harmful policymaking in recent years (Kennedy, 2025), including in relation to schooling (Horton, 2024).

‘Respondents described encountering homophobia and transphobia daily, with discriminatory behaviour often dismissed by others, including teachers.’

The involved university and young researchers collaborating to explore the wellbeing experiences of LGBTQIA+ young people and identify actions for change. Long-form survey responses were gathered from 49 LGBTQIA+ young people aged 16–19 in Greater Manchester. Five themes were developed using reflexive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2021), each revealing interpersonal and structural inequalities that LGBTQIA+ young people continue to face.

1. Visibility

Participants acknowledged tensions between visibility and safety as an LGBTQIA+ young person. While physical expression was understood as critical to wellbeing, young people often felt a need to hide aspects of their identity for safety and social acceptance:

‘Sometimes I get scared I’ll get beaten up for being myself or something.’

– Morgan (they/them), girl, lesbian

Participants described navigating this tension by revealing their identities in safe spaces while remaining cautious in other environments, with many experiencing significant ‘minority stress’ (Meyer, 2023) in relation to ‘coming out’ or ‘being outed’.

2. Politics

Respondents were acutely aware of the politicisation of LGBTQIA+ identities in general, and transgender identities in particular, with ineffective healthcare services significantly impacting trans young peoples’ lives and wellbeing:

‘I have identified as transgender for 5 years now and I have barely made any process of transitioning as the NHS pathway is extremely difficult to navigate as a young person.’
– A (any pronouns), doesn’t believe in gender labels, unsure

This lack of structural support was identified as a key area for change, with over half of the study’s 49 respondents expressing concerns related to political support and/or healthcare inequalities (see Kennedy, 2025).

3. Education

Educational spaces were described as critical in shaping LGBTQIA+ young peoples’ experiences. However, respondents reported bullying and discrimination as common in schools:

‘My school should deal with safety concerns including fear of physical or verbal violence … Bullying and harassment are common.’
– P (him), trans boy, homosexual

While some positive changes were highlighted, almost all felt that schools could do better, particularly regarding bullying, LGBTQIA+ representation and teacher training (see Harris et al., 2021).

4. Belonging

Finding spaces of belonging – within close friendships and/or LGBTQIA+ community groups – was important to young people, echoing previous research (Wilson & Cariola, 2020):

‘It’s important to have friends that share the same community … Without these … you can feel very alone.’
– M (she/her), cis girl, bisexual

For many, these spaces were significant because they allowed young people to feel ‘normal’ and ‘usual’; something they wished for in other environments.

5. Prejudice

Respondents described encountering homophobia and transphobia daily, with discriminatory behaviour often dismissed by others, including teachers. Many described learning to block out comments as part of their everyday life:

‘You do learn to block it out and just move on.’
– Samuel (he/him), cis boy, gay

For many participants, such prejudice made it harder to understand and accept their own identities, an experience known to significantly impact long-term wellbeing (Wolke & Lereya, 2015).

Implications for educators

These findings highlight a need for youth-informed policies, affirming educational environments, and spaces of community and belonging for LGBTQIA+ young people. For educators in particular, we recommend the following:

• Education: Embed LGBTQIA+ topics throughout the curriculum to promote understanding from an early age
• Prejudice: Provide training for staff on LGBTQIA+ issues to handle discrimination
• Belonging: Establish safe spaces within schools where LGBTQIA+ students can express themselves freely
• Visibility: Encourage and support openly LGBTQIA+ educators, providing students with positive role models.

References

Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2021). One size fits all? What counts as quality practice in (reflexive) thematic analysis? Qualitative Research in Psychology, 18(3), 328–352. ÌýÌý

Harris, R., Wilson-Daily, A. E., & Fuller, G. (2021). Exploring the secondary school experience of LGBT+ youth. Intercultural Education, 32(4), 368–385.

Horton, C. (2024). The Cass Review: Cis-supremacy in the UK’s approach to healthcare for trans children. International Journal of Transgender Health, 26(4), 1120–1144.

Kennedy, N. (2025). Harming children: The effects of the UK puberty blocker ban. Journal of Gender Studies. Advance online publication.

Meyer, I. H. (2003). Prejudice, social stress, and mental health in lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations: Conceptual issues and research evidence. Psychological Bulletin, 129(5), 674–697.

Wilson, C., & Cariola, L. A. (2020). LGBTQI+ youth and mental health: A systematic review of qualitative research. Adolescent Research Review, 5, 187–211.

Wolke, D., & Lereya, S. T. (2015). Long-term effects of bullying. Archives of Disease in Childhood, 100(9), 879–885. Ìý