GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian and Straight Educators Network) (78 Articles with 268,906 total views)

Established in 1990, GLSEN envisions a world in which every child learns to respect and accept all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. GLSEN seeks to develop school climates where difference is valued for the positive contribution it makes to creating a more vibrant and diverse community.

December, 2024

GLSEN Condemns Nomination of Linda McMahon for Secretary of Education

GLSEN Condemns Nomination of Linda McMahon for Secretary of Education
Washington DC (November 20, 2024) GLSEN, the leading education organization dedicated to creating safe and inclusive K-12 schools and learning environments for LGBTQ+ youth, condemns President-Elect Donald Trump's nomination of Linda McMahon for Secretary of Education. McMahon's lack of experience in education and loyalist agenda will endanger Title IX protections for LGBTQ+ students in 2025.
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GLSEN Denounces Passage of Ohio Law Targeting Trans Students Bathroom Use

GLSEN Denounces Passage of Ohio Law Targeting Trans Students Bathroom Use
WASHINGTON, D.C. (November 27, 2024) GLSEN - the leading national organization working on LGBTQ+ inclusion in K-12 education - condemns Governor Mike DeWine's (R-OH) decision to sign SB 104 into law. SB 104 includes a bathroom ban provision that prohibits the more than 8,500 transgender K-12 students in Ohio from using restrooms and locker rooms consistent with their gender identity, as well as at colleges and universities. The bathroom ban provision was attached to a noncontroversial bill on the college credit plus program, bypassing the normal legislative hearing process.
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GLSEN Responds to Election Results: Urgent Call to Action for LGBTQ+ Youth Protections

GLSEN Responds to Election Results: Urgent Call to Action for LGBTQ+ Youth Protections
Washington, DC (November 6, 2024) - Today, following the election results, where Donald Trump has been declared the winner, GLSEN expresses deep concern over the potential impacts on LGBTQ+ youth and their rights. The re-election of President Trump brings an immediate threat with the implementation of Project 2025, a plan that aims to dismantle critical protections and fundamentally alter the landscape of education and civil rights in the United States.
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October, 2024

GLSEN, State Advocates Call for Increased Enforcement of LGBTQ-Inclusive Title IX Rule

GLSEN, State Advocates Call for Increased Enforcement of LGBTQ-Inclusive Title IX Rule
Washington, DC (September 9, 2024) - Today, GLSEN and statewide LGBTQ+ rights organizations in Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin call for the U.S. Department of Education to open federal Title IX investigations into school districts that are rejecting or otherwise failing to comply with updated regulations that went into effect on August 1. These protections prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. As an organization dedicated to creating safe and affirming schools for all students, GLSEN has long advocated for policies that protect LGBTQ+ youth from harassment and discrimination in K-12 learning environments.
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September, 2024

Title IX Rule Now in Effect: A Win for LGBTQ+ Student Safety and Inclusion

Title IX Rule Now in Effect: A Win for LGBTQ+ Student Safety and Inclusion
Washington, DC (August 1, 2024) -Today, the U.S. Department of Education's updated Title IX regulations officially go into effect marking a significant milestone in the fight for safe and inclusive learning environments for LGBTQ+ students. As an organization dedicated to creating safe and affirming schools for all students, GLSEN has long advocated for policies that protect LGBTQ+ youth from discrimination and harm.
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August, 2024

GLSEN Condemns House Republicans for Advancing the Reversal of Vital Title IX Protections for LGBTQ+ Students

GLSEN Condemns House Republicans for Advancing the Reversal of Vital Title IX Protections for LGBTQ+ Students
Washington DC (July 11, 2024) GLSEN, the leading education organization dedicated to creating safe and inclusive K-12 schools and learning environments for LGBTQ+ youth, condemns House Republicans' passage of the Congressional Review Act (CRA). The resolution reverses the Biden Administration's crucial Title IX changes that clarified and expanded protections for LGBTQ+ students. The CRA strips the Education Department of its power to protect LGBTQ+ youth from discrimination in school.
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GLSEN Condemns New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu for Signing Anti-LGBTQ+ Legislation

GLSEN Condemns New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu for Signing Anti-LGBTQ+ Legislation
GLSEN condemns New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu's recent approval of a series of appalling and discriminatory bills that directly target LGBTQ+ youth, especially transgender youth. These measures are not just a step backward; they are a blatant attack on the rights and dignity of young people, fostering division and perpetuating harm.
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GLSEN Responds to Elon Musk's Decision to pull out of California

GLSEN Responds to Elon Musk's Decision to pull out of California
July 17, 2024 - Yesterday, Elon Musk announced his plans to move SpaceX and Twitter/X out of California. Musk identified the SAFETY Act which bans schools from outing trans and nonbinary students who opt to use their preferred pronouns in the classroom as his last straw with the state.
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October, 2018

New Back To School Campaign And PSA Launched To Build Support For Transgender Students And Safe Schools For All

New Back To School Campaign And PSA Launched To Build Support For Transgender Students And Safe Schools For All
Saturday, September 15, 2018 (New York, NY) – As students return to school, transgender students confront a wave of attacks that undermines their ability to learn in educational settings free of bullying and harassment. Today, GLSEN and the Movement Advancement Project (MAP) announced a new national Safe Schools campaign and public service advertisement, "Hallway," to grow the national Safe Schools Movement necessary to sustain and build support for safe schools for transgender students nationwide.
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October, 2017

GLSEN Responds To End Of DACA Program

GLSEN Responds To End Of DACA Program
(New York, NY) September 6, 2017 - The following statement, responding to Attorney General Jeff Sessions' announcement yesterday morning of plans to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, can be attributed to Eliza Byard, Executive Director of GLSEN: "An estimated 65,000 undocumented students graduate from high school each year, including many who are LGBTQ. Each and every one of them deserves the support and care they need to thrive. It is unconscionably cruel to threaten students with deportation from the only country they have ever known, simply because of how they came here. It is manifestly immoral to uproot their lives in the service of a political agenda. Moreover, it is a staggering breach of the trust these young people placed in our government by registering for the DACA program in the first place. GLSEN stands with the Dreamers, and urges all educators to provide whatever support they can for these students as they begin the school year in the shadow of this heartless and manipulative decision."
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September, 2017

New Report Provides First Look At School Experiences Of LGBTQ Youth In Puerto Rico

New Report Provides First Look At School Experiences Of LGBTQ Youth In Puerto Rico
NEW YORK (August 23, 2017) – In response to growing local interest for Puerto Rico-specific data on the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) youth in middle and high schools, today GLSEN released their new report The Puerto Rico School Climate Survey (glsen.org/pr). This report provides the first-ever empirical data from LGBTQ youth on their school experiences in Puerto Rico.
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August, 2017

GLSEN Responds As Sec. DeVos Stonewalls on Transparency About OCR Policy Changes on LGBTQ Students

GLSEN Responds As Sec. DeVos Stonewalls on Transparency About OCR Policy Changes on LGBTQ Students
(New York, NY) - July 18, 2017 - In a July 11 letter to Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Sec. of Education Betsy DeVos claimed that the Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights, under President Obama, had overly broadened the scope of investigations into discrimination against students, leading to an inability to adequately investigate individual complaints. In the letter, DeVos also claimed that she saw herself as "returning the OCR to its role as a neutral, impartial investigative agency," alleging, without elaboration, that the agency had previously "value[d] one type of violation over another [and] one class of complainant over another."  In a July 14 response, Sen. Murray reiterated previous demands for full documentation of policy changes made by the OCR, including: lists of complaints made by transgender students and victims of sexual harassment, and their current status; the complete investigative manual currently being used by the OCR; and more. To date, Sen. Murray has not received a response.
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July, 2017

GLSEN Responds As Sec. DeVos Refuses To Commit To Protecting LGBTQ Students

GLSEN Responds As Sec. DeVos Refuses To Commit To Protecting LGBTQ Students
(New York, NY) - June 7, 2017 - In a Senate hearing on June 6, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos referred to discrimination against LGBTQ students as an area of "unsettled" law, and repeatedly evaded questions on the subject by deferring to federal law, leaving the issue as a matter for the courts and Congress. GLSEN's Director of Public Policy, Nathan Smith, released the following statement in response:  "Simply deferring to current federal law is a wholly inadequate response when students across the country face denial of their most basic rights, particularly when Secretary DeVos remains opaque about her Department's interpretation of that law. It matters little whether Secretary DeVos personally opposes discrimination, as she repeatedly avowed in the hearing; the onus is on the Department of Education to fulfill its responsibility to enforce students' civil rights, and to provide a clear answer affirming that LGBTQ students have a right to attend school free from discrimination."
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GLSEN Responds to Leaked Ed Memo On Investigations Into Discrimination Against Trans Students

GLSEN Responds to Leaked Ed Memo On Investigations Into Discrimination Against Trans Students
(New York, NY) - June 16, 2017 - The following statements can be attributed to GLSEN's Executive Director, Eliza Byard, and to Director of Public Policy, Nathan Smith: Said Byard: "GLSEN is disturbed by the lack of clarity in the leaked Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR) memo that confuses serious issues related to the handling of cases by the Office of Civil Rights and will only make the OCR's work more difficult. This will have a dramatic impact on cases of discrimination against transgender students. The data on the dangers to trans students is clear. GLSEN calls on OCR to specify whether they will defend trans students' access to safe and appropriate school facilities – regardless of where the student lives or what local protections may or may not exist. Forcing trans students to use restrooms that do not align with their gender identity puts those students at risk of harassment and violence."
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June, 2017

GLSEN Responds to 7th Circuit Ruling For Transgender Rights

GLSEN Responds to 7th Circuit Ruling For Transgender Rights
\(New York, NY) - May 31, 2017 - In response to the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals' ruling affirming the rights of a transgender high school student, Ash Whitaker, to use the bathroom that matches his gender identity, GLSEN's Director of Public Policy, Nathan Smith, released the following statement: "This ruling justly affirms the rights of transgender students to attend school free from discrimination. The court's message to schools, school districts and states is clear: you must protect transgender and gender-nonconforming students from discrimination and provide an educational environment in which they can thrive. No child should be denied that right, no matter their sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, race, ability or economic status. GLSEN was deeply disappointed and concerned by the Trump Administration's decision to rescind the Title IX guidance which encouraged schools to protect transgender students. Today's decision is legal vindication of the very need for that guidance. As we have said for some time, federal protections -- including Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment -- apply to all Americans, regardless of gender identity."
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GLSEN Responds To DeVos' Refusal To Stop School Discrimination

GLSEN Responds To DeVos' Refusal To Stop School Discrimination
(New York, NY) - May 25, 2017 - While presenting the Department of Education's requested budget, which includes $150 million in public funds to be spent on sending students to private schools, Secretary DeVos left little doubt that she would not intervene if states allowed discrimination. GLSEN's Executive Director, Eliza Byard, and Director of Public Policy, Nathan Smith, released the following statements: "It is appalling that Secretary DeVos could not name a single example of discrimination that would disqualify a school from receiving federal funds," said Eliza Byard, GLSEN Executive Director. "Equality of opportunity for every child is a bedrock American commitment. Living up to that promise is an ongoing investment. Any betrayal of this commitment in the name of "states' rights" and "local control" is a shameful stain on our society and the antithesis of true education leadership. No child in this country should be abandoned because they are disabled, LGBTQ, black or brown, Muslim, an immigrant, because their family is poor, or because they are 'different' in any other way.
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May, 2017

GLSEN Responds To YouTube's Unblocking Of Wrongly 'Restricted' LGBTQ Videos

GLSEN Responds To YouTube's Unblocking Of Wrongly 'Restricted' LGBTQ Videos
The following statement can be attributed to GLSEN's Executive Director, Eliza Byard: "YouTube has become a vital lifeline to information for millions of LGBTQ youth around the world. GLSEN is very pleased to report that after significant communication from us and others, they have made tremendous strides in addressing glitches in their 'restricted mode' algorithm that led to the inappropriate blocking of perfectly appropriate LGBTQ content. YouTube's ongoing efforts are helping to ensure that students can access hundreds of thousands of videos about LGBTQ people and issues in their public libraries and K-12 schools, where 'restricted mode' is often set system-wide by administrators," said Dr. Eliza Byard, GLSEN Executive Director.
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GLSEN Statement on Reported Religious Exemptions Executive Order

GLSEN Statement on Reported Religious Exemptions Executive Order
NEW YORK (May 3, 2017) – Tomorrow, President Trump is reportedly poised to sign an executive order establishing a sweeping religious exemption that would allow discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ) people. GLSEN's Executive Director, Dr. Eliza Byard, who is available for interviews, issued the following statement in response.
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March, 2017

GLSEN and PFLAG National Relaunch #ClaimYourRights Campaign In Support of Transgender Students

GLSEN and PFLAG National Relaunch #ClaimYourRights Campaign In Support of Transgender Students
WASHINGTON, DC (February 23, 2017)-In the wake of rescinding guidance on Title IX protections for transgender students, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos issued a statement that said, in part: "At my direction, the Department's Office for Civil Rights remains committed to investigating all claims of discrimination, bullying and harassment against those who are most vulnerable in our schools."
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GLSEN Statement on Confirmation of Betsy DeVos as U.S. Secretary of Education

GLSEN Statement on Confirmation of Betsy DeVos as U.S. Secretary of Education
NEW YORK (February 8, 2017) – Yesterday, the U.S. Senate voted to confirm Betsy DeVos' nomination for Secretary of Education, despite hundreds of thousands of calls, emails and letters from parents, students and advocates for inclusive public education asking Senators to vote no. GLSEN's Executive Director, Dr. Eliza Byard, issued the following statement in response.
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GLSEN Statement on Reversal of Title IX Guidance on Accommodating Transgender Students

GLSEN Statement on Reversal of Title IX Guidance on Accommodating Transgender Students
>NEW YORK (February 22, 2017) – Tonight, the U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Justice rescinded the guidance issued by the Obama administration on accommodating transgender and gender nonconforming students under Title IX. GLSEN's Executive Director, Dr. Eliza Byard, issued the following statement in response. "Supports for transgender students in K-12 schools change and save lives, and hurt no one. President Trump's reversal of federal guidance affirming Title IX protections in schools undermines the settled expectations and protections afforded by federal law, hurts transgender students and impedes the progress we have made creating safer and more inclusive learning environments for all.
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GLSEN to DeVos: Protect Crucial LGBTQ Youth Protections from Department of Education Cuts

GLSEN to DeVos: Protect Crucial LGBTQ Youth Protections from Department of Education Cuts
NEW YORK (February 16, 2017) - In a recent interview with a Michigan radio program, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos telegraphed her intentions to cut what she deems "unnecessary" Department of Education programs, saying "I can't tell you today what is being done [at the Department of Education] that's unnecessary. But I can guarantee that there are things that the department has been doing that are probably not necessary or important for a federal agency to do. We'll be looking at that."
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GLSEN, Mother of Trans Student Lost to Suicide and Advocate for Title IX Guidance Release Statement

GLSEN, Mother of Trans Student Lost to Suicide and Advocate for Title IX Guidance Release Statement
NEW YORK (February 22, 2017) – According to a draft letter obtained by the Washington Post, the U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Justice plan to rescind the Title IX guidance issued by the Obama Administration for accommodating transgender students in K-12 schools. Recent media reports indicate that there is disagreement in the White House over the decision to rescind this guidance. Katharine Prescott, who lost her transgender son Kyler to suicide after he faced discrimination at his school, was a key advocate for the guidance issued by the Obama administration. She issued the following statement: "After losing my son, I was compelled to help prevent this from happening to any other parent in any way possible. I was gratified to work with the Obama administration to ensure that this life-saving guidance was issued to help schools do the right thing by transgender students. Kyler's story made a difference. Kyler was victimized daily by teachers, administrators, and peers who did not understand his gender identity and by a school that did not do what was needed to protect him. I pulled him out of the traditional classroom and put him in independent study. I could support and protect him at home, but not in school. I would welcome the chance to share my story with Secretary DeVos and Attorney General Sessions to help them understand the real-life implications of reversing the Title IX guidance for protecting transgender students."
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February, 2017

GLSEN Statement on Betsy DeVos' Confirmation Hearing for Secretary of Education

GLSEN Statement on Betsy DeVos' Confirmation Hearing for Secretary of Education
NEW YORK (January 17, 2017) - GLSEN's Executive Director, Dr. Eliza Byard, released the following statement in response to the confirmation hearing for Betsy DeVos, President-Elect Trump's nominee for U.S. Secretary of Education. DeVos is a prominent school-choice and anti-public education advocate. "Today's confirmation hearing for Betsy DeVos was not nearly long enough for the thorough discussion our children's education requires. Short as it was, it raised a lot of additional deeply troubling issues of grave concern to all parents. While we are relieved to hear DeVos rejecting the dangerous and thoroughly discredited practice of conversion therapy her family has previously supported, it was chilling to hear DeVos dodge questions about whether she would keep essential protections for transgender students, and basically refer all other civil rights protections for students with disabilities, students of color, and religious minority students "back to the states."
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GLSEN Statement on Religious Exemptions Executive Order

GLSEN Statement on Religious Exemptions Executive Order
NEW YORK (February 2, 2017) – GLSEN's Executive Director, Dr. Eliza Byard, released the following statement in response to the public release of a sweeping executive order on religious exemptions that would allow discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ) people "This executive order does not increase freedom of religion; rather, it creates a license to discriminate against LGBTQ Americans, women and other groups.
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Pennsylvania Schools Remain Hostile for Many LGBTQ Secondary Students, GLSEN Report Finds

Pennsylvania Schools Remain Hostile for Many LGBTQ Secondary Students, GLSEN Report Finds
PENNSYLVANIA (January 11, 2017) – GLSEN today released state-level data from its benchmark National School Climate Survey, which shows that U.S. secondary schools are slowly improving but remain hostile environments for many lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) students.
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October, 2016

Despite Progress, Bias-based Bullying Remains Significant Problem in U.S. Secondary Schools

Despite Progress, Bias-based Bullying Remains Significant Problem in U.S. Secondary Schools
NEW YORK (September 28, 2016) – Biased remarks, bullying and harassment remain a significant problem in U.S. middle and high schools, according to a report released today by GLSEN, the leading national education organization focused on ensuring safe and affirming schools for all students. Almost three-quarters (74 percent) of middle and high school students experienced some type of peer victimization in the past school year, and over half (51 percent) of teachers believe that bullying is a significant problem at school.
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September, 2016

GLSEN Condemns Court Decision Preventing U.S. Department of Education from Enforcing Title IX to Protect Transgender and

GLSEN Condemns Court Decision Preventing U.S. Department of Education from Enforcing Title IX to Protect Transgender and
NEW YORK (August 22, 2016) – GLSEN's Director of Public Policy, Nathan Smith, expressed disappointment with Judge Reed O'Connor of the Federal District Court for the Northern District of Texas's ruling that the U.S. Department of Education could not enforce its interpretation of Title IX to protect transgender and gender nonconforming students from discrimination in schools. The Department of Education, with the U.S. Department of Justice, issued guidance to school districts on how to accommodate transgender and gender nonconforming students in May, prompting two separate lawsuits by more than 20 states opposing the guidance.
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August, 2016

GLSEN Statement on NBA Announcement to Move 2017 All-Star Game Out of North Carolina in Response to HB 2

GLSEN Statement on NBA Announcement to Move 2017 All-Star Game Out of North Carolina in Response to HB 2
NEW YORK (July 21, 2016) – GLSEN's Executive Director, Dr. Eliza Byard, made the following statement in response to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver's announcement that the 2017 All-Star Game will not be held in Charlotte, N.C., as planned. The move is in response to HB 2, the anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) law passed by the North Carolina General Assembly and signed by Governor Pat McCrory after the Charlotte City Council passed an LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination ordinance. 
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July, 2016

GLSEN Orlando Statement on Tragedy at Pulse Nightclub

GLSEN Orlando Statement on Tragedy at Pulse Nightclub
ORLANDO (June 12, 2016) – In response to last night's tragic events at the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) nightclub Pulse, where the largest mass shooting in recent United States history took place, GLSEN Orlando Chair Ginger Malcom issued the following statement:  "GLSEN Orlando is heartbroken by the senseless attack on the LGBT community that took place last night. We offer our deepest condolences to the loved ones of those affected by what has been characterized as an act of domestic terrorism and a possible hate crime. It is with heavy hearts but also a renewed energy that we continue our work in schools to eliminate anti-LGBT bias and violence. We will not stop until our young people learn that all people deserve respect and that hate and violence have no place in Orlando and in our world."
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LGBTQ Students Face Unfair School Discipline, Pushing Many Out of School

LGBTQ Students Face Unfair School Discipline, Pushing Many Out of School
NEW YORK (June 29, 2016) – Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) students face high rates of school discipline, including detention, suspension and expulsion from school, according to a report released today by GLSEN, the leading national education organization focused on ensuring safe and affirming schools for all students. Compared to non-LGBTQ students, LGBTQ students were much more likely to have experienced each kind of discipline, often due to the harassment and discrimination that LGBTQ students face in school.
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June, 2016

GLSEN Condemns NC Leaders for Deepening Their Commitment to Violating Federal Law

GLSEN Condemns NC Leaders for Deepening Their Commitment to Violating Federal Law
WASHINGTON (May 9, 2016) – GLSEN's Director of Public Policy, Nathan Smith, condemned North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory and the state's legislative leaders for filing suit against the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) after DOJ last week found the state's discriminatory House Bill 2 to be in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).
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GLSEN Statement on Education Ministers' Global Call to Action to End Anti-LGBT Violence in Education

GLSEN Statement on Education Ministers' Global Call to Action to End Anti-LGBT Violence in Education
NEW YORK (May 18, 2016) – GLSEN's Executive Director, Dr. Eliza Byard, made the following statement in response to the global Call to Action issued at the International Ministerial Meeting on Education Sector Responses to Violence Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity/Expression, held this week by UNESCO in Paris. The Call to Action urges governments to implement responses to the issue of anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) violence in schools, including policy, inclusive curricula, professional development for educators and ongoing evaluation of the effect of interventions.
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GLSEN Statement on International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia

GLSEN Statement on International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia
NEW YORK (May 17, 2016) – GLSEN's Chief Research & Strategy Officer, Dr. Joseph Kosciw, made the following statement in recognition of the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOT), celebrated on May 17.
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May, 2016

GLSEN Acknowledges Progress of the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights

GLSEN Acknowledges Progress of the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights
WASHINGTON (May 4, 2016) – GLSEN's Director of Public Policy, Nathan Smith, recognized the achievements of the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights upon today's release of the Department's Fiscal Year 2015 Report to the President and Secretary of Education.
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GLSEN Releases Kit Espacio Seguro, Spanish-Language Version of its Safe Space Kit, for Use in U.S. and Puerto Rico

GLSEN Releases Kit Espacio Seguro, Spanish-Language Version of its Safe Space Kit, for Use in U.S. and Puerto Rico
NEW YORK (April 28, 2016) – GLSEN, the leading national education organization focused on ensuring safe and affirming schools for all students, today released Kit Espacio Seguro, the Spanish-language version of its Safe Space Kit, one of the organization's flagship resources, for use throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico.
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GLSEN Responds to Court Ruling Upholding Nondiscrimination Protections

GLSEN Responds to Court Ruling Upholding Nondiscrimination Protections
WASHINGTON (April 19, 2016) – GLSEN Director of Public Policy Nathan Smith applauded the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals decision in G.G. v. Gloucester County School Board, which upheld nondiscrimination protections for transgender and gender nonconforming students under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.
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GLSEN Responds to North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory's Executive Order 93

GLSEN Responds to North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory's Executive Order 93
WASHINGTON (April 12, 2016) - GLSEN Director of Public Policy Nathan Smith condemned North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory's issuing of Executive Order 93 in response to the backlash against his signing of HB 2.
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April, 2016

GLSEN Atlanta Applauds Governor Nathan Deal for Vetoing HB 757

GLSEN Atlanta Applauds Governor Nathan Deal for Vetoing HB 757
NEW YORK (March 29, 2016) - GLSEN Atlanta applauds Gov. Nathan Deal for vetoing HB 757, which was passed by the Georgia General Assembly earlier this month and would have allowed businesses and individuals to withhold their services from gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Georgians on so-called religious liberty grounds. GLSEN Atlanta Chair, Patrick Faerber, said:
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GLSEN Condemns Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant for Signing HB 1523

GLSEN Condemns Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant for Signing HB 1523
NEW YORK (April 5, 2016) - GLSEN's Director of Public Policy, Nathan Smith, condemned Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant for signing HB 1523, the first law in the nation that explicitly allows businesses and individuals to discriminate against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people based on religious beliefs. 
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GLSEN Middle Tennessee Applauds House Education Administration and Planning Committee for Halting HB 2414

GLSEN Middle Tennessee Applauds House Education Administration and Planning Committee for Halting HB 2414
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (March 22, 2015) – GLSEN Middle Tennessee thanked members of Tennessee's House Education Administration and Planning Committee who voted unanimously to send HB 2414 to summer study, effectively ending the chances of the bill passing and becoming law this session. The bill would have required transgender students in both K-12 schools and colleges and universities to use the restroom and locker rooms that correspond with their sex assigned at birth instead of their gender identity and would have restricted the ability of schools to work with students to devise solutions that best serve them. GLSEN Middle Tennessee's Co-Chair, Justin Sweatman-Weaver, said:
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GLSEN Responds to North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory's Signing of Harmful HB 2

GLSEN Responds to North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory's Signing of Harmful HB 2
NEW YORK (March 24, 2016) – GLSEN Executive Director Dr. Eliza Byard expressed outrage over North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory's signing of HB 2 last night, which was passed by the North Carolina General Assembly in a special session yesterday. The sweepingly discriminatory law overrides local nondiscrimination ordinances statewide, including one recently passed in Charlotte, and prevents local labor laws from setting minimum wages, employee benefits and certain work conditions, making it the most extreme legislation of its kind in the country.
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March, 2016

GLSEN Calls on South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard to Veto Harmful HB 1008

GLSEN Calls on South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard to Veto Harmful HB 1008
NEW YORK (February 17, 2015) – GLSEN is calling on South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard to veto HB 1008 in order to prevent the discriminatory bill from becoming law. The bill would require transgender and gender nonconforming students to use the restroom and locker rooms that correspond with their sex assigned at birth instead of their gender identity and would restrict the ability of schools to work with students to devise solutions that best serve them. GLSEN's Director of Public Policy, Nathan Smith, said:
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February, 2016

GLSEN Launches First Lifestyle Brand to Support LGBT Youth, Safe and Affirming Schools

GLSEN Launches First Lifestyle Brand to Support LGBT Youth, Safe and Affirming Schools
NEW YORK (January 26, 2015) - GLSEN, the leading national education organization focused on ensuring safe and affirming schools for all students, today officially launched the new GLSEN Shop, which includes the first-ever lifestyle brand to support lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth and improve school climates.
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December, 2015

GLSEN and AIDS United Release HIV Prevention Resource for Educators

GLSEN and AIDS United Release HIV Prevention Resource for Educators
NEW YORK (December 1, 2015) - GLSEN, the leading national education organization focused on ensuring safe and affirming schools for all students, and AIDS United, dedicated to ending the AIDS epidemic in the U.S., today released Get the Facts: Improve School Climate to Increase LGBT Students' Well-Being and Reduce HIV/AIDS Risk, an educator resource on mitigating HIV risk among students.
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GLSEN Response to Republican Presidential Candidate Senator Ted Cruz's Comments about Transgender Students

GLSEN Response to Republican Presidential Candidate Senator Ted Cruz's Comments about Transgender Students
NEW YORK (November 20, 2015) – GLSEN's Executive Director, Dr. Eliza Byard, issued a statement in response to comments made by Republican Presidential candidate Senator Ted Cruz on conservative radio show, Louder with Crowder, about transgender students.
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November, 2015

Educators Report GLSEN's Safe Space Kit Helps Support LGBT Youth and Improve School Climate

Educators Report GLSEN's Safe Space Kit Helps Support LGBT Youth and Improve School Climate
NEW YORK (October 9, 2015) - GLSEN, the leading national education organization focused on ensuring safe and affirming schools for all students, today released an evaluation of the impact of its Safe Space Kit. The evaluation surveyed educators who received GLSEN's Safe Space Kit during a recent campaign to send Kits to every middle and high school in the country. The majority of the educators surveyed reported that the Kit increased their knowledge and skills regarding issues faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students. Each Kit is made up of the Guide to Being an Ally to LGBT Students, two Safe Space posters and 10 Safe Space stickers.
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October, 2015

GLSEN Statement on Planned Parenthood's Pink Out Day

GLSEN Statement on Planned Parenthood's Pink Out Day
NEW YORK (September 29, 2015) – GLSEN's Executive Director, Dr. Eliza Byard, issued the following statement in recognition of today's Pink Out Day, launched by Planned Parenthood Federation of America in response to recent efforts to discredit and defund the organization. Pink Out Day calls on those who support women's health to stand with Planned Parenthood via social media, by wearing pink and attending rallies. 
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GLSEN Statement on Resignation of Secretary of Education Arne Duncan

GLSEN Statement on Resignation of Secretary of Education Arne Duncan
NEW YORK (October 2, 2015) – GLSEN's Executive Director, Dr. Eliza Byard, issued a statement in response to the announcement that Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will be stepping down in December. President Obama has selected Deputy Secretary John King, who was previously Commissioner of Education for New York State, to replace Secretary Duncan.
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GLSEN Statement on Start of LGBT History Month

GLSEN Statement on Start of LGBT History Month
NEW YORK (October 1, 2015) - GLSEN's Executive Director, Dr. Eliza Byard, issued the following statement acknowledging the start of LGBT History Month recognized every October. Started in 1994 by high school history teacher, Rodney Wilson, with support from GLSEN, the Gerber/Hart Library and Archive and other educators, LGBT History Month is an opportunity for educators to teach students about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people, history and events, which plays a significant role in creating positive school climates for LGBT students. 
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GLSEN's Day of Silence Advertising Campaign Named Finalist in OMMA Awards

GLSEN's Day of Silence Advertising Campaign Named Finalist in OMMA Awards
NEW YORK (September 10, 2015) - The advertising campaign around GLSEN's Day of Silence has been named a finalist in the Online Marketing Media and Advertising (OMMA) Awards. GLSEN is the leading national education organization focused on ensuring safe and affirming schools for all students. Since 2004, the OMMA Awards have honored agencies and advertisers that push the potential of digital advertising.
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September, 2015

GLSEN Greater Dayton on Troy City School Board & Superintendent to NOT discriminate against transgender students

GLSEN Greater Dayton on Troy City School Board & Superintendent to NOT discriminate against transgender students
DAYTON, Ohio (September 3, 2015) – GLSEN Greater Dayton's Education Coordinator, Milea Henson released the following statement in support of Troy City Schools. We at GLSEN Greater Dayton fully support Troy City Schools in Ohio for their decision to abide by and implement Title IX by allowing transgender students to use the facilities of their gender identity. Despite the importance of a safe and affirming school climate for all students, this is not always the case. According to the 2013 National School Climate Survey (NSCS), 59 percent of transgender students had been required to use the bathroom or locker room of their legal sex. LGBT students who experienced discrimination at school were more than three times as likely to have missed school in the past month as those who did not, had lower GPAs than their peers, and had lower self-esteem and higher levels of depression.
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School Survey on Crime and Safety to Ask About Anti-LGBT Harassment and Hate Crimes, Presence of GSAs

School Survey on Crime and Safety to Ask About Anti-LGBT Harassment and Hate Crimes, Presence of GSAs
NEW YORK (August 19, 2015) – The U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) has received approval from the federal Office of Management and Budget to include additional questions about anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) bias in schools and the existence of supportive student clubs in schools in the 2016 and 2018 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS
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August, 2015

Despite Positive Effect on School Climate, Protections for LGBT Students Lacking in Most District Anti-Bullying Policies

Despite Positive Effect on School Climate, Protections for LGBT Students Lacking in Most District Anti-Bullying Policies
NEW YORK (July 15, 2015) – GLSEN, the leading national education organization focused on ensuring safe and affirming schools for all students, today released From Statehouse to Schoolhouse: Anti-Bullying Policy Efforts in U.S. States and School Districts, a report that examines anti-bullying policies in all 13,181 school districts across the country, and how state law and guidance affect policies at the district level. The report includes five major findings:
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GLSEN Statement on the Introduction of the Equality Act

GLSEN Statement on the Introduction of the Equality Act
NEW YORK (July 23, 2015) – GLSEN Executive Director, Dr. Eliza Byard, issued the following statement on the introduction of the Equality Act, which would prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, sexual orientation and gender identity in public accommodations, public education, employment, housing, federal funding, jury service, legal protections and credit. The act was introduced today by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) in the Senate and by Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.) in the House of Representatives.
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GLSEN Statement on the U.S. Senate's Vote on the Student Non-Discrimination Act

GLSEN Statement on the U.S. Senate's Vote on the Student Non-Discrimination Act
NEW YORK (June 14, 2015) – GLSEN Executive Director, Dr. Eliza Byard, issued a statement following this afternoon's vote by the U.S. Senate on the Student Non-Discrimination Act (SNDA) as an amendment to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., filed the bill that would protect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students from discrimination in the nation's K-12 public schools by establishing new federal non-discrimination protections modeled after Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.
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July, 2015

GLSEN Reflects on Supreme Court Ruling on Marriage Equality, Calls for Focus on Employment Protections

GLSEN Reflects on Supreme Court Ruling on Marriage Equality, Calls for Focus on Employment Protections
NEW YORK (June 29, 2015) – As marriage equality becomes the law of the land in practice, GLSEN's Executive Director, Dr. Eliza Byard, calls on legislators and the public to focus on the work still to be done to ensure equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Americans.
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June, 2015

GLSEN and Target Team Up for 25th Anniversary Documentary Featuring Students, Educators, Volunteers Who Have Improved Sc

GLSEN and Target Team Up for 25th Anniversary Documentary Featuring Students, Educators, Volunteers Who Have Improved Sc
NEW YORK (June 2, 2015) – GLSEN, the leading national education organization focused on ensuring safe and affirming schools for all students, has partnered with Target to produce a mini-documentary highlighting the work of students, educators and volunteers who have improved school climate for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth across the country. The production is a part of GLSEN's 25th anniversary celebration and debuted last night at the GLSEN Respect Awards – New York.
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GLSEN Applauds Oregon Legislature and Governor Brown for Protecting LGBT Youth by Banning Conversion Therapy for Minors

GLSEN Applauds Oregon Legislature and Governor Brown for Protecting LGBT Youth by Banning Conversion Therapy for Minors
NEW YORK (May 14, 2015) – GLSEN's Executive Director, Dr. Eliza Byard, thanked Oregon Gov. Kate Brown and the state's Legislature for passing and signing into law a ban on the use of conversion therapy on minors. Oregon joins California, New Jersey and Washington, D.C., as the only regions that ban conversion therapy, also known as"reparative therapy," and is the first state to do so since President Obama called for an end to the practice last month. 
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GLSEN Northern Virginia Statement on Family Life Education Curriculum Recommendations

GLSEN Northern Virginia Statement on Family Life Education Curriculum Recommendations
McLEAN, Va. (May 13, 2015) – GLSEN Northern Virginia's Co-Chair, David Aponte, made the following statement on the Family Life Education Curriculum Advisory Committee's recommendations to the Fairfax County School Board, updating the Family Life Education program for Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) to include issues of sexual orientation and gender identity/expression for middle and high school students. These recommendations will be introduced as new business on May 21 and voted on at the school board's meeting on June 25.
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GLSEN Partners with Todo Mejora Foundation to Release Safe Space Kit in Chile

GLSEN Partners with Todo Mejora Foundation to Release Safe Space Kit in Chile
NEW YORK (May 28, 2015) – GLSEN, the leading national education organization focused on ensuring safe and affirming schools for all students, has teamed up with long-time partner, Todo Mejora Foundation in Chile, to adapt one of its most important educational resources into Spanish for educators in Latin America.
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GLSEN Statement on the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia

GLSEN Statement on the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia
NEW YORK (May 17, 2015) – GLSEN's Chief Research & Strategy Officer, Dr. Joe Kosciw, made the following statement in recognition of the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, celebrated on May 17.
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GLSEN Touts Passage of Nevada LGBT-Inclusive Anti-Bullying Law

GLSEN Touts Passage of Nevada LGBT-Inclusive Anti-Bullying Law
NEW YORK (May 20, 2015) – GLSEN's Executive Director, Dr. Eliza Byard, applauded Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval and the Nevada State Legislature for passing and signing into law an anti-bullying bill that specifically protects students on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. Nevada joins 17 other states  and Washington, D.C., as having laws that specifically prohibit bullying and harassment based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
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Matthew Morrison, Jon Stryker, Johnson & Johnson, Desiree Raught and Nixa High School Gay-Straight Alliance Honored at 2

Matthew Morrison, Jon Stryker, Johnson & Johnson, Desiree Raught and Nixa High School Gay-Straight Alliance Honored at 2
NEW YORK (June 3, 2015) – GLSEN, the leading national education organization focused on ensuring safe and affirming schools for all students, honored Matthew Morrison, Jon Stryker, Johnson & Johnson, teacher Desiree Raught and the Nixa High School Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) at the 12th Annual GLSEN Respect Awards – New York  on Monday, June 1 at Cipriani 42nd Street.
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May, 2015

GLSEN Statement on 'Every Child Achieves Act of 2015'

GLSEN Statement on 'Every Child Achieves Act of 2015'
NEW YORK (April 7, 2015) – GLSEN's Executive Director, Dr. Eliza Byard, made the following statement on the release of the 'Every Child Achieves Act of 2015' (ECAA), the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee's proposed bill for reauthorizing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
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April, 2015

Campus Pride and GLSEN Host Hundreds of Students and 50 Colleges for Inaugural LGBTQ-Friendly Online College Fair, Prese

Campus Pride and GLSEN Host Hundreds of Students and 50 Colleges for Inaugural LGBTQ-Friendly Online College Fair, Prese
NEW YORK (March 19, 2015) – Hundreds of students will meet with representatives from 50 colleges today during the first-ever online college fair specifically focused on helping lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and/or questioning (LGBTQ) and ally students find colleges and universities that are inclusive and supportive.
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GLSEN Reacts to Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson's Call for Changes to Religious Freedom Restoration Act

GLSEN Reacts to Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson's Call for Changes to Religious Freedom Restoration Act
NEW YORK (April 1, 2015) – GLSEN's Executive Director, Dr. Eliza Byard, reacts to Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson's refusal to sign HB 1228, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, and instead asking the Arkansas legislature to recall and revise the bill.
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GLSEN Statement on Indiana Gov. Mike Pence's Signing of Religious Freedom Restoration Act

GLSEN Statement on Indiana Gov. Mike Pence's Signing of Religious Freedom Restoration Act
NEW YORK (March 26, 2015) – GLSEN Executive Director, Dr. Eliza Byard, expressed outrage over Indiana Gov. Mike Pence's decision to sign the Religious Freedom Restoration Act after it was passed by the state legislature earlier this week.
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GLSEN Statement on Religious Freedom Restoration Acts in Arkansas and Indiana

GLSEN Statement on Religious Freedom Restoration Acts in Arkansas and Indiana
NEW YORK (April 2, 2015) – GLSEN's Executive Director, Dr. Eliza Byard, made the following statement on the status of the Religious Freedom Restoration Acts in Arkansas and Indiana.
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GLSEN Statement on the Retirement of Steve Nash

GLSEN Statement on the Retirement of Steve Nash
NEW YORK (March 21, 2015) – Statement from Dr. Eliza Byard, Executive Director of GLSEN:"Congratulations to NBA star Steve Nash on a truly fantastic career. His legendary leadership and MVP contributions on the court were memorable, as has been his impact off the court. Steve was a pioneering ally to LGBT youth. He was instrumental in GLSEN's Think Before You Speak campaign, a partnership with the Ad Council that helped reduce the amount of homophobic language used in our schools. We thank him for his partnership and wish him all the best in this new phase of his life."
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March, 2015

GLSEN Statement on Facebook's Addition of Free-Form Field for Gender Identity

GLSEN Statement on Facebook's Addition of Free-Form Field for Gender Identity
NEW YORK (Feb. 26, 2015) – GLSEN Executive Director, Dr. Eliza Byard, applauded Facebook's decision to allow users to add their own description beyond the pre-set options to accurately describe their gender identity. Users can also control with whom they share their gender identity, an important safety and privacy feature. 
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GLSEN Statement on the Reintroduction of the Student Non-Discrimination Act by Sen. Franken and Rep. Polis

GLSEN Statement on the Reintroduction of the Student Non-Discrimination Act by Sen. Franken and Rep. Polis
NEW YORK (Feb. 10, 2015) – GLSEN Executive Director, Dr. Eliza Byard, applauded the reintroduction of the Student Non-Discrimination Act (SNDA) in Congress today. Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., and Rep. Jared Polis, D-Colo., filed the bill that would protect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students from discrimination in the nation's K-12 public schools by establishing new federal non-discrimination protections modeled after Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. The bill is co-sponsored in the House by Reps. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., and Bobby Scott, D-Va.
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February, 2015

GLSEN Adds Chapters in Arkansas, Georgia and Missouri, Bringing Total Number of Chapters to 40 in 28 States

GLSEN Adds Chapters in Arkansas, Georgia and Missouri, Bringing Total Number of Chapters to 40 in 28 States
NEW YORK (Feb. 5, 2015) – GLSEN today announced expansion of its chapter network to 40 in 28 states with the addition of three new chapters in Arkansas, Georgia and Missouri. GLSEN Atlanta and GLSEN Southeast Arkansas are the only chapters in Georgia and Arkansas, respectively. With the addition of GLSEN Springfield to GLSEN Kansas City, Missouri now has two chapters.
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GLSEN Statement on the Education Portion of President Obama's Budget Proposal

GLSEN Statement on the Education Portion of President Obama's Budget Proposal
NEW YORK (Feb. 2, 2015) – GLSEN Executive Director, Dr. Eliza Byard, today applauded key elements of President Obama's proposed budget, specifically noting increases in funding for equity and opportunity in education.
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GLSEN Statement on the Reintroduction of the Safe Schools Improvement Act by U.S. Sen. Bob Casey

GLSEN Statement on the Reintroduction of the Safe Schools Improvement Act by U.S. Sen. Bob Casey
NEW YORK (Jan. 29, 2015) – GLSEN Executive Director, Dr. Eliza Byard, praised the reintroduction of the Safe Schools Improvement Act (SSIA) in the U.S. Senate today. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., filed the bill that would require all public K-12 schools to enact fully inclusive anti-bullying policies that have specific protections against bullying and harassment of all students. The bill is co-sponsored by Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill.
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Thousands of Educators and Students Work to End Name-Calling and Bullying by Participating in GLSEN's No Name-Calling We

Thousands of Educators and Students Work to End Name-Calling and Bullying by Participating in GLSEN's No Name-Calling We
NEW YORK (Jan. 15, 2015) – As part of its ongoing mission to create safe and affirming schools for all students, GLSEN will once again celebrate No Name-Calling Week January 19-23 with educators and students across the country – and more than 60 partner organizations – by providing tools and inspiration to launch on-going dialogues about ways to eliminate bullying in their communities.
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January, 2015

GLSEN Statement on D.C. Law Banning Conversion Therapy for Minors

GLSEN Statement on D.C. Law Banning Conversion Therapy for Minors
NEW YORK (Dec. 23, 2014) – GLSEN Executive Director, Dr. Eliza Byard, released the following statement in response to Mayor Vincent Gray signing into law "The Conversion Therapy for Minors Prohibition Amendment Act of 2013," a ban on "conversion therapy" for minors.
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December, 2014

GLSEN Releases 29 State Snapshots from Most Recent National School Climate Survey on America's Middle and High Schools

GLSEN Releases 29 State Snapshots from Most Recent National School Climate Survey on America's Middle and High Schools
NEW YORK (Nov. 13, 2014) – GLSEN (the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network) today released state-level data from its biennial National School Climate Survey report for 29 states that show that schools remain unsafe for the majority of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students.
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