Creating an equitable environment ensures that students feel accepted and welcomed regardless of who they are. Schools have become increasingly involved in protecting the rights of students who identify as LGBTQ, or as any sexual orientation or nonbinary gender identity.

Through its partnerships, SERC can help support schools on issues related to gender and sexual identity. We are a bridge for networking and resources between schools and other organizations, including the CT Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities (CHRO) and True Colors CT, and have recently collaborated with them on workshops and forums on the rights of transgender students. To draw attention to these events, SERC launched a hashtag, #CTSchoolsForAll.

In citing legal rights, CHRO cites the broad Connecticut General Statute 46a-58 that protects any person “from the deprivation of any rights, privileges or immunities, secured or protected by the Constitution or laws of Connecticut or of the United States.” The Commission affirms that:

• Every student has the right to an equal opportunity to participate in the activities, programs, and courses of study for which they are otherwise eligible without discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.
• Students have the right to access the school facilities, including bathrooms and locker rooms, that correspond to their gender identity.
• Students have the right to be addressed in the manner that corresponds to the gender with which they identify.

How to Make Your Classroom Safe for LGBTQ students