Supporting estranged students during LGBT History Month

LGBT History Month (1-28 February) is a time of celebration; a time to honour the contribution of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) achievement and influence on the world.
It also presents an opportunity to consider the challenges that still exist for the LGBT+ community and the way that sexuality and gender identity can intersect with family estrangement.
Background
Sexuality and gender identity are two of the most commonly cited reasons for estrangement. In a major 2023 study by the charity Just Like Us, almost half of LGBT+ young adults in the UK said it was the reason that contact had ceased between them and at least one family member.
The Positive Futures report also found that LGBT+ young adults from unsupportive school and home backgrounds were nearly twice as likely to have experienced depression in the past year than their peers (82% vs 42%), and three times more likely to not be confident they will have a career they enjoy than their peers (48% vs 17%).
These challenges and barriers can, in turn, impact on Higher Education (HE) access, success and progression rates. The continuation rate for students who are lesbian, gay or bisexual was 1.1% lower than heterosexual students in 2017-18 (Office for Students). During the same period, the continuation rate of students who are not heterosexual, lesbian, gay or bisexual (i.e. other sexual identities, such as asexual or pansexual) was 5.6% lower than heterosexual students.
Creating a supportive environment
These stark statistics illustrate the need to create a supportive, inclusive environment for LGBT+ and estranged students so that they can thrive on their educational journey and beyond.
Go Higher West Yorkshire (GHWY) has produced a free e-learning course to help raise awareness of some of the challenges and barriers that estranged individuals can face in HE. It also offers some practical tips about how staff can address them.
We also publish an annual collaborative Estranged Student Pledge (formerly Stand Alone Pledge), which collates some of the support our 13 HE members offer to this group of individuals in one document. This reduces the admin burden on individuals having to navigate multiple HE websites.
How you as a staff member can help
In addition to using these resources, there are practical ways that you as a staff member or adviser can support LGBT+ and estranged individuals as they consider their education options, as they transition to HE, or when they are studying at HE.
Irrespective of your job role, you can support inclusivity by adding your pronouns to your email signature. You can also encourage individuals to include their preferred pronouns on name badges or during introductions at events. This simple act helps to normalise the practice and makes it easier for people to use correct pronouns, which can make individuals feel seen and recognised. Read more about the power of pronouns.
The additional challenges that LGBT+ and estranged students can face, which can contribute to poorer mental health and financial pressures, means that signposting to support services can be important. Student Union societies, where available, can provide useful peer support. It is also vital to have culturally competent staff in services such as wellbeing and finance who understand the barriers that LGBT+ and estranged students can face and are in a position to offer proactive support.
The theme for this year’s LGBT History Month is Activism and Social Change, which aims to highlight the impact of LGBT+ individuals who have shaped history through their commitment to equality. One way in which academic and research staff can support this is by advocating for LGBT+ individuals and queer theory to be incorporated on the curriculum.
Conclusion
The LGBTQ+ and estranged student experience can include additional challenges and barriers that HE staff and advisers have a responsibility to address. The more we adopt inclusive practices and processes, the more we create a space in which individuals from diverse backgrounds can thrive and succeed in HE and beyond.
Susan Darlington, GHWY Partnership Assistant