Equality Arlington and AGIA Urge APS to Address Poor Mental Health, Violence, and Bullying Facing LGBTQ+ Students
Dear Ms. Sutton and Dr. Durán,
Last month, Equality Arlington unveiled the Arlington Trans Youth Quilt, a community project to uplift the voices of our transgender and non-binary young people. Over 50 trans and non-binary Arlington students made quilt squares expressing what “Freedom to Be” means to them. The quilt provides a medium for these young people to express their identity, their joy, and their strength. But amidst the joy and strength stitched into these quilt squares, many of our trans, non-binary, gay, lesbian, bisexual, and queer young people are suffering.
Our trans and non-binary youth face relentless attacks from the Trump administration as well as anti-trans public officials and community members. The non-discrimination protections that keep them safe at school are the subject of a federal lawsuit, their rights to participate equally and meaningfully in school sports have already been compromised in Virginia, and their access to gender affirming medical care is being restricted. While we commend the strides Arlington Public Schools (APS) leadership have taken to protect and support trans and non-binary students, we need you to take additional action to address the needs of LGBTQ+ students.
Trans, non-binary, and LGBQ students in APS are experiencing significantly worse mental health, suicidal thoughts and attempts, sexual violence, and bullying compared to their straight and cisgender peers. The 2024 Arlington Youth Survey results (excerpted in the table below) released at the end of 2025, paint a troubling picture of the struggles and challenges confronting transgender, non-binary, and all LGBTQ+ students in APS.
2024 Arlington Youth Survey Category*
Experienced poor mental health including stress, anxiety, or depression (most of the time or always) during the last 30 days before the survey:
17.4% - All Students
37.5% - LGBQ Students
41.7% - Nonbinary Students
46.3% - Transgender Students
Seriously considered attempting suicide during the 12 months before this survey:
6.8% - All Students
19.3% - LGBQ Students
30.6% - Nonbinary Students
25.9% - Transgender Students
Made a plan for attempting suicide during the 12 months before the survey:
5.3% - All Students
13.1% - LGBQ Students
19.4% - Nonbinary Students
18.5% - Transgender Students
Actually attempted suicide at least once during the 12 months before this survey:
2.4% - All Students
13.1% - LGBQ Students
5.6% - Nonbinary Students
18.5% - Transgender Students
Were ever physically forced to have sexual intercourse:
2.9% - All Students
5.5% - LGBQ Students
3.7% - Transgender Students
Experienced sexual violence by anyone at least once during the 12 months before the survey:
4.2% - All Students
9.7% - LGBQ Students
5.6% - Transgender Students
Experienced sexual dating violence at least once during the 12 months before the survey:
2.9% - All Students
5.5% - LGBQ Students
2.8% - Nonbinary Students
3.7% - Transgender Students
Did not go to school because they felt unsafe at school or on their way to/from school at least 1 day during the 30 days before the survey:
5% - All Students
5.7% - LGBQ Students
19.4% - Nonbinary Students
9.3% - Transgender Students
Were bullied on school property during the last 12 months before the survey:
7.4% - All Students
11.9% - LGBQ Students
19.4% - Nonbinary Students
20.4% - Transgender Students
Were electronically bullied through texting, Instagram, Facebook, or other social media in the 12 months before this survey:
5.5% - All Students
9.5% - LGBQ Students
16.7% - Nonbinary Students
14.8% - Transgender Students
*Survey respondents were APS students in 10th and 12th grades
These results are similar to the data released in the 2019 Arlington Partnership for Children, Youth, and Families Report Card. While results have changed for students overall, little has changed for LGBTQ+ students since those surveys were administered. The rates of bullying and poor mental health among lesbian, gay, bisexual, non-binary, transgender, and queer youth remain significantly higher than their straight and cisgender peers.
APS has a duty to respond to the crisis of mental health, violence, and bullying facing LGBTQ+ students made apparent in its own survey results. The Code of Virginia requires “maintenance of a safe and supportive learning environment free from discrimination and harassment for all students” and “prevention and response to bullying and harassment"(§ 22.1-23.3. Treatment of transgender students; policies). These rates of poor mental health and bullying are simply unacceptable. APS must take a system-wide approach in response to these findings, in alignment with the stated goals of the 2024-30 Strategic Plan. APS cannot simply repeat the same broad approach to mental health, bullying, and inclusivity without targeting resources to the specific needs and experiences of the LGBTQ+ community. A more targeted approach is also in keeping with the APS strategic plan, which includes a specific performance objective to increase the proportion of LGBTQ+ students who report a sense of belonging. While APS has a strong foundation in anti-bullying training and mental health resources geared toward all students, without a tailored approach, the statistics showing disproportionate burden of mental health challenges among LGBTQ+ youth will only increase.
To address these significant issues, we call on APS to take the following actions:
Ensure consistent and effective enforcement of APS’ non-discrimination policies at all schools. In instances where APS is being asked to comply with illegal and discriminatory federal or state laws/policies, APS must stand up for the rights of LGBTQ+ students. This includes resisting compliance with erroneous U.S. Department of Education Title IX interpretation as well as state policies promulgated by the Virginia High School League that limit sports participation for transgender and non-binary athletes. APS should stand up to every instance of state and federal overreach that strips students of their rights under federal or state law.
Incorporate affirmative books and lessons into APS instruction, including during Pride Month. This action will necessitate ensuring that books featuring LGBTQ+ characters and topics are not targeted for onerous opt-out provisions and empowering teachers to read books that acknowledge the real existence and identity of LGBTQ+ characters and themes in classrooms. LGBTQ+ students deserve to see their own existence reflected in classroom materials in a way that affirms their right to be who they are. APS should also update Family Life and Education curriculum to ensure respectful and accurate depiction of LGBTQ+ communities and needs.
Charge the APS DEI office with actively supporting Gender & Sexuality Alliances (GSA) at all schools. APS should ensure that if students at any school want to form a GSA, they have the tools, fiscal support, resources, and guidance to provide a safe and affirming space for themselves and allies, including the availability of age-appropriate, student-centric guidance for launching clubs.
While ~50% of transgender, non-binary, and LGBQ students reported receiving help when feeling sad, empty, hopeless, angry, or anxious during the 12 months before the 2024 Arlington Youth Survey (higher than the 30.9% of students reporting this overall), APS needs to do more to ensure that LGBTQ+ students have the support needed to address significant risks in mental health, violence, and bullying. Bullying has been a major concern for LGBTQ+ students ever since APS began gathering this demographic information. It is time for real action to address it.
Invest in professional development from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation’s Welcoming Schools leading up to the Seal of Excellence. HRC describes its Welcoming Schools program as the “most comprehensive, bias-based bullying prevention program in the nation to provide LGBTQ and gender inclusive professional development training, lesson plans, booklists and resources specifically designed for Pre K-12 educators and youth-serving professionals.” This program provides training and resources to combat bullying for LGBTQ youth and all APS students. This recommendation has been brought to APS repeatedly over many years.
APS has improved its data collection tools so they more accurately reflect the needs and conditions impacting LGBTQ+ students in our schools. Now we call on you to take action to address the alarming mental health, violence, and bullying rates impacting our LGBTQ+ students.
Sincerely,
Equality Arlington & Arlington Gender Identity Alliance (AGIA)
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