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Melissa Cruz

Professor Batty

English 101

29 May 2019

I Will Survive: LGBTQ+ Students

As an LGBTQ+ student, I was never aware of the impediments I would face at school. As

I was going through the journey of finding myself and figuring out my sexuality, I did not expect

hostility from so many people. The rumors escalated from just ear to ear and evolved into

various slurs and hateful words, I started to feel horrible. The spite from my peers and friends

caused me to feel so unsafe, vulnerable and ridiculed at school. As a result, I slowly stopped

going to school, turning in my homework and began to fail every test I took. I never took a

moment to realize other people would experience similar situations. So many LGBTQ+ students

face discrimination, violence, sexual harassment, etc. while in college. Dealing with so much

hatred can result in a plethora of mental health issues. Despite some claiming that LGBTQ+

clubs are not necessarily effective, joining LGBTQ+ clubs can aid students with the guidance,

support, and motivation needed for academic success.

Many LGBTQ+ students go through college while enduring many hardships because of

their sexual orientation. A friend of mine, Ana Rodriguez, tells me of the time she was harassed

by men at her school when she was seen kissing her girlfriend. They began to follow her around

making absurd comments, as she recounts, “After my girlfriend left, they started saying really

offensive slurs and began telling me I was only gay because I didn’t know what being with a real
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man was like” (Rodriguez). Ana continues, stating how the situation left her and her girlfriend

feel unsafe, tense and disgusted. After the incident, she refused to attend school for weeks, out of

pure fear and discomfort, she stated that she was “worried they’d do something

worse”(Rodriguez) if they saw her again. Tragically, Ana’s experience is a universal experience,

for many other LGBTQ+ students. In the book, ​Toward Acceptance: Sexual Orientation Issues

on Campus​, Bieschke, Eberz, and Wilson have determined from recent research that LGBTQ+

students are much more likely to experience harassment, assault, and discrimination than their

heterosexual peers (Bieschke). Having to endure these incidents can lead to other problems in the

long run. This allows us to see the disproportionate amount at which LGBTQ+ students

experience discrimination as opposed to their straight classmates and gives us an understanding

as to why it is key for students on the spectrum to have more support at their schools.

Mental health issues are abundantly common among LGBTQ+ students due to

antagonism and constant harassment from peers. Being harassed for who your sexual orientation

and/or gender identity has caused many people to suffer from numerous mental health disorders.

Studies have shown that depression, suicidal thoughts, and self-destructive behavior are seen

more commonly in members of the LGBTQ+ community than heterosexual people (Shepler). In

particular, Tyler Clementi had decided to come out and be open about his sexuality after his high

school graduation. In August of 2010, Tyler began attending university and was excited to live as

an openly gay man. He had a love for music and was one of two freshmen who got into the

Graduate School of Orchestra. Despite the potential Tyler had, he ended up becoming a victim of

harassment because of his sexuality. His roommate had set up a camera to record Tyler’s

intimate act with another man with the intention of posting it online. Tyler soon discovered that
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he was being ridiculed and terrorized by his peers. Tyler Clementi decided to end his life by

jumping off the George Washington Bridge on September 22, 2010. Tyler’s death brought an

immense amount of attention to the struggles that LGBTQ+ youth have to face (Patterson).

LGBTQ+ students undergo various obstacles during their academic career, but they do

not have to go through them alone. Joining school clubs specifically for LGBTQ+ students can

help them feel safe, supported, and motivated during school. These clubs give students the

chance to be heard and validated. Students are able to grow close with other students that have

had similar experiences and bond with them. It allows them to reach out and befriend those

around them, feeling safe and included. In addition, it’s possible for these clubs to offer other

helpful resources to LGBTQ+ students such as scholarships and mentor programs. For example,

there are scholarships for incoming freshmen, athletes, STEM majors, law students, etc. that

identify as LGBTQ+. LGBTQ+ clubs make these resources extremely accessible and aid

students in academic achievement.

On the other hand, some people might find that LGBTQ+ clubs are not actually

advantageous. I spoke to a friend, Anthony Guzman, about his experience joining an LGBTQ+

club at his school. Anthony expressed that he joined the LGBTQ+ club in order to gain a sense

of belonging. He wanted to make lifelong friends that would understand everything he was

enduring and support him. He says, “I thought this would be the best option and that I would feel

happier, motivated and loved” (Guzman). Unfortunately, this is not what Anthony experienced.

Anthony explained to me that he always looked forward to club meetings, events, and speaking

out about LGBTQ+ issues. As time went on, Anthony began to notice that none of that was

actually happening. “It was weird because, at the beginning of the semester, they said we were
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gonna do so many things and have events but they never really mentioned any of it again”

(Guzman). Anthony also mentions that the other club members were not the kindest people and

never bothered to speak to anybody outside of their friendship circle . He goes on to say, “I felt a

sense of betrayal, I thought these people would be nice and be important people in my life

because they’re like me but it wasn’t like that at all” (Guzman). Anthony continues and vocalizes

that he did not feel supported or loved, he actually ended up feeling worse about himself. “I

remember thinking to myself that if I didn’t feel like I belonged with people who were like me,

then where would I” (Guzman).

Although Anthony’s experience is completely valid, others still find LGBTQ+ clubs

tremendously helpful and encouraging. As stated before, LGBTQ+ clubs can aid students with a

support system and various resources that are needed for academic success. To demonstrate,

after Ana’s daunting experience at school, she decided to join her school’s LGBTQ+ club too. “I

was hesitant at first but I thought it would be helpful in the end” (Rodriguez). Ana explains that

as time went on, she began to make friends who were supportive and caring. She felt comfortable

with her sexuality again and stopped feeling the internalized homophobia after her encounter

with those men. “Joining the club definitely changed me in the best way possible, I was told of

so many LGBTQ+ scholarships and support programs” (Rodriguez). Furthermore, Ana felt

comfortable attending school again because she knew she had her own support system to help

her and care for her whenever she needed.

In essence, academic success is nearly impossible when one feels unsafe and drained.

LGBTQ+ students undergo difficult situations because of their sexuality or gender identity that

can lead to bigger problems. They can possibly experience discrimination, violence, harassment
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or mental health issues. It’s a pivotal reason as to why LGBTQ+ clubs are crucial on college

campuses. They can allow students to be themselves while gaining a support system and a sense

of belonging. Additionally, they can offer a wide variety of resources to further help students

succeed academically. It is essential that every student is given a fair chance at succeeding in

whatever they set their mind to, no matter their sexuality, gender, race, or age.
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Works Cited

Bieschke, K. J., Eberz, A. B., and Wilson, D. “Empirical Investigations of the Gay, Lesbian, and

Bisexual College Student.” In V. A. Wall, and N. J. Evans (eds.), ​Toward Acceptance:

Sexual Orientation Issues on Campus. ​Washington, D.C.: American College Personnel

Association, 2000.

Guzman, Anthony. Personal Interview. 19 May 2019

Patterson, Charlotte J. “Schooling, Sexual Orientation, Law, and Policy: Making Schools Safe

for All Students.” ​Theory Into Practice,​ vol. 52, no. 3, July 2013, pp. 190–195.

EBSCOhost​, doi:10.1080/00405841.2013.804312.

Rodriguez, Ana. Personal Interview. 20 March 2019​.

Shepler, Dustin., Kristin Perrone Mcgovern. “Differences in Psychological Distress and Esteem

Based on Sexual Identity Development.” ​College Student Journal,​ vol. 50, no. 4, Winter

2016, pp. 579–589. ​EBSCOhost​,

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