LGBTQ Cyberbullying: Real Data and Real Advice

While I am a fierce advocate for free speech online, I'm also an educator who works every day in my own school community – and by writing on this blog – to spread awareness among students and teachers about how to practice positive and helpful digital citizenship online. Since my passion and my work bring me back to cyberbullying quite often, it has become clear that certain groups of young people are targeted more often than others.


This data makes it clear that our students who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth are particularly vulnerable to bullying, discrimination, and abuse. The way we use digital tools to communicate also makes them vulnerable to cyberbullying.

This is why my work with ConnectSafely.org is so important to me. While I can make an immediate impact in my school by working with our teachers and students everyday, it is my hope that some of my contributions to ConnectSafely can have a broader impact nationwide. I'm proud of our new guide.


Specifically, you can look for advice and expertise on:
  • The benefits and risks of online interactions for LGBTQ youth.
  • How parents can support their children before, during, and after they experience cyberbullying.
  • The importance of sustained positive school culture to support students.
  • TONS of action items and resources to help schools figure out what to do next.
  • A review of legal protections and case law.
  • A section specifically directed at children and teens to help them learn to protect themselves from and cope with cyberbullying if necessary.
Not ready to read the whole guide just yet? Check out the Top 5 Questions to kickstart your thinking and the Resources Page to learn more about organizations and materials available to you beyond our guide. When you do read the guide, feel free to comment and let us know what you think, how you're planning to use it, and share your story to help bring more power and positivity to the online world for all youth.

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