The Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network (GLSEN)

GLSEN was founded in 1990 as the Gay and Lesbian Independent School Teachers Network. By 1995 it had become a national organization lead by Kevin Jennings, who is currently President Obama's assistant deputy secretary for the Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools. In 1997, GLSTN changed its name to the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) in order to appeal to a larger student body.

GLSEN oversees Gay / Straight Alliances (GSAs), and sponsors the National Day of Silence, No Name Calling Week, and Ally Week.

GLSEN also performs educator trainings and runs a website called ThinkB4YouSpeak which strives to fight anti-gay language in schools.

With the Ad Council they have created a series of videos called "Think Before You Speak" which feature celebrities like Wanda Sykes and Hilary Duff.

GLSEN's research has uncovered just how hostile schools can be toward gay students. Their studies have revealed that:

• 86.2% of GLBT students reported being verbally harassed, 44.1% reported being physically harassed and 22.1% reported being physically assaulted at school.
• 73.6% heard derogatory remarks at school.
• 60.8% felt unsafe in school because of their sexual orientation, and 38.4% felt unsafe because of their gender expression.
• 31.7% of LGBT students missed a class and 32.7% missed a day of school in the past month because of feeling unsafe.

GLSEN has raised awareness about anti-GLBT discrimination and bullying in schools. Their programs have also helped increased GLBT student safety. As they reprot:

"Students in schools with a Gay-Straight Alliance reported hearing fewer homophobic remarks, experienced less harassment and assault because of their sexual orientation and gender expression [and] the presence of supportive staff contributed to a range of positive indicators."

Did you know that 9 out of 10 GLBT students experienced harassment at school in the previous year? A lot of people wouldn't realize this were it not for the work of GLSEN. But thanks to this group, we now have crucial information about the lives of gay students.

Not only has GLSEN uncovered some startling facts, but the organization has also set up channels for education and support, for example by sponsoring over 4,000 GSAs across the United States. In this way they hope to reach their goal of assuring “that each member of every school community is valued and respected regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression.”