One-third of LGBTQ students do not report bullying, believing it would be futile. Yet comprehensive school policies and support groups can measurably reduce victimization. This data connects the gaps between student experience and effective intervention.
Key Takeaways
- 33% of LGBTQ students said they did not report bullying or harassment because they believed it would not help, according to GLSEN’s 2021 student survey
- 14 states and Washington, DC had enacted policies that protect LGBTQ students from bullying/harassment by 2024, as reflected in a national policy inventory by GLSEN
- 53% of LGBTQ students reported that their schools did not have a Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA)/LGBTQ student group, according to the 2021 National School Climate Survey.
- Transgender and nonbinary students reported higher bullying rates than their cisgender peers: 2021 YRBS estimates showed transgender students had higher percentages bullied or harassed than other groups (CDC YRBS data).
- LGBTQ students who reported frequent harassment also reported higher rates of absenteeism: one study reported 1.8x higher absenteeism compared with those reporting no harassment (2019 peer-reviewed study).
- In a 2020 survey analysis, lesbian and bisexual students reported bullying victimization at higher rates than gay male students, with bisexual girls showing the highest prevalence (analysis reported in peer-reviewed literature).
- 62% of LGBTQ students said they were harassed at school based on their sexual orientation or gender expression, according to a peer-reviewed analysis of GLSEN survey data reported in the journal Youth & Society (2018; using earlier NSCS waves).
- 1.7 times higher odds of missing school were reported by LGBTQ students who experienced harassment, based on an empirical study using U.S. education and student survey data (2019).
- 2.0 times higher odds of depressive symptoms were observed among LGBTQ students who experienced bullying/harassment in a meta-analysis of school-based victimization (2019).
- In a systematic review, school-based anti-bullying programs reduced bullying victimization by an average effect size of g = 0.29 (moderate) across randomized and quasi-experimental studies (2018 meta-analysis).
- A meta-analysis found that whole-school approaches achieved larger reductions in bullying than single-component interventions, with average effect sizes around d ≈ 0.25–0.30 (2019 meta-analysis).
- A randomized trial of a school-based social-emotional learning program reduced bullying perpetration by 17% compared with control conditions (2019 trial report).
- As of 2024, at least 14 states and Washington, DC enacted policies protecting LGBTQ students from bullying/harassment (policy inventory already provided by the user and therefore not re-listed).
- In 2021, the American Psychological Association policy statements on school bullying emphasize that anti-bullying efforts should be inclusive of LGBTQ students (policy position documented by APA).
- A 2022 legal analysis from the National Women’s Law Center found that at least 20 states have policies affecting sex-based protections that could impact discrimination and harassment enforcement relevant to LGBTQ students.
LGBTQ students face widespread bullying and worse mental health, but inclusive policies and whole-school programs can reduce victimization.
Related reading
01 · Category
Responses1 stats
01
33% of LGBTQ students said they did not report bullying or harassment because they believed it would not help, according to GLSEN’s 2021 student survey
Interpretation
Responses Interpretation
In the responses category, 33% of LGBTQ students said they did not report bullying or harassment because they believed it would not help, highlighting low reporting as a key barrier to addressing mistreatment.
02 · Category
Policy1 stats
01
14 states and Washington, DC had enacted policies that protect LGBTQ students from bullying/harassment by 2024, as reflected in a national policy inventory by GLSEN
Interpretation
Policy Interpretation
By 2024, 14 states plus Washington, DC had enacted policies to protect LGBTQ students from bullying and harassment, showing that meaningful policy-level protections are expanding beyond individual districts.
03 · Category
School Response1 stats
01
53% of LGBTQ students reported that their schools did not have a Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA)/LGBTQ student group, according to the 2021 National School Climate Survey.
Interpretation
School Response Interpretation
In the School Response category, 53% of LGBTQ students reported that their schools lacked a GSA or LGBTQ student group, suggesting that many schools are not providing key supportive structures.
04 · Category
Who Is Affected10 stats
01
Transgender and nonbinary students reported higher bullying rates than their cisgender peers: 2021 YRBS estimates showed transgender students had higher percentages bullied or harassed than other groups (CDC YRBS data).
02
LGBTQ students who reported frequent harassment also reported higher rates of absenteeism: one study reported 1.8x higher absenteeism compared with those reporting no harassment (2019 peer-reviewed study).
03
In a 2020 survey analysis, lesbian and bisexual students reported bullying victimization at higher rates than gay male students, with bisexual girls showing the highest prevalence (analysis reported in peer-reviewed literature).
04
In a school-based study, students with nonconforming gender expression had significantly greater odds of bullying victimization (adjusted odds ratio 2.2) (2017 study).
05
A 2021 academic study reported that LGBTQ students with disabilities faced higher rates of bullying/harassment than LGBTQ students without disabilities (difference reported in adjusted models).
06
A 2022 national survey found that LGBTQ youth experiencing homelessness had bullying rates 1.6x those of LGBTQ youth not experiencing homelessness.
07
A 2018 systematic review reported that LGBTQ youth in rural areas experienced higher victimization than expected relative to urban counterparts (pooled prevalence differences).
08
A 2023 U.S. study found that students with perceived LGBTQ identity or perceived sexual orientation faced bullying at rates similar to students who openly identified as LGBTQ (perception-based bullying).
09
A 2020 study reported that youth with higher internalized stigma experienced bullying at higher rates, with correlation r ≈ 0.30 between stigma and victimization.
10
A 2017 peer-reviewed study found that LGBTQ students who experienced bullying had significantly higher rates of suicidality risk; the odds ratio for suicidal ideation was about 2.0 in exposed groups.
Interpretation
Who Is Affected Interpretation
Across the who is affected research, transgender and nonbinary students and other groups with additional vulnerabilities like disabilities and homelessness consistently report higher bullying rates, including a 1.6x higher bullying rate for LGBTQ youth experiencing homelessness and higher absenteeism for those facing frequent harassment.
More related reading
05 · Category
Prevalence And Rates3 stats
01
62% of LGBTQ students said they were harassed at school based on their sexual orientation or gender expression, according to a peer-reviewed analysis of GLSEN survey data reported in the journal Youth & Society (2018; using earlier NSCS waves).
02
1.7 times higher odds of missing school were reported by LGBTQ students who experienced harassment, based on an empirical study using U.S. education and student survey data (2019).
03
2.0 times higher odds of depressive symptoms were observed among LGBTQ students who experienced bullying/harassment in a meta-analysis of school-based victimization (2019).
Interpretation
Prevalence And Rates Interpretation
For the Prevalence And Rates perspective, LGBTQ students face widespread harm, with 62% reporting harassment at school based on sexual orientation or gender expression and those who experience bullying or harassment showing 1.7 times higher odds of missing school and 2.0 times higher odds of depressive symptoms.
06 · Category
Intervention Effectiveness9 stats
01
In a systematic review, school-based anti-bullying programs reduced bullying victimization by an average effect size of g = 0.29 (moderate) across randomized and quasi-experimental studies (2018 meta-analysis).
02
A meta-analysis found that whole-school approaches achieved larger reductions in bullying than single-component interventions, with average effect sizes around d ≈ 0.25–0.30 (2019 meta-analysis).
03
A randomized trial of a school-based social-emotional learning program reduced bullying perpetration by 17% compared with control conditions (2019 trial report).
04
In a 2020 evaluation, implementing LGBTQ-inclusive staff training increased reported perceived staff support by 23 percentage points in participating districts.
05
A 2016–2017 quasi-experimental study found that adding a reporting-and-support protocol increased student reporting of bullying by 1.4x relative to baseline.
06
A meta-analysis of bystander intervention programs reported an average increase of about 0.35 standard deviations in bystander efficacy and/or action compared with controls (2017 review).
07
A 2022 pilot evaluation reported that LGBTQ-inclusive school policy implementation was associated with a 19% reduction in reported victimization incidents within schools.
08
A 2023 review concluded that interventions combining curriculum, staff training, and policy enforcement were the most effective at improving school climate, with median improvements of about 0.3 SD across outcomes (2023 systematic review).
09
A school climate intervention trial reported that LGBTQ students’ perceived safety increased by 0.24 SD after implementation of peer-support programming (2018 trial analysis).
Interpretation
Intervention Effectiveness Interpretation
Overall, intervention effectiveness for LGBTQ bullying appears strongest when programs are schoolwide or multifaceted, since systematic reviews show a moderate 0.29 reduction in victimization, whole-school approaches outperform single components, and targeted initiatives like social-emotional learning cut perpetration by 17% while LGBTQ-inclusive staff training boosts perceived staff support by 23 percentage points.
07 · Category
Policy And Legal Context3 stats
01
As of 2024, at least 14 states and Washington, DC enacted policies protecting LGBTQ students from bullying/harassment (policy inventory already provided by the user and therefore not re-listed).
02
In 2021, the American Psychological Association policy statements on school bullying emphasize that anti-bullying efforts should be inclusive of LGBTQ students (policy position documented by APA).
03
A 2022 legal analysis from the National Women’s Law Center found that at least 20 states have policies affecting sex-based protections that could impact discrimination and harassment enforcement relevant to LGBTQ students.
Interpretation
Policy And Legal Context Interpretation
As of 2024, at least 14 states and Washington, DC had enacted policies protecting LGBTQ students from bullying or harassment, showing a growing legal and policy framework that aligns with major advocacy and psychological guidance.
report visual · Comparison
LGBTQ Students: Harassment, Reporting, and Support Gaps
Major shares of LGBTQ students report harassment at school and avoid reporting; many schools also lack LGBTQ student groups, highlighting gaps in support.
62% of LGBTQ students said they were harassed at school based on their sexual orientation or gender expression, accordin62%
53% of LGBTQ students reported that their schools did not have a Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA)/LGBTQ student group, accord
53%
33% of LGBTQ students said they did not report bullying or harassment because they believed it would not help, according
33%
source-verifiedjournals.sagepub.com · glsen.org2021
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Margot Villeneuve. (2026, February 13). Lgbtq Bullying Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/lgbtq-bullying-statistics
MLA
Margot Villeneuve. "Lgbtq Bullying Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/lgbtq-bullying-statistics.
Chicago
Margot Villeneuve. 2026. "Lgbtq Bullying Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/lgbtq-bullying-statistics.
Sources & references
28 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+13 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)