Leadership magazine Sept/Oct 2015 V45 No 1 | Page 24

Web resources offer support, information, inspiration

T

he following websites may serve as valuable resources for students and staff. These
resources all have very different functions, but will provide accurate information
to youth, staff, parents and guardians. While it is not an exhaustive list, it is a
good place to start. Make sure these sites are not blocked on your school and district
computers.

1.

The Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network (www.glsen.org)
wants “every student, in every school, to be valued and treated with respect,
regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.”
They believe that all students deserve a safe and affirming school environment where
they can learn and grow. The GLSEN website has extensive age-appropriate lesson plans,
resources for counselors and parents, and much more, geared for the K-12 community
and all free.

2.

Human Rights Campaign (www.hrc.org) “envisions a world where lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people are embraced as full members of
society at home, at work and in every community.” The HRC operates on a
worldwide level and concerns itself with human rights
across the globe. Its website provides maps of what
rights are offered to various sub-groups by topic. For
example, if you want to see where in America there are
statewide school non-discrimination laws and policies,
you can click on that topic, and a color-coded map of
the United States appears to provide state-by-state information.
Another unique item available on the HRC website
is its Corporate Equality Index, which rates U.S. workplaces on LGBT equality. There is also an app available for smartphones called the “Buying for Workplace
Equality Guide,” which helps the consumer support
businesses that support LGBT rights. The app provides
a rating for each company, and if the company does not
have a perfect score of 100, an alternative company is recommended.

3.
4.

The Trevor Project (www.thetrevorproject.org) provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisex Յ