LGBT Students

The University years are years of extreme change where students are confronted with a variety of developmental issues. The student who may be struggling with her or his sexual orientation may have a more difficult task as these issues appear.

Self-Esteem and Identity
Many activities during the undergraduate years encourage students to develop self-esteem and a distinct identity. For the LGBT student, answering the question "Who am I ?" can be particularly difficult. As a result of homophobia and heterosexism, LGBT students may question their self-worth and wonder where they fit into society and the university community. Coupled with this issue is the fact that most LGBT students do not find a community with which to connect initially. As a result, LGBT students may feel more isolated than heterosexual students.

Religion and Spirituality
During the college years students also begin to make decisions about what role religion will play in their lives. For LGBT students, coming to terms with their religious beliefs can be a difficult task in light of the fact that same-sex and transgendered behavior is not accepted by many religions.

In addition, there are some unique issues that face LGBT students that heterosexual students do not have to face:

1. Grieving the loss of membership in the dominant culture and entry into a stigmatized group.
   
2. The experience of being an invisible minority and its impact on one's life.
   
3. The potential lack of family support and strong role models to help them deal with their found status and identity.
   

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