LGBTQIA1 YOUTH RIGHTS AND ISSUES
EDITED BY ISABELLA CHAIKEN, EMMELINE BASCO, ROB MOBLEY,
TARA TROIANO, SANDRA MAKEEN, & SAVANNAH JELKS
I. INTRODUCTION.......................................... 694
II. CHALLENGES IN SCHOOLS .................................. 695
A. OVERVIEW OF FEDERAL AND STATE PROTECTIONS ............. 695
1. Federal Constitutional Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 696
a. Fourteenth Amendment Equal Protection . . . . . . . . . 696
i. Gender Identity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 696
ii. Liability. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 698
b. First Amendment Retaliation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 700
2. Federal Statutory Law: Title IX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 701
a. Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . 702
b. Transgender Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 703
c. Liability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704
3. State Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 705
B. TRANSITIONING IN SCHOOLS ............................ 708
1. Required Documentation of Transition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 709
2. Schools’ Duties ..................................... 710
a. Names and Pronouns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 710
b. Access to Sex-Segregated Spaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 711
c. Participation in Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 715
C. SEX EDUCATION .................................... 719
D. FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND ASSOCIATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 723
1. Student Organizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 723
2. Students’ Apparel and Appearance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 724
3. Access to Information on the Internet .................. 725
4. Faculty and Staff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 727
E. BULLYING, HARASSMENT, AND VIOLENCE ................... 728
1. Bullying and Harassment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 728
2. Suicides and Murders ................................ 730
F. STUDENT PRIVACY AND LEGAL RECOURSE FOR “OUTING” BY
SCHOOL OFFICIALS .................................. 732
III. CHALLENGES FACING FAMILIES OF LGBTQIAþYOUTH............ 733
A. CONVERSION THERAPY ................................
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
733
1. Consumer Fraud 734
2. Bans Based on Psychological Harm to Minors . . . . . . . . . . 736
B. CHILD CUSTODY ISSUES FOR LGBTQIAþ-AFFIRMING PARENTS . . 738
C. HOMELESSNESS AMONG LGBTQIAþYOUTH AND RELATED ISSUES 739
.....................................
1. Primary Causes 740
2. LGBTQIAþYouth-Specific Difficulties ............... 740
693
3. Proposed Legal Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 742
a. Child Support and Emancipation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 742
b. Foster Care Reform . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 742
c. Prevention of Discrimination in Emergency
Shelters and Permanent Housing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 743
d. Access to Medical Treatment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 745
i. Hormone Replacement Therapy and Gender
Affirmation Surgeries. ..................... 746
IV. CHALLENGES FACING LGBTQIAþYOUTH IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE
SYSTEM .............................................. 747
A. THE PREVALENCE OF LGBTQIAþYOUTH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 747
B. HARASSMENT AND ABUSE OF LGBTQIAþYOUTH ........... 747
C. PROBLEMS SPECIFIC TO TRANSGENDER YOUTH ............... 748
1. Placement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 748
2. Access to Medical Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 749
D. HOW COURTS RESOLVE ALLEGATIONS OF ABUSE ............. 750
V. CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS PERTAINING TO LGBTQIAþYOUTH. . . . . . . 751
A. THE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT AND THE
STUDENT NON-DISCRIMINATION ACT ...................... 751
B. THE EQUALITY ACT.................................. 751
C. THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES REGULATIONS
IMPLEMENTING SECTION 1557 OF THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT. . . . 752
D. TRANSGENDER ACCESS TO PUBLIC FACILITIES AND RESTROOMS. . . . 753
VI. CONCLUSION ........................................... 754
I. INTRODUCTION
This Article discusses the myriad challenges lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender,
and questioning
1
In this Article, the term “transgender” youth, unless otherwise stated, refers to youth who do not identify
with the sex or gender assigned to them at birth, including those who have already begun transitioning, those
who have already transitioned and now identify as a gender other than the one they were assigned at birth, and
those who may view themselves, and/or may be viewed by others, as not conforming to traditional gender
norms for the gender they were assigned at birth. For a history of transgender identity in society, see Blaise
Vanderhorst, Whither Lies the Self: Intersex and Transgender Individuals and a Proposal for Brain-Based
Legal Sex, 9 HARV. L. & POL’Y REV. 241, 246–55 (2015). Cisgender is the adjective this Article will use to
denote someone whose sense of identity corresponds with the sex assigned to them at birth. See Cisgender,
OXFORD ENGLISH DICTIONARY, https://perma.cc/ZJ5J-6HYH.
(LGBTQIAþ) youth face in the United States (U.S.). The Article
focuses on issues LGBTQIAþ(the “plus” holds space for other sexual identities not
represented within the acronym) youth confront in school as well as the issues faced
by families with LGBTQIAþchildren, including increased risk of violence, abuse,
housing instability, and inadequate access to appropriate medical care. The Article
also examines and summarizes legal protections for LGBTQIAþyouth at the federal
and state levels.
1.
694 THE GEORGETOWN JOURNAL OF GENDER AND THE LAW [Vol. 26:693
II. CHALLENGES IN SCHOOLS
A. OVERVIEW OF FEDERAL AND STATE PROTECTIONS
Since the turn of the twentieth century, public education has grown in importance
across the U.S. Today, every state constitution contains an education provision.
2
2. ALA. CONST. art. XIV, § 256 (West, Westlaw through amendments ratified through Nov. 26,
2024); ALASKA CONST. art. VII, § 1 (West, Westlaw through amendments in 2024); ARIZ. CONST. art.
XI, § 1 (West, Westlaw through legis. of the 2024 2d Reg. Sess. of the 56th Leg.); ARK. CONST. art.
XIV, § 1 (West, Westlaw through the 2025 Reg. Sess. of the 95th Arkansas Gen. Assemb.); CAL. CONST.
art. IX, § 1 (West, Westlaw through Ch. 1 of 2023-2024 2d Ex. Sess.); COLO. CONST. art. IX, § 2 (West,
Westlaw through amendments adopted through the Nov. 5, 2024 election); CONN. CONST. art. VIII, § 1
(West, Westlaw through enactments of the 2024 Reg. Sess. and 2024 June Spec. Sess.); DEL. CONST. art.
X, § 1 (West, Westlaw through Ch. 3 of the 153d Gen. Assemb. (2025-2026)); FLA. CONST. art. IX, § 1
(amended 1998) (West, Westlaw through 2020 Gen. Election); GA. CONST. art. VIII, § 1, ¶ 1 (West,
Westlaw through Act 1 of the 2025 Reg. Sess. of the Georgia Gen. Assem.); HAW. CONST. art. X, § 1
(West, Westlaw through the end of the 2024 Reg. and 1st Spec. Sess.); IDAHO CONST. art. IX, § 1 (West,
Westlaw through the 1st Reg. Sess. of the 68th Idaho Leg., which convened on Monday, Jan. 6, 2025);
ILL. CONST. art. X, § 1 (West, Westlaw through Oct. 1, 2024); IND. CONST. art. VIII, § 1 (West, Westlaw
through all legis. of the 2024 2d Reg. Sess. of the 123d Gen. Assemb. effective through July 1, 2024);
IOWA CONST. art. IX (West, Westlaw through legis. effective 11/5/2024 from the 2024 Reg. Sess.); KAN.
CONST. art. VI, § 1 (West, Westlaw through laws enacted during the 2024 Reg. and 1st Spec. Sess. of the
Kansas Leg. effective on or before Jan. 1, 2025); KY. CONST. § 183 (West, Westlaw through laws
effective Feb. 25, 2025 and the Nov. 5, 2024 election); LA. CONST. art. VIII, § 1 (West, Westlaw through
amendments approved Jan. 1, 2025); ME. CONST. art. VIII, part 1, § 1 (Westlaw through 2023 2d Reg.
Sess. of the 131st Leg.); MD. CONST. art. VIII, § 1 (West, Westlaw through legis. effective through July
1, 2024, from the 2024 Reg. Sess. of the Gen. Assemb.); MASS. CONST. pt. 2, Ch. V, § 2 (West, Westlaw
through amendments approved Feb. 1, 2024); MICH. CONST. Ch. 1, art. VIII, § 2 (West, Westlaw
through amendments approved Nov. 8, 2022); MINN. CONST. art. XIII, § 1 (West, Westlaw through all
legis. from the 2024 Reg. Sess.); MISS. CONST. art. VIII, § 201 (West, Westlaw through the 2024 Reg.,
1st, and 2d Extraordinary Sess. effective through July 1, 2024); MO. CONST. art. IX, § 1 (West, Westlaw
through the end of the 2024 2d Reg. Sess. of the 102d Gen. Assemb.); MONT. CONST. art. X, § 1 (West,
Westlaw through the Nov. 2024 Gen. Election); NEB. CONST. art. VII, § 1 (West, Westlaw through leg.
effective Feb. 26, 2025, of the 1st Reg. Sess. of the 109th Legis. (2025)); NEV. CONST. art. XI, § 2 (West,
Westlaw through leg. of the 83d Reg. Sess. (2025) effective through Feb. 13, 2025; N.H. CONST. pt. 2,
art. 83 (West, Westlaw through Ch. 1 of the 2025 Reg. Sess.); N.J. CONST. art. VIII, § 4, ¶ 1 (West,
Westlaw through amendments approved at Nov. 3, 2020 election); N.M. CONST. art. XII, § 1 (West,
Westlaw through amendments approved Nov. 3, 2020); N.Y. CONST. art. XI, § 1 (McKinney, Westlaw
through L.2025, Chs. 1 to 49, 61 to 100; N.C. CONST. art. IX, § 2 (West, Westlaw through the end of the
2024 Reg. Sess. of the Gen. Assemb.); N.D. CONST. art. VIII, § 1 (West, Westlaw through results of the
Nov. 3, 2020 Gen. Election); OHIO CONST. art. VI, § 3 (West, Westlaw through all laws of the 135th
Gen. Assemb. (2023-2024)); OKLA. CONST. art. XIII, § 1 (West, Westlaw through amendments
approved Nov. 2, 2024); OR. CONST. art. VIII, § 3 (West, Westlaw through laws of the 2024 Reg. Sess.
of the 82d Legis. Assemb.); PA. CONST. art. III, § 14 (West, Westlaw through Nov. 7, 2023 Gen.
Election); R.I. CONST. art. XII, § 1 (West, Westlaw through Ch. 457 of the 2024 Reg. Sess. of the R.I.
Leg.); S.C. CONST. art. XI, § 3 (West, Westlaw through 2024 Act No. 225); S.D. CONST. art. VIII, § 1
(West, Westlaw through 2024 Sess. of the Gen. Assemb.); TENN. CONST. art. XI, § 12 (West, Westlaw
through 2022 2d Reg. Sess. of the 112th Tenn. Gen. Assemb.); TEX. CONST. art. VII, § 1 (West, Westlaw
through the end of the 2023 Reg., 2d, 3d and 4th Called Sessions of the 88th Legis.); UTAH CONST. art.
X, § 1 (West, Westlaw through the 2024 4th Spec. Sess.); VT. CONST. § 68 (West, Westlaw through the
2024 Gen. Election); VA. CONST. art. VIII, § 1 (West, Westlaw through the 2024 Reg. Sess. and 2024
Spec. Sess. I); WASH. CONST. art. IX, § 1 (West, Westlaw through Nov. 5, 2024, Gen. Election); W. VA.
CONST. art. XII, § 1 (West, Westlaw through legis. of the 2024 Reg. Sess. approved through Feb. 26,
2025] LGBTQIAþYOUTH RIGHTS & ISSUES 695
