ABSTRACT
School counselors have the grave responsibility of creating and maintaining a safe educational community in which diversified groups of children can experience, learn, and develop their social and emotional selves. It is expected that within this academic environment, a culture is created in which our students can reach these developmental milestones without exposure to discrimination or harassment. Unfortunately, for some students, the opportunity to learn in the absence of these harmful conditions fails to present itself, despite the great need. This chapter will focus on the experiences of these students, whose sexual orientation or gender expression is not seen as “the norm,” and who are consequently ignored, bullied, or disregarded. Specifically, it is the goal of this chapter to illuminate salient aspects of theory, research, and practice relevant to working with, and promoting acceptance of, sexual minorities within various educational settings.
