Impacts of the Religious Right Agendas on LGBTQ+ Students

Abstract

This paper examines the impact of the religious right's policy activism on the health and well-being of LGBTQ+ students. It also explores how educators can collaborate with advocacy groups and how state policies can ensure that each district implements LGBTQ+ inclusive curricula uniformly. Gender identities are particularly vulnerable in 2025, and culture wars are intensifying. I aim to identify modifiable factors that can promote positive school environments throughout our state and ensure that inclusive curricula are equitably distributed across districts. Three key themes were identified: LGBTQ+ underrepresentation in curricula, policies related to LGBTQ+ student protections, parental rights, and backlash bills, and disparities in student health outcomes among LGBTQ+ students compared to their cisgender peers. The paper then explores how state-level practices can be aligned with research and discusses the implications for future research and transformed practice.