While Federal civil rights statutes expressly address discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, disability or national origin, they do not explicitly include sexual orientation or gender identity. As a result, LGBT students and parents have often had limited legal recourse for this kind of discrimination. By establishing a comprehensive Federal prohibition of discrimination in public schools based on actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity and empowering victims with meaningful and effective remedies (loss of federal funding and legal cause of action for victims) for discrimination, SNDA represents an enormous step toward safe public schools for all kids, regardless of their gender identity and sexual orientation.

On April 7th, 2010 - IN THE LIFE held a screening and panel discussion on the issue of Bullycides. The Panel featured Dr. Eliza Byard, Executive Director of GLSEN, Thomas Krever, Executive Director of the Hetrick-Martin Institute, Charles Robbins, Executive Director & CEO of The Trevor Project, and Christian York, Leadership Board on LGBTQ Issues, The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

Resources:

If you or someone you care about is showing suicidal signs, contact The Trevor Project.

The Trevor Project also offers local resources here. Wherever you are, you're not alone.

Sirdeaner Walker Testifies Before Mass. Joint Committee, Urges Passage of Comprehensive Anti-Bullying Law.

Learn more about how the ACLU is making public schools safe and bias-free for LGBT students.

GLSEN works with schools to educate about the needs of LGBT students.

PFLAG promotes the health and well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons, their families and friends through: support, to cope with an adverse society; education, to enlighten an ill-informed public; and advocacy, to end discrimination and to secure equal civil rights.

The National Day of Silence brings attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment in schools. Register and be counted among the hundreds of thousands of students coming together to encourage schools and classmates to address the problem of anti-LGBT behavior.