History, Harm, and How to Respond Professionally

I was recently asked during a training what someone can someone do if they are being called a “groomer” because they are supporting LGBTQIA+ students. Let's start with the understanding that there has long been a stigma against LGBTQIA+ people in schools, especially when LGBTQIA+ professionals support students or share their lived experiences involving youth. This stigma is not new. Deeply ingrained internal biases have followed LGBTQIA+ communities for decades.

Historically, LGBTQIA+ identities have been falsely tied to mental illness, controversy, promiscuity, or being inherently sexualized. These claims are not factual. They result from American history and systemic discrimination, which shaped how LGBTQIA+ people were portrayed, regulated, and excluded.