Young people everywhere deserve to be who they are without fear of bullying or discrimination.
But whether they’re in school hallways or in out-of-home care settings, LGBTQ+ young people are uniquely vulnerable—and often neglected and unprotected by the institutions responsible for their care.
Through our Youth in Out-Of-Home Care Project and broader advocacy efforts, Lambda Legal works to ensure that all LGBTQ+ young people are safe and free from discrimination.
Fast Facts
32 million
28%
60%
Safe Havens II: We Must Affirm and Support Transgender, Nonbinary, and Gender Diverse Youth in Out-of-Home Systems
Safe Havens II is a call to action from trans, nonbinary and gender diverse (“TNGD”) youth with experience in child welfare, juvenile legal, and youth homelessness systems who share their experiences and system improvement recommendations via video with co-author Elliott Hinkle, principal and co-founder of Unicorn Solutions, who also has lived experience with out-of-home systems. Safe Havens II also updates current research about TNGD and LGBQ+ youth; summarizes recent supportive and harmful federal and state law and policy developments; describes efforts to prevent system-involvement; shines a light on the needs of system-involved nonbinary youth; and captures existing measures to hold systems accountable to law and policy requirements.
Your rights
Explore our collection of resources to learn more about LGBTQ+ youth issues. Have a specific question that’s not answered below? Visit our virtual Help Desk.
Latest news
November 13, 2024
Lambda Legal Mourns Passing of Cornelius Baker
“The HIV/AIDS and LGBTQ+ communities have lost a pillar.” Pioneering HIV/AIDS advocate, LGBTQ+ civil rights leader, and social justice activist Cornelius Baker passed away on Saturday, November 9. Lambda Legal, where Baker was a Bon Foster Memorial Civil Rights Award Winner, has issued the following statement: “Cornelius was a legendary leader in the fight for...
October 21, 2024
U.S. Supreme Court Grants Lambda Legal’s and ACLU’s Request for Divided Argument in Challenge to Tennessee’s Transgender Youth Health Care Ban
October 4, 2024
Trial Challenging Missouri’s Ban on Essential Health Care for Transgender Missourians Concludes
August 27, 2024
Tennessee Families and Medical Provider Urge Supreme Court to Block Ban on Hormone Therapies for Transgender Youth
Featured blog posts
November 18, 2024
An Open Letter to the Trans, Nonbinary, and Gender-Nonconforming Community
Read More
October 10, 2024
Lambda Legal in the News: The Advocate, The Tennessean, Education Week, and More!
Read More
September 6, 2024
Back-to-School Tips for LGBTQ+ Students in Higher Education
Read More
Read more blog posts here.