They matter: Sexual orientation microaggressions in high school

Abstract

Sexual orientation-based discrimination in schools has evolved from primarily blatant, overt forms to include more subtle and ambiguous forms, or microaggressions. To date, the unique experiences of microaggressions among adolescents in the context of the high school environment are underrepresented among the literature. In this qualitative study, 14 high school adolescents, ages 15 to 19, from seven separate schools, who self-identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer, were interviewed. The data showed that high school youth experienced incidents of subtle discrimination that were both consistent with current microaggression literature based on adult samples and specific to the high school environment. The results may be beneficial to school counselors, faculty, and administration, who are striving to facilitate inclusive school environments, by providing insight into the nature and prevalence of sexual orientation microaggressions in high schools.