Given the well-established health disparities between lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and gender-expansive (LGBTQ+) and cisgender, straight youth, scholars predicted the COVID-19 pandemic would disproportionately impact LGBTQ+ students. Yet, few studies have described changes in LGBTQ+ students’ school experiences and well-being during the pandemic. Using survey data from 40,904 middle and high school students, we examined changes from before (2018) to during (2021) the pandemic in peer victimization, anxiety, and suicide attempts. We conducted bivariate and multivariate regression analyses to assess changes between the two time points among LGBTQ+ and cisgender, straight students. We found LGBTQ+ students experienced more peer victimization, anxiety, and suicide attempts at both points, before and during the pandemic, than cisgender, straight youth. However, LGBTQ+ students reported increased anxiety, decreased peer victimization, and decreased suicide attempts in 2021, during the pandemic, compared to pre-pandemic 2018 reports. These findings suggest pandemic-related school disruptions may have provided LGBTQ+ students some relief from the harmful effects of poor, in-person school climates.

This chapter focuses on the findings from a review of 24 research articles from 1993 to 2023 that described LGBTQ+ K-12 students’ experiences and wellbeing in rural schools. Major themes emerging from the research included: (1) LGBTQ+ students’ exposure to discrimination and access to affirming school resources, (2) resilience, advocacy, and the collective strength of rural LGBTQ+ students, and (3) the wellbeing of rural LGBTQ+ students. Overall, the current body of research suggests that rural LGBTQ+ students experience greater discrimination and fewer affirming school resources, leading to lower wellbeing than their urban and suburban peers. However, scholars also highlighted how LGBTQ+ students build collective strength and resilience in their rural schools and communities. The chapter concludes with recommended reform strategies that leverage local expertise and LGBTQ+-affirming resources to shift rural schools from marginalizing to affirming LGBTQ+ students. <!----> <!----> <!----> <!---->