Interdisciplinary Approaches to LGBTQ+ Inclusion in Education: A Qualitative Study from Slovenia

Abstract

Educational institutions are not always adequately equipped to deal independently with the challenges that LGBTQ+ students experience during their studies, necessitating interdisciplinary approaches. The aim of our study was to identify needs and opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration aimed at addressing issues related to the well-being of LGBTQ+ youth in education. In our qualitative study, we conducted interviews with 27 LGBTQ+ people between the ages of 17 and 41 who are or have been part of the Slovenian education system at some point in their lives. We identified four possible areas where educational institutions have the potential to improve the well-being of LGBTQ+ youth through interdisciplinary interventions: educational climate and representation of LGBTQ+ people, mental health promotion and mental disorder prevention, inclusive sex education, and homelessness among LGBTQ+ youth. We see opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration between schools and mental health professionals, LGBTQ+ specific non-governmental organizations (NGOs), NGOs addressing LGBTQ+ youth homelessness, and health centers and services. The adversities experienced by LGBTQ+ youth in education are often closely intertwined with their everyday lives, intersectional and thus very complex. The solutions to overcome these challenges should therefore be systemic, pragmatic, and interdisciplinary. For comprehensive discussions on interdisciplinary interventions in education, future studies should also consider the perspectives of educators and other relevant stakeholders.