1. Hey, you know me…I’m LGB(TQ+)
Professional Judgment and the LGBTQ Student
Presented by: Elizabeth Preston, Henry Ford College

2. What is the Purpose of the Professional Judgment?
Address Issues not previously anticipated on a case by case basis.
Deal with Special Circumstances that differentiate student—not conditions that exist for a whole class of students.
Resolve inconsistent or conflicting information

3. So what does this have to do with LGBTQ students?

4. Having a better understanding of what some LGBTQ+ students experience may empower Financial Aid Professionals to make consistent, fair and informed decisions.

5. GLSEN School Climate Survey
10,528 students surveyed
Between the ages of 13 and 21.
Students were from all 50 states
Largest number of those surveyed (49.2%) identified as gay or lesbian.

6. Students Feel Unsafe
27.0% of LGBTQ students were physically harassed (pushed or shoved) because of their sexual orientation.
13.0% were physically assaulted (punched, kicked, injured with a weapon) in the past year because of their sexual orientation.
48.6% experienced electronic harassment within the past year (via text, or postings on Facebook).
59.6% were sexually harassed (unwanted touching or sexual remarks) within the past year.
**Data retrieved from GLSEN’s 2015 School Climate Survey

7. Students Feel Unsupported
Almost ALL (98.1%) heard “gay used in a negative way % felt distressed because of this language.
85.7% heard negative remarks specifically about Transgender students.
56.2% reported hearing homophobic remarks from their teachers or other school staff.
**Data retrieved from GLSEN’s 2015 School Climate Survey

8. Students Feel Unwelcome
LGBTQ students who experienced higher levels of victimization because of their sexual orientation:
Were more than three times likely to have missed school in the past month than those who experienced lower levels.
Had lower grade point averages
Were twice as likely to report that they did not plan to pursue any post-secondary education.
Were more likely to have been disciplined at school
Had lower self-esteem.
Higher levels of depression
**Data retrieved from GLSEN’s 2015 School Climate Survey

9. A Large Number Are Homeless
LGBTQ youth have a 120% higher risk of homelessness.
1.6 million to 2.8 million estimated number of homeless youth in the US.
Approximately 40% of those considered to be homeless youth are LGBT.
320,000 to 400,000 gay and transgender youth face homelessness each year.
14.4 This is the average age that a lesbian or gay youth in New York become homeless.
13.5 The average age that transgender youth in New York become homeless.
**Data retrieved from the Center for American Progress. Gay and Transgender Youth Homelessness by the Numbers.

10. Many Contemplate Suicide
According to the Center for Disease Control, suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among young people ages 10 to 24.
LGB youth seriously contemplate suicide at almost three times the rate of heterosexual youth.
LGB youth are almost five times as likely to have attempted suicide compared to heterosexual youth.
In a national study, 40% of transgender adults reported having made a suicide attempt.
92% of these individuals reported having attempted suicide prior to the age of 25.
Each episode of LGBT victimization such as physical or verbal harassment or abuse increases the likelihood of self-harming behavior by 2.5 times on average.
**Data retrieved from The Trevor Project: Facts About Suicide.

11. What can we do as Financial Aid Professionals?
Train Staff to avoid Microagressions and Bias
Remove Barriers
Listen for the Unspoken
Connect Students with Support Services
Keep the information confidential
Be Kind/Sensitive to their needs

12. What is a Microagression?
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a microaggression as “a comment or action that is subtly and often unintentionally hostile or demeaning to a member of a minority or marginalized group.” This includes comments about belongings, appearance and preferences (among others) that appear in a person’s daily life.

13. How do Biases impact our decisions?
Judgments based on prior experiences may color our decision making process. Judgments based on incorrect information may result in flawed conclusions. Prejudices often result in negative consequences without allowing for a fair and unbiased review.

14. Equal vs. Equity

15. Listen for the Unsaid
“I’m couch surfing with my friends until I find a place to stay.”
“My step-dad and I had a fight. He and my mom said I had to leave.”
My family didn’t like the choices I was making.”
“I just decided that it would be better to move out.”

16. Connect Students with Support Services
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Department.
Gender Studies Department
Women’s Studies Department
LGBTQ Resource Centers
Counseling Department
Gay/Straight Alliances in place on campus
College Food Pantry
Health Services

17. Explore Resources
Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals ( )
Campus Pride ( )
GLSEN Safe Space Kit (
Affirmations of Ferndale (
U of M Spectrum Center (

19. The Importance of Confidentiality
Hate violence related homicides of LGBTQ people increased 86% from 2016 to (28 to 52)
The victims of these hate violence related homicides have been overwhelmingly transgender women and queer, bi, or gay cisgender men.
For the last five years there has been a consistent and steady rise in reports of homicides of transgender women of color.
67% of the victims were under the age of 35.
Over half of the homicides occurred in just five states: New York, Texas, Georgia, Louisiana, and Florida.
**Data retrieved from 2017 Report: A Crisis of Hate.

20. The importance of kindness and empathy
“I got kicked out at 18 Beth was the one to make the decision whether I got financial aid or not and because of that decision I was able to stay in college and keep my job at the time. Because of that a lot of things ended up working out well for me but if it had gone the other way I honestly don't know where I would've ended up. 
I remember sending in that letter and knowing that the decision relied on whether or not the person reading it was homophobic or not, which is why it really hit me in the feelings when I saw that you had bought the pin and saw your profile photo, even 5 years later it really hit me that you being the person on the other side of that letter was such an important part of that decision. ”
~ Liam Vella
Liam Vella
Former Henry Ford College Student
Owner of Support the T
A company dedicated to helping transgender identifying people raise money toward their transition
goals by creating and selling custom made t-shirts.
SupporttheT.com

21. The only one stopping you from making a difference is YOU!

22. Elizabeth Preston Financial Aid Administrator Henry Ford College empreston@hfcc.edu 313-317-1530