Educational Equity Department

Our Mission

  1. We aim to decrease intersectional inequity and increase LGBTQ+ inclusivity in classrooms, schools, districts, and youth organizations. 
  2. We provide support, teach concrete intersectional equity strategies, facilitate self-reflection, and assist with policy changes.
  3. We encourage youth to develop their leadership skills and to learn that their voices matter.

Program Details

  • Trainings for Educators, Educational Leaders, & Youth Service Providers
  • MN Youth Leadership Council
  • MN Youth Summit for GSAs and Educators
  • MN GSA Advisor Network
  • Trainings for GSAs/SAGAs
  • MN LGBTQ+ Educator Network
  • Educational Equity Consulting for School Administrators and Educators

Educational Equity means finding what every student needs to be successful - academically, socio-emotionally, and everything-in-between- and getting it for them. The process is complex, dynamic, and on-going: owning flaws and biases, engaging in courageous conversations to challenge prejudice and discrimination, creating environments where students feel safe to share what they need, and breaking down any systems that are creating barriers. Students who feel valued, seen, and celebrated are the ones who will find success. 

Minnesota’s Educational Equity gap is one of the worst in the nation. We need to continue to work together so that every student can get what they need.

Contact Us

KQ Quinn

Educational Equity Youth Coordinator

kq@outfront.org

With general support from

Education Minnesota logo

The federal Equal Access Act (20 USC 4071 et seq.) mandates that under certain circumstances, students who wish to create or run a GSAs (“Gay-Straight Alliances” or “Gender and Sexuality Alliances”) have the legal right to do so

Designed for folks 24 and under who are unable to purchase a binder on their own due to financial circumstances, FTME is able to offer a limited number of free binders to qualifying individuals. 

Point of Pride provides free chest binders (specially-designed chest compression garments) to any trans person who needs one and cannot afford or safely obtain one.

In recent years, several Minnesota school districts have adopted “gender inclusion policies,” which articulate a district’s planned approach to accommodating the needs of transgender and gender-nonconforming students

In 2017, the Minnesota Department of Education, working with the Department of Human Rights, released its Transgender Toolkit, a booklet outlining a series of best-practice recommendations for schools working to address the concerns confronting transgender and gender-nonconforming students

Information for LGBTQ Students: State and federal law offer lesbian, gay, bisexual, and/or transgender/gender-conforming students protection from discrimination and harassment in their schools

In 2014, the Minnesota State High School League approved a policy allowing transgender/gender-nonconforming students to establish their eligibility to play on the team corresponding to their lived gender

If you’re looking for a progressive campus that takes a strong stand against discrimination — and won’t break the bank — read on for the results of our latest study.

Federal law also protects Minnesota trans students. Title IX prohibits discrimination in federally-funded public schools on the basis of "sex" (See: 20 USC § 1681)

For trans students applying to colleges, very confusing questions can arise surrounding financial aid

Support Networks

OutFront hosts a variety of Support Networks in order to provide support and resources for Minnesotans.

MN Educator and GSA Advisor Network

This Facebook group is for Educators and GSA Advisors and OutFront MN’s Education and Equity Department to connect, share resources, provide support and make each other's lives easier! Our goal is to support and advocate for MN LGBTQ+ educators and their allies.

We also believe in the power of GSA advisors and the important role they play in supporting LGBTQ+ students. We provide resources, networking, community building opportunities, training, compassion, and empathy. We understand that isolation, invisibility, and discrimination can impact our mental health and feelings of belonging. We believe that supporting LGBTQ+ educators helps not just educators, but also our students and our school communities.

GSAs/SAGAs

Gender Sexuality Alliances (GSAs) and Sexuality and Gender Alliances (SAGAs) are school support groups that provide resources, safe spaces, and community building for LGBTQ+ students and their allies.

GSAs/SAGAs are an evidence-based strategy to improve school climate for all students.

OutFront MN's GSA Advisor Network

OutFront MN's GSA Advisor Network is a supportive resource that helps connect GSA/SAGA Advisors across the state to each other and to OutFront Staff members.

Network members will receive e-newsletters, updates, and be invited to trainings and events. We also have a Facebook Group where members can get immediate support and resources from staff and from each other.

Free GSA Trainings

If you are interested in having an OutFront staff member come to your school and give a free training, please email us at kq@outfront.org

Options include:

  • GSA/SAGA's: Just Getting Started
  • Introduction to Gender & Trans Topics
  • LGBTQ+ 101
  • Intersectionality
  • Coming Out
  • Healthy Relationships
  • Advocacy 101 (Knowing your LGBTQ+ Rights)
  • Advocacy 201

Resources

LGBTQ+ Youth and Educator Resource Guide

If you have questions and/or need additional resources connected to the following topics, please check out our LGBTQ+ Youth and Educator Resource Guide!

  • Orientation & Identity
  • Coming Out
  • Sexual Health
  • Healthy Relationships
  • Crisis & Anti-Violence
  • LGBTQ+ Intersectionality
  • Being an Ally/Advocate
  • Finding Community
  • LGBTQ+ Inclusive Education

DOWNLOAD PDF HERE

Self-Care Resources for Teachers

Articles, Ted Talks, podcasts, blogs, and books about self-care for teachers.

LEARN MORE

Diversity Practices for Distance Learning

Learn about creating an online space that is LGBTQ+ inclusive.

Learn more

Get Involved!

OutFront’s Youth Leadership Council is a unique program that provides LGBTQIA+ youth with opportunities to build deep relationships, develop leadership skills, plan events and more! Youth Leadership Council members learn how to mobilize their peers and build youth power to make schools and communities more equitable & affirming, all while working in a tight knit cohort. 

 

Resources

LGBTQ+ Youth and Educator Resource Guide

If you have questions and/or need additional resources connected to the following topics, please check out our LGBTQ+ Youth and Educator Resource Guide!

  • Orientation & Identity
  • Coming Out
  • Sexual Health
  • Healthy Relationships
  • Crisis & Anti-Violence
  • LGBTQ+ Intersectionality
  • Being an Ally/Advocate
  • Finding Community
  • LGBTQ+ Inclusive Education

DOWNLOAD PDF HERE

OutFront Minnesota Youth Researchers: Gender Inclusion Project

Check out the amazing work that OutFront Minnesota's Youth Researchers completed this year at outfront.org/youth-researchers! Over the past year, this team:

  • Designed surveys, collected responses, and analyzed data on experiences of transgender, gender non-conforming, and nonbinary students in four Minnesota school districts.
  • Created a full zine summarizing the gender inclusion research project while amplifying student stories.
  • Published "Gender School: Smash the Cis-tem," a podcast exploring gender inclusivity in Minnesota schools and empowering other students, educators, and school communities to support gender inclusion policies in their own districts.
  • Curated resources and a downloadable action tool kit for students and educators to find support and work towards gender inclusivity in their own districts.

We are so proud of our youth researcher team and the work they are doing to build more gender-inclusive schools! View their work at outfront.org/youth-researchers.

Four Tips For Coming Out To Your Parents

A video from Susan Cottrell and The Advocate with advice for coming out to your parents.

WATCH HERE

 

Free Chest Binder Programs

FTME Free Youth Binder Program

Designed for folks 24 and under who are unable to purchase a binder on their own due to financial circumstances, FTME is able to offer a limited number of free binders to qualifying individuals. 

Point of Pride Free Chest Binder Program

Point of Pride provides free chest binders (specially-designed chest compression garments) to any trans person who needs one and cannot afford or safely obtain one.

OutFront Minnesota College Scholarship Fund

The OutFront Scholarship is no longer active and has been moved to the PFund Foundation

Youth Leadership Council

We facilitate a year-long leadership program for a select group of Youth LGBTQ+ student leaders who meet twice a month for:

  • Relationship Building
  • Skill Development
  • LGBTQ+ Issue discussion
  • Event Planning
  • Coordinating Strategies for the MN GSA Network
  • Providing Youth Perspective and Input on OutFront Efforts

The Leadership Council is crucial in the planning and execution of our annual Youth Summit which brings together more than 500 LGBTQ+ and allied students and educators from across the state to collaborate, learn, and take action. At the end of the day students get the opportunity to meet with their state legislators to talk about the issues most important to them.

Follow OutFront Youth on Instagram!

OutFront Youth Instagram page logo

Follow OutFront Youth Council and Researchers on Instagram!

Photo of Youth Leadership Council at Pride

Volunteer for Youth Summit

Thank you to our sponsors
Carpenter Evert
Robins Kaplan
Womens Foundation
Sponsor logos
Sponsor names

Sponsorships & Vendors

If you're interested in becoming a sponsor or a table vendor of OutFront Minnesota's Youth Summit, you can find more information here. Contact development@outfront.org with any questions. 

Educational Equity Project 2022

Hello Readers!

We are a team of Minnesota youth who have been working through OutFront to get a better grasp on what education in Minnesota schools looks like. For the past several months, we have conducted a research project regarding educational equity with an emphasis on LGBTQ+ students. Educational equity is the practice of ensuring each student has access to the resources, support and opportunities they need to be successful academically, socially, and emotionally. LGBTQ+ students often experience a unique set of challenges when it comes to education, whether it be the language used, support offered, access to facilities or the overall environment. We thank you for taking the time to look through our project, and encourage you to consider where you see these inequities taking place in your own life.

Throughout our project, we:

  • Designed surveys, collected responses, and analyzed data on experiences of LGBTQ+ and allied students  in three Minnesota school districts.
  • Created a full zine summarizing the educational equity research project while amplifying student stories.

Check out our Zine below:


Youth OutFront Educational Equity by OutFront Minnesota

Gender Inclusion Project 2021

Check out the amazing work that OutFront Minnesota's Youth Researchers completed this year at outfront.org/gender-inclusion-project! Over the past year, this team:

  • Designed surveys, collected responses, and analyzed data on experiences of transgender, gender non-conforming, and nonbinary students in four Minnesota school districts.
  • Created a full zine summarizing the gender inclusion research project while amplifying student stories.
  • Published "Gender School: Smash the Cis-tem," a podcast exploring gender inclusivity in Minnesota schools and empowering other students, educators, and school communities to support gender inclusion policies in their own districts.
  • Curated resources and a downloadable action tool kit for students and educators to find support and work towards gender inclusivity in their own districts.

We are so proud of our youth researcher team and the work they are doing to build more gender-inclusive schools! View their work at outfront.org/gender-inclusion-project.