Creating a Safe Space: A Qualitative Study of Gay and Lesbian Experiences in Czech Schools

Gays and lesbians often feel unsafe in schools due to a homophobic environment. Many studies report that these students frequently experience bullying, discrimination, and homophobia in educational settings. These experiences can have significant negative effect on their well-being. Limited research has examined the perspectives of sexual minority individuals regarding their need for support in school settings, particularly in the context of the Czech Republic. To address this gap in the literature, an online questionnaire consisting of five open-ended questions was used to gather the ideas of gay and lesbian identified Czech individuals regarding their needs and suggestions for how schools can support sexual minorities. Thirty-eight participants, including twenty-four who identified as gay and fourteen who identified as lesbian, ranging in age from 16 to 25, responded to the questions. A constructivist grounded theory approach was used to analyze the participants’ responses. The findings indicated three main categories and seven subcategories, which outline the key elements of creating safe spaces in schools. The main categories are Understanding, Respect, and Support, each comprised of several subcategories. The first main category, Understanding, includes the subcategories Providing Sexual Diversity Education and Improving Teachers’ Understanding. The second main category, Respect, encompasses the subcategories respecting Autonomy and Privacy of sexual minorities. The third main category, Support, involves the subcategories Providing Information, Employing Specialists, and Making Selfhelp Groups. The findings are based on participants’ personal experiences, including their concerns when seeking help in schools and their actual experiences of effective or ineffective support from educators or school counselors. Suggestions for improving school environments are also provided. This research offers insight into the types of support that meet the needs of sexual minority youth in school settings and what an ideal outcome for schools as safe spaces looks like. Moreover, the findings are instructive for educational institutions aiming to improve their school climate for sexual minority students.