The State of Schools for Trans Youth in 2025

In recent years, as the trans community has become increasingly visible, we’ve seen more and more trans youth begin to live as their authentic selves. Parents are also increasingly likely to be supportive of their trans children, which leads to young people feeling more free to be who they are. Unfortunately,  anti-trans extremists want to make it impossible for LGBTQI+ youth to be themselves in schools. These efforts, as described by the Movement Advancement Project (MAP), include banning or fining teachers and schools for even talking about LGBTQI+ people or issues, pulling books off library shelves, and banning teachers from supporting LGBTQI+ students. In short, opponents want LGBTQI+ youth to be treated like they don’t exist. Those who disagree could face firings, fines, or even imprisonment. 

The research is clear: affirming school environments are lifesaving for LGBTQI+ youth. Specifically, The Trevor Project found that attending a supportive school was the most meaningful factor lowering the risk of attempted suicide for trans youth. 

Every student deserves the freedom to bring their true self to school, and teachers should never be denied the opportunity to  support their students. Young people deserve to be referred to by the right name and pronouns, to read books that reflect their lives, to participate in school sports, to have access to school facilities, and to have age-appropriate conversations about LGBTQI+ issues with their teachers and peers. They should be able to come out  when they feel safe to do so – and any teachers they confide in should never be forced to disclose their students’ gender identity against their better judgment. Students should never be  forced to hide who they are – yet these bans, across dozens of states, continue to create a climate of fear and outright discrimination against young people who deserve so much better. 

The following maps and resources detail the bans on school sports participation, facilities usage, censorship laws, forced outing, and other efforts to discriminate against transgender youth in states across the country. The Movement Advancement Project (MAP) updates these maps in real time and offers a comprehensive understanding of how these laws and policies shape the lives of LGBTQI+ youth. We hope this information can serve as a helpful resource to our partners and advocates across the nation who are working to protect our community. 

Check out these resources and share them widely. 

Bans on Trans Youth Participation in Sports 

This Equality Map displays laws that ban transgender youth from participating in school sports consistent with their gender identity, most frequently in K-12 schools and sometimes in college. In addition, Trump has signed an executive order which attempts to exclude trans youth athletes at every level. This order is not yet law. A4TE urges all schools, universities, and sporting bodies not to comply, and calls upon national and state athletic associations to stand with the passionate transgender athletes devoted to their sport.

Under Fire #2: Erasing LGBTQ People from Schools and Public Life 

This second installment in MAP’s Under Fire series outlines anti-LGBTQ efforts that target LGBTQ youth and their freedom to be themselves in schools. Issues covered in this report include banning or fining teachers and schools for even talking about LGBTQ people or issues, pulling books off library shelves, and banning teachers from supporting LGBTQ students.