Last week the Texas Attorney General issued a legal opinion that gender-affirming medical care for minors constitutes “child abuse.” The next day, Texas governor Greg Abbott directed the Department of Family and Protective Services to investigate any reported gender-affirming care as child abuse. Texas isn’t the only state making it difficult for gender nonconforming students and their families. Arkansas passed legislation making gender-affirming care like hormone treatments illegal for minors, and that law is being blocked while a legal challenge works its way through the court system. This Freedom for All Americans page tracks anti-trans legislation across the country.

Because all college-bound students, including trans students, need a place where they can thrive intellectually, socially, and spiritually, I want to share some resources for high school students looking for the most inclusive college environments.

All students, including LGBTQ students, are looking for a place where they can thrive. Here are a few online resources that may help.

The most practical place, and therefore the first place you’ll want to check out, is Campus Pride. They have all kinds of resources, training, and outreach to make college campuses safer for LGBTQ students. But as a high school student looking for a college, you will be very interested in their Campus Pride Index. It ranks hundreds of colleges on a five-star scale, helping you find which colleges on your list are the best when it comes to gender-inclusive housing and friendly policies. Campus Pride has been around for over 20 years, so there’s a lot of experience and wisdom in their approach. (I made a donation to Campus Pride, and you can find their donation page here.)

For an understanding of your rights as a transgender college student, as well as guidance on changing names and/or gender markers on documents, Lambda Legal has a great FAQ page to use as a starting point. (I made a donation to Lambda Legal, and you can find their donation page here.)

I always say that the best way to prepare for college is to be a good high school student. Fortunately, there’s support for LBGTQ students, allies, and educators in K-12 schools, not just universities. GLSEN has been involved in that support and education for decades. They have a resource page dedicated to supporting Trans and GNC students. (I made a donation to GLSEN, and you can find their donation page here.)

On top of other resources, Human Rights Campaign has a scholarship database for LGBTQ+ students and allies. (My family already has a membership with HRC, so I didn’t make a donation this week. But I bought a t-shirt. You can find their donation page here.)

Whoever you are, no matter your age, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity or race, I hope you find a college that supports you and accepts you for who are you and who you aspire to be.

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Photo by Zoe Herring.