Schools as institutions actively contribute to the construction of gender and sexuality, both as institutional agents of the formation processes and as the settings in which these take place (Martino et al., 2022). The lack of LGBTQ+-inclusive school practices is repeatedly reflected in students’ views on gender as a binary construct grounded in stereotypical assumptions that are not contested in the school environment (Renold, 2020). The pressure to conform has been reported in the ways that schools reproduce heterosexuality and cisheteronormative understandings of gender, reinforcing gender categories that marginalise students who do not fit the cisheteronormative gender norms (Woolley 2017; Þrastardóttir & Kjaran, 2023). This can have detrimental effects on LGBTQ+ youth who is trying to figure out their identities especially in times of a current international backlash and lack of support from their environment. International research on LGBTQ+ youth has consistently shown poorer mental health compared to their heterosexual peers (Price-Feeney et al., 2024). They are also more likely to encounter minority stress and stigma following bullying and physical violence. They have difficulty accessing services that meet their needs, which in turn elevates risk of poor mental health (Hill et al., 2021).

There has been limited research on LGBTQ+ youth in Iceland, a country recognized as having strong commitment to gender and sexuality equality (ILGA Europe, 2024; World Economic Forum, 2024). Findings from an Icelandic survey conducted among LGBTQ+ youth in 2017 showed that participants reported insecurity related to gender expression, sexuality, body size, and academic ability. Findings from two studies conducted in Iceland in 2010 and 2018 concluded that LGBTQ+ youth exhibited greater levels of depression, anger, and stress than their heterosexual peers and that they were more in a risk of school dropout and suicidal thoughts (Guðmundsdóttir et al., 2018; Sveinbjörnsdóttir et al., 2010). These findings report the experiences of young people but the experiences of their families is lacking.

Resarch focus

There is a need for research on the experiences and perceptions of parents of LGBTQ+ youth who have an important role in supporting their children, information about how parents support their children in times of mental health difficulties including self-harm , how the current backlash is affecting their children and the role of the school system when it comes to their children’s wellness and security.  

This support is vital as it is known to work against mental health conditions, stress, isolation, and promote youth wellbeing (Wilson & Cariola, 2020). Research findings have reported that parents of LGBTQ+ youth have experienced personal barriers and challenges when supporting their children, for instance, prejudice from their social environment, minority stress connected to their child being LGBTQ+ and feeling of insecurity in their parenting practices (Hidalgo & Chen, 2019; Matsuno et al., 2022). Due to the importance of parental support when it comes to LGBTQ+ youth a more nuanced understanding of parental experiences is needed to promote better support for LGBTQ+ youth and their families.

Research questions:

How do Icelandic parents of trans youth experience their children’s lives in and out of school in the ongoing international backlash and how do they support their children when it comes to mental health and school life?

Analyzing the data, queer theory (Butler, 1990), particularly the concepts of heteronormativity and cisnormativity, are utilized to interrogate the ideological foundations of school systems. Schools often operate on implicit assumptions that students are heterosexual and cisgender and that families conform to traditional gender and sexual norms. 

This paper draws from interviews with 9 parents of trans youth in rural areas in Iceland. The focus on rural schools is supported by research suggesting that in rural schools´ knowledge on LGBTQ+ issues is less than in urban areas and subsequent support is more predominant in the capital than in their rural areas. Research on rural schools and promotion of affirming spaces and resources for LGBTQ+ youth is lacking in comparison to urban schools (Page, 2017). The interviews were explained to the participants to ensure that the objectives and progress of the research was clear (Creswell, 2015). The handling of data and personal information was explained, including that results would be presented in a way that ensured anonymity in accordance with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (EU, 2016), and that this would guaranty the protection of personal data, respecting the fundamental rights and freedom of the participants. The interviews were conducted on teams and in spaces that the parents preferred. Each interview lasted 50–80 minutes. The interview transcripts were read several times. Notations were written, and texts were coded using an inductive approach. The first coding was open and focused on establishing familiarity with the participants’ ideas and experiences. The codes were assembled to identify repeated patterns of meaning across the data (Braun & Clarke, 2013). Parents’ narratives were continually compared to attain conformation of their accounts and reduce possible limitations of the study in line with social construction of validity.

Data analysis ongoing but preliminary findings suggest that schools largely maintain cisheteronormative understandings of gender and fail to implement recent societal counteractions supporting LGBTQ+ rights. As a result, traditional gender roles persist, and a lack of transformative school practices may negatively affect the security and wellbeing of trans youth. Parents of trans youth experience will and understanding in schools towards their children but the support in the school environment only goes so far and could be increased with more knowledge among staff, the enactment of LGBTQ+ pedagogies, less prejudice in the school environment and society and more open discussion in schools about gender diversity and LGBTQ+ issues.

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