Gomes JAS, Cortes HM. LGBTphobia and Mental Health in schools: teachers’ perceptions of sexual and gender diversity. Interface (Botucatu). 2026; 30: e260011 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/interface.260011
Abstract
The objective of this study was to understand the perceptions of teachers from a municipal school in southern Brazil regarding sexual and gender diversity, analyzing gaps in training and impacts on adolescent mental health. We conducted a qualitative study (the appraisal phase of the Convergent Care Survey) with 23 elementary school teachers using conversational interviews. Thematic analysis was grounded in trans epistemology and psychosocial care. The findings revealed epistemic fragility and conceptual confusion regarding the topic, with frequent biological discourses. The accounts revealed that institutional LGBTphobia and bullying negatively affect students’ mental health, acting as triggers for isolation, school avoidance and self-harm. Faced with a lack of preparation and moral panic, teachers expressed the need for in-person, dialogic training. It is argued that cisheteronormativity and LGBTphobia paralyze pedagogical action, perpetuating health problems. There is an urgent need to invest in teacher training and inter-sectoral collaboration between health and education to ensure a protective school environment.
Keywords
Mental health; Sexual and gender minorities; Teacher training; School violence
Access in: https://doi.org/10.1590/interface.260011
