this study examines the high school experiences of nine members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (lgbtq) community. it describes how heterosexuality, homophobia and heterosexism were endured by these youth in the secondary school setting between the late 1990's and early 2000's. in this qualitative study, data were collected through a single focus group discussion and eight interviews. several themes emerged: the difficulties gay, lesbian, and bisexual youth face in high school; their relationships with teachers and administrators; and recommendations for improving the high school experiences for these youth. all participants noted that change is possible and has indeed happened in educational settings, but call for more attention to and implementation of effective policies to introduce lgbtq issues. the findings are supported by literature produced by nongovernmental organizations, policy analysts, and researchers.