1. Make no assumption about sexuality.
- If a someone has not used a pronoun (him/her/he/she) when discussing a relationship, don't assume one. Use neutral language such as "Are you seeing anyone" instead of "Do you have a girlfriend/boyfriend". 

2. Have something gay-related visible in your home & office.
- A sticker, a poster, a flyer, a brochure, a book, a button... 
This will identify you as a safe person to talk to and will hopefully allow a gay, lesbian, bisexual or questioning youth to break his/her silence.

3. Support, normalize and validate youths' feelings about their sexuality.
- Let them know that you are there for them. Always remember, the problem is homophobia not homosexuality.

4. Do not advise youths to come out to parents, family and friends as they need to come out at their own safe pace.
- Studies show as many as 26% of gay youth are forced to leave their home after they tell their parents. IT IS THEIR DECISION and they have to live with the consequences. Help them figure out what makes sense for them.

5. Guarantee confidentiality.  
- Youth need to know their privacy will be respected or they will not be honest about this important issue. If you cannot maintain confidentiality for legal reasons, let them know this in advance.

6. Challenge homophobia.
- As a role model for youths, respond to homophobia immediately and sincerely.

7. Combat heterosexism in your home and workplace.
- Include discussion of and with, visibly gay and lesbian role models where possible.

8. Learn about and refer to community organizations.
- Familiarize yourself with resources and call them before you refer to make sure they are ongoing. Also refer to gay-positive books.

9. Provide role models.
- Gay and straight students benefit from having openly gay members of the Community. Straight students are given an alternative to the inaccurate stereotypes they have received and gay students are provided with the opportunity to see healthy gay adults.