Sexual minority youth (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer) are at-risk student population, and school counselors are responsible for helping them cope in a heterosexist society. This article reports the qualitative findings of a study that examined the process of coping during the school-age years among 81 sexual minority people. Data were collected across three cohorts of participants (a Marriage Equality cohort, an HIV/AIDS epidemic cohort, and a Stonewall Rebellion cohort). The authors identified five themes across all cohorts from the interviews: influence of relationships; experiencing emotions; coming out; actions to cope with being a sexual minority, including involvement in extracurricular activities; and cognitive coping (younger participants). Implications for school counseling practice and research are provided for educators, researchers, and helping professionals.
