Research consistently shows that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ) youth are a vulnerable population. It is essential for professionals who work with adolescents or in adolescent-serving organizations to understand strategies for creating supportive environments for LGBTQ youth. This introduction briefly outlines social science research about the contemporary lives of LGBTQ youth, as well as the most recent research that speaks to both risk and resilience in their lives. These discussions provide grounding for the articles in this issue that consider ways to create supportive environments for LGBTQ students.