Being an LGBT youth in America has never been a Gay Pride Parade, no matter the community setting. But most rural schools prove an especially unhappy and dispiriting place for kids whose sexuality or gender expression does not fit within community expectations. Those are the findings of researchers for the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), published in the "Journal of Youth and Adolescence" last August. "We keep finding that youth in rural areas--whether gay or perceived as gay--are more likely to be victimized verbally and physically," says Dr. Joe Kosciw, lead researcher in the national study. In fact, the study found that these students are more at risk in rural districts than in urban districts with a history of bullying problems. More teachers and administrators in rural areas are not taking the lead in creating safer space for LGBT students in their schools because for some districts, it may be a lack of awareness, says Heather Rodriguez, program director for Triple Point, a youth group for LGBT teens in Walla Walla, Washington. Other reasons for failing to protect LGBT kids can be tied even more directly to bigoted attitudes, Rodriguez notes. Some teachers are fearful of being ostracized by colleagues and harassed by parents. Many rural educators carry their own anti-gay attitudes into the school building. Life can be tough for LGBT students in rural schools, but like kids in more urban areas, that can change with the right kind of support from teachers and parents.