WSU study: LGBTQ students report higher rates of bullying in conservative school districts LGBTQ+ students are at a higher risk for depression, anxiety and thoughts of suicide as a result of bullying and teachers not backing them up, a study finds. Author: Galen Ettlin Updated: 3:37 PM PDT July 24, 2021 WASHINGTON, USA — A new study from Washington State University (WSU) shows a disparity in reports of bullying across school districts in Washington state. Students who identify as LGBTQ+ in school districts with conservative voting records reported more bullying and suicidality than their peers in more politically liberal areas. For the study in the journal Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy, WSU said researchers looked into relationships among school district voting records in the 2016 presidential election, bullying experiences in schools, and mental health outcomes of LGBTQ+ youth in the state.