Combating LGBTphobia in schools: evidence from a field experiment in France

This paper presents the first rigorous evaluation of school-based interventions aimed at reducing LGBTphobia. We focus on a classroom intervention that addresses the issue of LGBT harassment through perspective-taking and narrative exchange. Using a field experiment in France with more than 10,000 middle and high school students, we find robust evidence of strong positive effects, with variations across gender, age, and socioeconomic status. We argue that changing perceptions of group norms is a key channel driving these heterogeneous effects.