Why does this matter?

Trans and gender non-conforming youth do exist, but our school systems are not set up to support them. This lack of awareness about their existence and needs means they are probably not getting the unique support they need. Egale Canada's 2009 national survey on homophobia and transphobia in schools revealed:

• 95% of trans students feel unsafe in school
• 90% of trans students reported being verbally harassed because of their gender expression
• 50% of trans youth reported that staff never intervened when homophobic or transphobic comments were made
• More than 1/3 of trans students strongly agree that they sometimes feel very depressed about their school and that they do not belong at their school

These are horrifying statistics that we can only begin to address by talking about this subject and helping educators become aware of what they can do. So, my project aims to provide educators with a guide that will assist them in better understanding this issue so they can make their schools safer, more inclusive, and more supportive of trans and gender non-conforming youth. Some of the sections include:

• "Trans 101": Intro to the basics about gender and trans identities
• A "knowledge translation" and overview of helpful literature
• Hypothetical scenarios and questions to ask oneself when dealing with them
• Recommendations for policy, planning and action
• Resources 

However, you should not have to wait for this guide to exist to make your school more trans-inclusive and supportive. Even without all of the background information, there are things that individual educators can do to begin to improve their schools in small, but meaningful ways:

• Check your own beliefs and assumptions (question what you think about gender identity and why)
• Educate yourself (there are lots of resources on the internet that a simple google search can provide!)
• Make yourself a visible ally and let people know you want to support trans youth
• Challenge gender norms in the classroom (don't break students into "boys vs. girls" or allow assumptions like "boys like to do X, girls play with Y")
• Respond to gender-based harassment, bullying and abuse. Don't let it slide when you hear students call each other names or challenge another student's right to be themselves.
• Establish ground rules with your students and colleagues about being inclusive, rather than offensive- then you cab refer back to them whenever a problem arises.

Finally, I believe there is one assumption every educator should make. Assume at least one student in your school or class is trans or gender-non conforming, whether it is obvious or not. Many schools are doing nothing to create more supportive environments for their trans youth simply because they don't believe these youth exist, or because they don't see this as a pressing issue. The Youth Gender Action Project in Ontario sums it up best: 

 

“Don’t wait until you “get” a trans student to create supportive policies and a welcoming environment. You already have trans students but do not know it yet. They simply may not be “out” because they perceive the environment to be unsafe and unwelcoming”

Educators do have the ability to fix this situation and make these youth feel welcome and supported. This may seem like a daunting task, but it is possible. Having support from even one teacher in a school can make a huge difference in a youth's life, and this is a great place to start.

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Citations:

 Taylor, C. and Tracey, P. (2009). Youth speak up about homophobia and transphobia: The first national climate survey on homophobia in Canadian schools, Phase I report. Egale Canada Human Rights Trust. 

Youth Gender Action Project (YGAP): PDF accessible at www.ctys.org/documents/YGAP_School.pdf