By FIONA MATTHEWS
Identity
In today’s society, gender and gender identity tend to be something we take for granted. For Trans* members of the LGBTQIA community, it is something they deal with on a daily basis. That is one of the many reasons why this week, Trans* awareness week, is important. It draws attention to the often overlooked T and some of the challenges that unfortunately seem to go hand and hand with.
From the time we are born we are assigned a gender, whether it is the one we will identify later in life or not. Girls are dressed in pink and handed Barbie’s, boys in blue with toy cars. We are told there are certain things we should and shouldn’t wear or do. Simple things like these can cause someone a great deal of confusion and distress. For example, for a young trans* boy who wants to play with trucks, being put in a dress and told they aren’t “ladylike” is painful.
A way for you to think of it is imagining yourself being placed into the wrong body. You want to go into the women’s room, but are too afraid of getting physically harmed for doing so. Dressing the way you want just gets you stared at. You would most likely feel terrified at times when faced with large groups of people or a close- minded family. Walking the streets alone can be a dangerous thing to do. In a world where you are perceived as being weird or unnatural it is hard to be comfortable being yourself in a body that society automatically assigns to you depending on your anatomy.
GLSEN and the National Center for Transgender Equality, on November 16th, jointly announced the launch of their groundbreaking Model District Policy for Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Students. It is the first-ever national policy resource co-authored by GLSEN and NCTE that offers solutions for school districts to incorporate into existing policies and procedures that create safer and respectful school environments for all students regardless of their gender identity or gender expression. Data from GLSEN’s “Harsh Realities: The Experiences of Transgender Youth in Our Nation’s Schools” revealed that two-thirds of transgender students have felt unsafe in school because of their sexual orientation and how they expressed their gender. The study also found that transgender students who faced high levels of harassment had considerably lower GPAs than those who experienced lower levels of harassment.
“We’re so proud to work with GLSEN on this policy,” said NCTE Executive Director Mara Keisling. “Transgender youth are everywhere, and schools are beginning to understand that providing for their safe and fair treatment is not a burden, but a core part of the educational mission. Schools are increasingly attuned to providing a safe and supportive environment for a diverse school community, and gender diversity has to be part of that picture. This groundbreaking model policy is here to help schools find the right solutions to support and educate all students.”
