Trans Youth at School Y-GAP Community Bulletin
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Trans Youth at School Y-GAP Community BulleTin everyone has the right to a safe and healthy school environment. This Bulletin provides recommendations for school administration to help create welcoming and supportive schools for trans youth. egale Canada’s (2009) school climate survey revealed: 95% of trans students felt unsafe at school. The Challenges Faced 90% of trans students reported being verbally by Trans Students harassed because of their gender expression. The world is often an unsafe place for trans youth. 50% reported that staff Schools are no exception – but that can be changed. never intervened when Trans students experience verbal and physical homophobic or transphobic harassment, assault, teasing, social exclusion, and comments were made. have their property stolen or damaged at rates higher than any other student group. And, the more frequent harassment trans youth experience, the lower their The Youth-Gender Action grades and educational aspirations (1). They also Project (Y-GAP) study found drop out of school at higher rates than other students that trans youth are not “out”, because of feeling unsafe (2), (3). Some use drugs to transfer out, or drop out of cope with this stress, some contemplate suicide. school because of hostile environments and harassment. A few students reported being sent to religious and/or single- Trans youth of colour experience additional challenges sex schools by their parents as a because of the systemic racism they often encounter. deliberate strategy to “correct” These challenges can compound the stress of transition. their gender-variance. Their experiences with racism and transphobia push them to the margins of the school. “I’mafraidtocomeoutasatrans guyatschool—yeah,Iwouldn’t feelcomfortabledoingthat.” Most trans youth report being victims of chronic, severe bullying in school. Some “Partofwhythey[staff]were trans youth have objects thrown at them, notsupportiveisbecauseIdidn’t are beaten by other students, and receive tell them in the first place. So it’s death threats. Many are verbally abused and made fun of. Some describe themselves partiallymyfaulttoo,butIjust as friendless and “outcasts.” Some of the foundIdidn’treallytrustthem.” harassment occurs in the classroom, but can be “subtle” and “one-on-one” and escape teacher notice. The majority of harassment Trans youth feel isolated by the lack of happens outside of teacher and staff view relevant curricula and resources and/or -- in hallways, washrooms, and outside on misinformation that is circulated regarding school grounds. their identities. Gendered school spaces and policies, such as single sex washrooms, change rooms, and uniforms can compound the social stress of school. Trans youth feel “Butpeoplewhoknowme--some discouraged when their own initiatives and ofthemsaidIamugly,I’mweird efforts to improve the school environment are met with indifference or resistance. andjustbadthingsaboutme…the teacherwaseithertoobusywith otherstudentsortherewas “Ialwaysfeltexcludedbecausenobody actuallynoteacheraround.” understoodwhatbeingtransmeant.My teacherwastalkingabouttranssexual Compounding the harassment from peers ortransgenderpeopleinsocialscience is the fact that trans youth experience a lack of mentorship and teacher indifference classandthenhetoldusthatit (4). Trans students have difficulty talking wasthesamethingashermaphrodite to school staff about harassment. If [sic]…Ifyou’regonnagivetheclass students experience verbal harassment and intimidation rather than physical attacks, information,thenatleastgivethemthe they may doubt there is much staff can do to right information. So I feel like nobody effectively address it. Some students fear that understandsus,soIjustfeelvery staff will not take their complaints seriously or have peer violence escalate when they report alienated.Iwasinadeepdepression.” it. Some trans students feel some teachers and principals tacitly approve of the violence and harassment when they don’t step in, ignore what is happening, or give bullies a “slap on the wrist” as a consequence (5). Trans Youth at School What Schools Can Do to Support Trans Students 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. Trans youth often start to take their first steps towards expressing and embodying their “Areallygoodthinghappened.We true gender identity during their high school didgetanewprincipalwhoactually years or earlier (6). When trans youth begin hadaspineandheenforcedlots experimenting with gender, they may face family rejection and homelessness. Because of ofnewrulesthatstoppedbullying. the discrimination they face elsewhere in their There’salotmoresupervisionin lives, schools have the potential to be the thehallwaysandstuff.” most stable cornerstone in their lives. Many trans youth move to urban centres “Whenyougotoanall-gayalternative to connect with the trans community and school,thelearningexperiencewas to access resources. Studying away from very positive. I got my confidence home can also mean a “fresh start” for trans youth in their chosen gender and/or be in back.Igottodosomeofmy a place to transition in a more supportive writingthatI’mveryproudof.” environment, without the social pressures and expectations of the communities where Individual staff can play an important role they grew up. On the other hand, such in students feeling supported at school. autonomy and anonymity in combination This can involve supportive comments with the social stress of transitioning can and actions in class, as well as being leave trans youth vulnerable. approachable to talk about gender and preferred name. Teachers should be on the There are lots of things school staff can look out for indications of distress in youth do to be supportive and to provide a such as social isolation, being the target of more welcoming and safer environment peer-teasing or bullying, skipping classes, for trans students. Most changes are easy and a sudden drop in school performance. to implement, simple, and require no new resources. It begins with creating awareness Trans youth see principals as the most among staff and students and working from a important person in setting the tone for the vision of providing quality, inclusive learning school culture, through being committed to environments for all students. We encourage diversity and adopting a “zero tolerance” you to post our Taking Action page. approach to harassment. If teachers do not report incidents they see (which is only a fraction of what actually occurs), even a well-intentioned principal will not be fully aware of the extent of harassment that trans students experience (7). Y-GAP Community Bulletin Taking Action to Create Trans-Positive Schools 1. Research your school’s equity statements 9. Accommodate locker room accessibility, and anti-violence policies. If there is which may include use of a private area nothing specific to trans students in (washroom, or Phys. Ed instructor’s existing material, propose that “gender office), or a separate changing schedule identity” become an articulated ground (just before or after the other students for protection. have changed). 2. Develop a school protocol for consistent 10. Have trans-related fiction and non-fiction use of preferred name and pronouns books in the school library. that is easy for students to access. For example, under the Ontario Trillium 11. Integrate trans content into the school school identification system, a student’s curriculum and into student sexual health “preferred or chosen name” can be used education. on class lists, timetables, etc. 12. Support the development of a trans- 3. Develop a school policy that ensures inclusive GSA (Gay-Straight Alliance) in the right to use a washroom that best the school. corresponds to the student’s gender identity. If trans students do not feel safe 13. Encourage and support scholarships and using this washroom, ensure that they awards that recognize the unique strength have access to a private washroom (e.g., and resilience that trans youth possess. staff washroom) if they choose. Some of these recommendations were 4. Create a flexible or gender-neutral dress adapted from Callender (see footnote 8). code to enable a student’s right to dress in accordance with their gender identity. The Equity and Inclusive Education Strategy 5. Ensure that a student has the right to comes into effect February 2010, requiring participate in gender-segregated sports all school staff to report serious student and gym class activities in accordance incidents, such as bullying, to the principal, with the student’s gender identity. and staff to address inappropriate and disrespectful behaviour among students. 6. Integrate trans-sensitivity and advocacy training into staff professional “ Our schools must be places free of development curricula. discrimination and bullying where all students feel welcome, safe and 7. Train staff to identify and confront respected. We remain committed to the transphobia in the school. goals of increasing student achievement, of closing gaps between students who 8. Designate a staff person within the school, are achieving and those who are not, and or school district, who can act in an of increasing confidence in our publicly extended advocacy role for trans students. funded education system.” (Education Minister, Kathleen Wynne) Trans Youth at School