Connections Quarterly Summer 2019 - Gender | Page 14

Supporting Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Students By Jay Briar Sheridan School, Washington, DC W e acknowledge gender in our culture constantly. In order to hold a conversation, we have to know (or guess) the gender of anyone we are talking about by using pronouns, and we make further assumptions about habits, motives, and actions based on the gender or perceived gender of each individual we talk about. Of course, we are so well-versed in how to do this that we do not think about it. In class, try giving a student a bell with instructions to ring it every time someone’s gender is referenced in conversation. You will likely be surprised at how often and constant the bell will be heard. With those pronouns come a world of expectations that we have to confront in order to value each child in our schools. Creating a safe and welcoming environment for transgender and gender nonconformist students starts with creating a school community where stu- dents are encouraged to explore their own identities and learn about those of others. Our society still has a great deal of discomfort in talking about gender nonconformity so we have to be proactive in effectively raising the subject and teaching our students. There are five significant areas we can acknowledge and improve upon in our schools right away. Page 12 Summer 2019 CSEE Connections