SU PPO R T I NG T R ANS G END ER & G END ER N O N CO N FO RM I N G S TU D E N TS
Teach Everyone About Gender
“Teachers especially need
comfortable language to
use. We have to be aware
that our school cultures
often adhere to fairly strict
gender norms and, un-
less examined, passively
marginalize students.”
Most faculty and staff did not learn or talk
about these issues when they were in
school and, even when well-intentioned,
do not have the experience or tools to en-
gage in gender discussions. Moreover, since
talking about sex and gender can be sensi-
tive, many teachers and non-teaching staff
fear saying the wrong thing and avoid en-
gaging in constructive conversation or re-
sponding to offensive behavior. They need
to know that the school will support them
when teaching students responsibly about
gender and when calling out transphobic
and gender-conformist behavior within the
community. In addition to written school
policies, meeting time needs to be dedicat-
ed to training all staff. During this training,
teach critical content, make room for naive
questions, and role play possible scenarios
that staff might encounter.
Likewise, students need direct instruction
on gender and gender identity. This may
fit into your school’s sexuality education,
science, or social studies classes; it needs
to be a regular and intentional part of the
school’s curriculum. These classes should
teach the difference between biological
sex and gender, explain that both may be
ambiguous and along a spectrum of ex-
pression, and explore how privacy and per-
sonal preference matter a great deal when
being supportive.
Teachers especially need comfortable lan-
guage to use. We have to be aware that our
school cultures often adhere to fairly strict
gender norms and, unless examined, pas-
sively marginalize students. While we are
better at anticipating that some of our stu-
dents may come from nontraditional family
structures and have gotten away from say-
ing, “Go ask your mom and dad” by default,
we often still ask boys to help move furni-
ture and girls to bring snacks for the bake
sale. Enforcing gender roles and norms
damages all of our students since they will
all, at some point in their lives, have inter-
ests and experiences that do not conform
to traditional male and female roles.
Provide Specific Support for Gender
Nonconforming Individuals
If you have transgender students, it is es-
sential to proactively reach out to them be-
fore they have to sit through classes about
gender identity. Parents and school coun-
selors often know how best to reach out
ahead of time so that transgender students
feel as comfortable as possible. Some stu-
dents would rather have that conversation
at home while others may prefer to speak
with a trusted adult at school. If they are
out, they are likely to think all eyes are on
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CSEE Connections
Summer 2019
Page 13