Connections Quarterly Summer 2019 - Gender | Page 16

S U P P OR T ING TRA NSGE NDE R & G END ER NO NCO NF O R M I NG S T U D E N TS Continued from page 13 them during the class and worry that they might be called on to explain or teach their peers. They are not the target audience and are not likely to learn new information themselves during class. That said, seeing their issues addressed and witnessing their classmates engaged in learning can be re- markably affirming. It is likewise affirming for students who may be questioning their gender identity but do not yet have the vo- cabulary or understanding to seek support and guidance. Teachers need to remember that it is their job to be knowledgeable about the content and to teach it without drawing unnecessary attention. Strong schools also make space for discus- sion among the community as a whole and by providing affinity space for underrepre- sented students, families, and staff. These two types of experiences actually have opposite purposes: community-wide en- gagement on an issue such as transgender people are largely for the benefit of the cis- gender community since they are designed to provide windows into the transgender experience for those without a reference point. Transgender individuals and family members already have this experience first- hand and, therefore, need the opportunity to connect with other trans people to un- pack their personal experiences. Support affinity space for any groups that are seeking community within your com- munity. Sometimes people from the domi- nant groups feel threatened or uncom- fortable with affinity spaces to which they Page 14 Summer 2019 “Like other minority groups, transgender people and their families are often asked to speak for their entire com- munity. For students, this can be particularly problematic...” are not welcomed, but we must value the needs of our underrepresented groups de- spite this discomfort. Depending on the size of your community and the number of LGBT students and families, you may need to have a group that mixes all of these con- stituencies in order to get critical mass. As you move forward, make space for more general groups to break into smaller, more specific groups such as parents of transgen- der students or transgender students meet- ing separately from LGB students, since those are very different experiences. Give Transgender Students Space to “Be” Their Gender Like other minority groups, transgender people and their families are often asked to speak for their entire community. For students, this can be particularly problem- atic since their goal is often to be treated as their preferred gender without bringing extra attention to being transgender. This is in contrast to lesbian, gay, and bisexual CSEE Connections