The Gender Inclusive SchoolBRIAN JUCHEMS

WWW.GSAFEWI.ORG

(608) 661-4141

Developing the leadership of LGBTQ+ and allied youth

Supporting Gay-Straight Alliances

Training educational staff

Advancing educational justice

Deepening racial, trans*, gender, and social justice

www.gsafewi.org

My Gender Journey1. Growing up, did you think of yourself as a boy, a girl, both,

neither or in some way? How did you come to that recognition? When?

2. What messages did you receive from those around you about gender? Did those messages make sense to you?

3. How were students who did not fit into expectations about gender treated in school by other students? By the adults around them? By you?

4. Have you ever been confused by someone’s gender? How did that feel for you? Why do you think you felt the way you did?

5. If you were to describe your gender without talking about how you look or what you do, what would you share?

6. How have issues of gender and gender diversity “shown up” in your work as an educator or in your role at school?

Source: Gender Spectrum

Biological Sex

Male Intersex Female

AnatomyChromosomesHormones

http://tinyurl.com/intersexy

Gender Roles(societal expectation of gender - racialized)

male female

Gender Expression(communication of gender)

masculine androgynous feminine

Gender Identity(psychological sense of self, “brain gender”)

man genderqueer woman

Gender

Agender

Gender Roles(societal expectation of gender)

male female

Gender

Gender impacts all studentsGENDER INCLUSIVE SCHOOLS HELP ALL STUDENTS

Gender Roles(societal expectation of gender)

male female

Gender Expression(communication of gender)

masculine androgynous feminine

Gender

Who is this?

"The generally accepted rule is pink for the boys, and blue for the girls. The reason is that pink, being a more decided and stronger color, is more suitable for the boy, while blue, which is more delicate and dainty, is prettier for the girl."

-- Ladies Home Journal 1918

Gender Roles(societal expectation of gender)

male female

Gender Expression(communication of gender)

masculine androgynous feminine

Gender Identity(psychological sense of self, “brain gender”)

man genderqueer/two spirit woman

Gender

Agender

Cisgender: A person whose gender identity more or less aligns with the biological sex they were assigned at birth. (“cis-” is a Latin prefix meaning “on this side of”)

Transgender: A person whose gender identity is different from the biological sex they were assigned at birth. (“trans-” is a Latin prefix meaning “across, on the far side of”)

biological sex

gender identity

male

man

female

woman

cisg

ende

r

transgender

cisg

ende

r

Gender variance exists throughout history and across cultures

Evidence of gender diverse identities and behaviors exists throughout history and across cultures.

“Transgender” is a Western term used to describe an identity which people claim in the current cultural context. There are a number of words which have been and continue to be used to describe gender variance in other cultural contexts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZDx9JQUGB0 (movie clip)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUtDME18X7k (movie trailer)

Xanith (Oman)

Khanit (Oman)

Fa'afafine (Samoa)

Fakaleiti (Tonga)

Mahu wahine (Hawaii)

Mahu vahine (Tahiti)

Whakawahine (New Zealand Māori)

Ia (Te Reo Maori)

Akava'ine (Cook Islands Māori)

Bakla (Tagalog)

Two Spirit (Native American)Guevedoche (Dominican Republic)Kwolu-aatmwol (Papua New Guinea)

Gender and CultureCalalai/ Calabai (Sulawesi)Timtum(Judaism)Lakin on (Philippines)Tomboy (Philippines)Sworn virgins (Balkans)Mollies (England)Ashtime (Ethiopia)Mashoga (Kenya)Mangaiko (Congo)Travestis (Brazil)Muxe (Mexico)Waria (Indonesia)

GENDER IDENTITY A person’s innermost concept of self as being male, female, neither, or both. Gender identity may or may not align with one’s assigned biological sex.

SEXUAL ORIENTATION

A person’s experience of being romantically, physically, and emotionally attracted to men, women, both, or neither.

BIOLOGICAL SEX The combination of anatomy, chromosomes, and hormones that are typically classified as male, female or intersex. Sex is usually assigned at birth based solely upon a person’s visible external anatomy.

GENDER EXPRESSION

How we express our gender to the world. This could include the clothes we wear, the way we style our hair, the way we talk, and the pronouns we choose to use.

23:15

Developmental Stages & the Transgender ChildBrill, S., & Pepper, R. (2008) The transgender child: a handbook for families and

professionals. San Francisco, CA: Cleis Press Inc.

Sexual Orientation(romantic/sexual attraction)

same sex or gender bi/pansexual other sex or gender

Sexual Expression(sexual behavior)

same sex or gender both/ other sex or gendermore than one

Sexual Identity(self-identification)

gay/lesbian bisexual straight

SexualityAsexual

Responding to Questions about Gender

Data on Trans Youth Experiences

3x more likely to be in Special Ed.

2x more likely to have skipped school

5x more likely to have carried weapon to school

4x more likely to have no adult support outside parents

3x more likely to have been in physical fight

15x more likely to have been in juvenile correction or prison

3x more likely to have suicide ideation

5x more likley to attempt suicide

2.5x more likely to get aggressive, hit, yell, or scream

Source: 2012 Dane County Youth Assessment

Learn more at www.gsafewi.org

The Role of Bias

26

“Push out” is used as opposed to “dropout” because there are active systems in place to push/force students to drop out.

School push out occurs when a student is encouraged or forced to leave school.

Push out includes punishments for students that deny them instruction time and their right to an education. Students suspended, expelled or arrested in school are more likely to drop out or graduate late.

Push out makes it more likely that a young person will end up in the prison system.

PUSH OUT

27

In regard to Discipline, Gender Nonconforming Youth are more likely to face…Harsh Discipline and Biased Application of Policies

Blame for Victimization

The Law & Gender Inclusive Schools

State LawsWI Anti-Bullying Law

About behavior. Sample DPI policy includes “gender identity”.

WI Pupil Non-Discrimination Law (State Stat. 118.13) About behavior and inclusion. Public schools may not exclude students

from school or school activities or programs on the basis of sexual orientation. Adding “gender identity,” “gender expression,” and “gender nonconformity” would be

WI DPI Administrative Code PI 9.02 Interprets 118.13 to include “harassment” under definition of

“discrimination”

Federal Laws

1st Amendment Right to be out at school, take same-sex date to prom, etc.

Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment Schools must protect all students equally (Nabozny vs. Podlesny)

Equal Access Act GSAs should be treated equally.

Title IX Prohibits discrimination based on an individuals inability to conform to

standard notions of masculinity and femininity. This includes transgender and gender nonconforming people.

Recent Legal Developments

Arcadia and Downey (CA) School Districts – settlements with the federal government (DOE/OCR) over treatment of transgender students. Key actions: policy developmentstaff trainingtreatment of student as their asserted gender in all aspects of school

Also, Maine (Nicole Maines) and Colorado (Coy Mathis) cases

DOJ (June 2015) – Virginia: Transstudents should be able to use restrooms that match their gender identity and can’t be forced to use the restroom that match their physical characteristics

DOE/OCR (Nov 2015) – Palatine, IL: District violated trans students Title IX rights by barring locker room use

AB 469 – Student “Privacy Protection” Bill

What it says

Questions it brings up

Current status

Practices of Gender Inclusive Schools

A Framework for Gender Inclusive Schools

Gender Inclusive Schools:

Recognize that gender impacts all students

Interrupt binary notions of gender

Normalize gender diversity

Question limited portrayals of gender

Support students’ self-reflection

Teach empathy and respect

Entry Points:

Personal

Structural

Interpersonal

Instrutional

What are the ways we enforce gender binary in schools? Personal

Structural

Interpersonal

Instructional

Personal - Focused on your own understanding of gender

- Developing your gender awareness lens

Includes

See Gender Spectrum’s complete “My Gender Journey”

Structural - Institutional steps that acknowledge you recognize and honor gender diversity

Includes

Policies/admin regulations

Staff training

Flexible student information systems

Identified educator leaders

Gender neutral facilities

Easy access materials

Inclusive signage

Inclusive forms

Interpersonal - Individual interactions that affirm structural gender inclusion

- Intentional day-to-day behaviors

Includes

Challenging gender binary

Differentiating btwn patterns and rules

Question limited portrayals of gender

Recognize gender is about identity

Support reflection

Teach empathy and respect

Normalize gender diversity

Instructional - Stand alone or integrated approaches to instill greater awareness and understanding about gender

Includes

See handouts and samples

Checklist In teams based on grade level and/or role…

What are we already doing well?

What could we do better?

What aren’t we doing at all but need to prioritize?

What should we stop doing?

Questions You Might Get Asked about Gender Inclusive Practices

Building Family Acceptance

Before Viewing the Film

After Viewing the Film

Helping your families journey towards acceptance…

Resources! LOCAL

GSAFE gsafewi.org

Madison TransParent Group Search words for link

Teens Like Us youthsos.org

Alianza Latina Search Facebook

NATIONAL

Gender Spectrum Genderspectrum.org

Welcoming Schools Welcomingschools.org

Trans Lifeline Translifeline.org

Teaching Tolerance Tolerance.org

Contact Us! Brian J.

Director of Education & Policy

brianj@gsafewi.org

(608) 641-4141