Transgender Students In America
POSTED September 23, 2022
Five U.S. states don’t allow any transgender athletes to participate in school sports corresponding with their gender identity. Nine other states won’t let just trans girls participate in school sports says ESPN. Throughout the U.S. many schools have added new rules regarding trans students. Some schools are forcing trans students to use the bathroom of their assigned sex at birth. Other laws can refuse to use the students’ name and pronouns. People have had all kinds of reactions to hearing this news, some have decided to speak out against schools doing this while others are glad that these rules are being put into place.
The term trans or transgender is an umbrella term used to describe someone who does not identify as their sex assigned at birth, male or female. MTF (male to female) FTM (female to male) or Non-binary (someone who does not identify as male or female) are just some of the many gender identites a person could have. Pronouns are how you refer to others, she/her, he/him, they/them, etc.
Recently a Texas school has allowed its teachers the option of not using students’ preferred pronouns and chosen name. The Grapeville-Colleyville ISD (Independant School District) spoke on the matter saying, “The district will not promote, require, or encourage the use of titles or pronoun identifiers for students, teachers or any other persons in any manner that is inconsistent with the biological sex of such person,” states Grapeville-Colleyville ISD. The meeting discussing the policy lasted 8 hours. During this time 150 parents and residents of the district signed up to speak on the subject before their vote was cast on August 22nd 2022.
In Kansas a similar situation has arisen. The Johnson County School Board wants to ban trans students from using bathrooms corresponding with their gender identity. Along with this policy the district wants to create a policy where if instated “requires staff to notify parents whenever their trans student asks to be recognized in a manner consistent with their gender identity,” says The Kansas City Star. Many in the community believe this should not be a policy because it would “out” a student to their parents. (“Outing” someone is disclosing someone’s gender identity or sexuality without said person’s permission.)
Texas and Kansas are not alone in their decisions although it does seem like these policies differ from state to state. While some schools are enforcing rules like these others have become more accepting of their trans students. For example, at a school in Ohio if a student comes out to their teacher “That teacher can just use those preferred pronouns/name with the student and there is no need to share the info with any other staff member or family member unless the student would like additional support with this throughout the year” according to Fox News.
https://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/32117426/state-policies-transgender-athlete-participation
https://www.texastribune.org/2022/08/22/grapevine-colleyville-isd-transgender-critical-race-theory/
https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/education/article265495366.html