Gender Identity and Education

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“Getting to know us...” The LGBT Excellence Centre Wales is a social enterprise and a charity that supports Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender people and promotes equality, diversity and human rights through gathering and sharing information and good practice. We provide: Advice Mediation Advocacy

Networking

Consultancy

Research

Counselling

Support

Information

Training

Legal Advice

Workshops

In the following areas: Benefits ● Bullying ● Civil Partnerships Coming Out ● Discrimination ● Domestic Violence ● Employment ● Funding ● Gender Identity ● Hate Crime ● Health ● Homelessness ● Housing Immigration ● Legal Matters ● Relationships Sexuality ● Sexual Orientation ●Social Care ● Volunteering

Support Information and Advice Trans Youth Wales A social network run by young people for young people who want to get information and peer support around gender identity matters and to socialise. (www.transyouthwales.org.uk) Unique UNIQUE is a voluntary organisation supporting transgendered people in North Wales and West Cheshire. (www.uniquetg.org.uk|) Transyouth. Linking trans youth with current resources The site also supplies links to scholarships for trans students as well as undergraduate and graduate programmes in gender studies. (www.transyouth.net). Lesbian and Gay Youth Manchester (LGYM) Despite it’s location it does have a trans page with some good advice and support (www.lgym.org.uk/ transweb/index.html) Biscuit An on-line forum for young people. (www.yellowwalesforums.co.uk)

London's Tavistock and Portman Trust offers advice on gender dysphoria to young people. (www.tavistockandportman. nhs.uk/) Loud and Proud Cardiff Youth Group Meeting . Provides advice and support in a safe place (www.queeryouth.org.uk) Guidance GIRES There are a range of articles for and about gender variant youngsters. (www.gires.org.uk) Press for Change has a school and college ‘toolkit’ (www.pfc.org.uk) Counselling Services LGBT Excellence Centre 0800 023 2201 ChildLine is a free 24 hour counselling service for children and young people up to and including 18 in the UK provided by The NSPCC. 0800 1111

Sygnet Swansea based youth group. (www.tht.org.uk)

Gender Identity and Education

Photography © LGBT Excellence Centre and Juliana Kammerlander

This leaflet is part of a series on gender identity produced by the LGBT Excellence Centre Wales with funding from Awards for All.

LGBT Excellence Centre Suite 1 & 2 376, Newport Road Cardiff CF23 9AE Freephone: 0800 023 2201 Web: www.ecwales.org.uk Email: info@ecwales.org.uk

LGBT Excellence Centre Unleashing Wales’ Potential Empowering communities to flourish I n par tne rs hip w ith


“I started dressing as a girls when I was 6 and that is how I always felt. Of course, I got a lot of stares at school and in the street, but II am not put off because I know who I am!” Tara, 20

Trans-Forming Education and Youth Services “Although schools may think that they have no transgender people to worry about, that is statistically unlikely. In any school of 1,000 pupils there are likely to be 6 who will experience transgenderism throughout their lives. There are likely to be others who have a transgender parent or close relative. There is likely to be one transgender person in 170 members of staff.” GIRES

The Law

The Issues

The law protects lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender school children against discrimination under the Single Equality Act 2010.

 If a transgender person

Also, under the Education and Inspections Act 2006 pupils are protected by the statutory duty on teachers to tackle all forms of bullying.

 There may be fears that

does not see evidence of awareness in the place of education, they may be reluctant to come forward for advice and support discriminatory behaviour may not be tackled and the trans person feels ‘alone’. A sound anti-bullying policy must be seen to be working.

 Due to lack of awareness and training the teacher may feel unable to support the trans person.

 Understanding by teachers that sports days might be difficult for a trans person.

 Information and literature may not be available.

 That studies may suffer if being bullied.

 It may be difficult for a trans person to decide which lavatory to use.

A true experience My Trans son did not suffer discrimination or

bullying at school but this away studying at may be because being a University - there have female tomboy is been no seen as being problems I was extensively more socially there either. bullied at school. It acceptable than I think that made avoidance behaving as a taking a calm, tactics essential, very feminine informed and and was distracting boy. My son pro-active from my school was lucky stance as work. Teachers because we did concerned should ensure the not try to enforce parents human rights of the gendered makes others victim are behavior or realise that considered above expectations on this is a those of the the children perfectly perpetrators. generally as they manageable Joy grew up. situation. Without knowing it - this lightened some of Win the pressure. Currently

Suggested Reading Guidance on combating Transphobic Bullying in Schools. A Home Office commissioned toolkit to use in combating transphobic bullying (available for downloading on GIRES) (http://www.gires.org.uk/ transbullying.php) Beyond the Binary: A Toolkit for Gender Identity Activism in Schools. Published by GayStraight Alliance Network (available from Transyouth) A guide for young trans people in the UK (www.dh.gov.uk/en/publicationsandstatistics/ Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/ DH_074258) Trans staff and students in Higher Education: revised 2010 (www.ecu.ac.uk/publications/transstaff-and-students-in-he-revised)

Some good practice:  All staff should understand the nature of gender variance and if necessary schools should bring in specialists to    

provide lectures/workshops on gender variance. All schools should ensure they have a copy of Guidance on combating Transphobic Bullying in Schools It is important that the gendered teenager has the same educational opportunities as others and is protected from discrimination. They need to be able to focus on their studies. Do not, and do not allow your staff, pupils or visitors, to discriminate against trans pupils, teachers or employees, it is against the law to do so. Be aware of all legal requirements which affect trans staff with regard to insurance, pensions, benefits and career developments (See Workplace leaflet)


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