TRANSCENDANCE THE ATTACK ON TRANS & GENDER NON-CONFORMING YOUTH

BY PAULINA ANGEL

Last Thursday, the Chino Valley School Board of Education voted 4-1 on a controversial Parental Notification Rule in which makes it mandatory for teachers and staff to out their students to their parents if they identify as Transgender or want to be referenced by their chosen pronouns. The Board of Education has now found themselves in a very clear position to be subject to many lawsuits that can be brought on by students, parents, as well as many LGBTQ organizations.

Back in 2011, one of the first pieces of legislation, Senate Bill 48: FAIR Education Act, was signed into law by Gov. Brown, this Bill places a ban on classroom instructions and other school activities that promote discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. 2 years later, Assembly Bill 1266: School Success and Opportunity Act was signed into law, which extends gender identity and gender expression discrimination protection to Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming K-12 Students in Public Schools.

In a swift move, the Chino Valley Board of Education had violated both bills, and thus discriminating against LGBTQ students in the district. By doing so, this opens a panic and a heightened threat against the wellbeing and mental health of students, which could potentially lead to students dropping out of school, or worst, Suicide. Not many kids feel comfortable with coming out to parents, and kids are a whole lot smarter than what society gives them credit for. Youth are understanding the way of the world, as well as their own identity as a human being.

At the age of 5, I had a clear idea about the world around me, as well as who I was. I recognized that I was born in the wrong body, and what I was didn’t align to what I felt about myself spiritually, mentally and emotionally. I really wish that I knew someone that I could have turned to and talk about what I felt, it was hard going through my youth worrying about a secret that I couldn’t share and it tore me up inside, which caused me to develop social anxiety issues. But if I knew that I could have gone to my teacher or a school counselor, to talk about it, I feel that things would have been a whole lot different.

Today, we have educators that are now trained in Childhood Development, that have since been updated to include LGBTQ Youth. Youth now have the option to talk to a school counselor or their favorite teacher, without worrying of a trust being broken. But its people like Assembly Member Bill Essayli, a GOP politician, who wants to make a name for himself by trying to get a bill passed, that had already died in committee, as well as died as a resolution at the Riverside County Board of Education in April, established at other Counties and Valleys in California. And for what? He’s not thinking about the youth that’ll get hurt in the process, it is not about the parents, of which, if parents today are as understanding, then there shouldn’t be any problem; but this is all just to get his name out there, to be one of the new faces in the GOP that can create problems with the LGBTQ community.

I just have one thing to say to Bill Essayli: Bring It, because the LGBTQ Community in California is mighty and well organized. For more info contact;

Paulina Angel, Executive Director Trans Community Project / (760) 537-0444

www.transcommunityproject.org

Twitter @transcp / Instagram @transcommunityproject