By Sydney Selman
Schools are not doing enough to support their transgender students. Well, that’s the way it seems at least.
Getting an education can be very stressful. I can imagine this stress is only amplified when fighting for basic rights and decency as a transgender student. It’s even worse when policy makers and school representatives aid in increasing the ostracism these students already face.
In late September 2015, a 13-year-old transgender boy in Elko County, Nev., made an appeal to use the male-designated bathrooms on campus. An anti-bullying bill passed this year allows for transgender students to request to use the bathrooms of their identified gender. After sending the case to court, the appeal was denied.
According to an article published by the Nevada Appeal, three lawmakers in the state have not only criticized the anti-bullying law that widely extends protection to transgender students, but have opted to remove this part of legislation entirely. They have even pushed a bill to segregate transgender students and explicitly ban them from using public school bathrooms that align with their identified gender.
It seems to me that lawmakers are unapologetically disregarding the needs of transgender students. Such asinine reasoning is sure to have adverse effects on the lives of these students.
According to the National Center for Transgender Equality, 59 percent of transgender students have been denied the use of restrooms that match their identified gender.
“Too often, school officials themselves single out these youth by refusing to respect their gender identity and even punishing them for expressing that identity,” said NCTE. “Rather than focusing on their education, many students struggle for the ability to come to school and be themselves without being punished for wearing clothes or using facilities consistent with who they are.”
The hardships the students are faced extend much further than the use of bathrooms.
Transgender student Cole Carter, a senior at SAIL High School, said that schools are trying to be more accommodating, but they’re not doing enough for students who are non-binary.
“The teachers go by birth names and assigned genders to refer to each student and never ask a preference,” said Carter. “I had to go to the counselor to fix my gender issue.”
Carter noted that a majority of his teachers did refer to him as Cole (his preferred name), but continued to call him “she” and “young lady.” It was not until a discussion with Erica Page, the guidance counselor at SAIL, that the topic of Carter’s gender was brought up in a staff meeting.
“I noticed attempts to use my preferred pronouns the next day and two weeks following, but it eventually stopped and some teachers still slip up and never notice,” said Carter.
According to Carter, these acts of being “misgendered” often go undisciplined by students and teachers alike.
“I know many people–myself included–who have been misgendered by other students, sometimes on purpose because they don’t agree,” said Carter. “These acts are considered bullying, and the students are never punished.”
A national survey by the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network reported that 75 percent of transgender students feel unsafe at school. More alarming, those who endured the fear to attend school held significantly lower GPAs. These same students were reported to have missed more school out of fear for their safety.
These statistics could be easily dropped if schools and lawmakers paid mind to the desires and needs of transgender students. Instead, they write these students off completely.
According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, 41 percent of transgender students attempt suicide at some point in their lives. In comparison, just 4.1 percent of the general public attempt suicide.
These numbers alone should be incentive to do better.
It’s clear that not enough is being done to protect transgender students. A simple change of attitude and effort could save a life.
