Transgender Rights in Educational Institutions
(posted 11/22/14 on wordpress, needs revision to include gender non-conforming)
English Assignment: write an informative essay on a controversial issue. Remain as neutral on the subject as possible while providing concerns from each side of the argument.
Transgender Rights in Educational Institutions
The objective of any school should, and usually is, the safety, well-being, and growth of students. The twenty-first century has been upon us for some time and with each year, brings a higher rise in awareness of the varying sexualities, identities, races, and feelings of people all over the world. With this raised awareness, comes questions of human rights. One particular right that is heavily debated right now is transgender rights Schools now face a complicated array of questions in regards to the safety of transgender students, as well as those of cisgender, and non-binary students. . Should we allow transgender students to enter bathrooms, locker rooms, and play on sports teams that match with their gender identity and not their physical sex? Does this access invite students to abuse it and, worst case scenario, abuse one another? What should schools do to protect transgender students from bullying? The question of how schools can protect the well-being of students is heavily debated amongst the LGBT+ and religious communities.
Challenges, triumphs, and questions of the LGB and transgender community are not uncommon to see in media over the past few years (Scott). California in particular has caught attention in the last year or so with its AB 1266 law which states that “A pupil shall be permitted to participate in sex-segregated school programs and activities, including athletic teams and competitions, and use facilities consistent with his or her gender identity, irrespective of the gender listed on the pupil’s records (AB-1266).
This law has, of course, raised questions and objections. Opponents of the bill argue that opening sensitive facilities such as showers, locker rooms, and bathrooms are an invasion of student privacy and put cisgender students in danger. Without a way to tell whether or not a student is actually transgender, opponents argue, students will try to play the system, putting others at risk to sexual harassment (Blad). Others state that the language used in the law is too broad. The law does not have specific wording and guidelines that protect both cisgender and transgender students. Frank Schubert, who headed Proposition 8, states that “There are no procedures to balance the interest of all students.” He also argues that “Somebody claiming to be a girl can go into the girls’ showers and bathroom and the locker room and can play on the girls’ sports team (Steinmetz).” Naturally, a handful of religious-based institutions are opponents to transgender rights in colleges and schools. Religious institutions, such as George Fox University, have sought exemption from the law such as when a female-to-male requested he be transferred to an all-male dormitory. This action is a prime example of the existing tension between equal treatment of an individual under the law and principles of religious self-determination (Ray).
Supporters of transgender rights in schools argue that the law and others like it will provide safety for transgender students. Judy E. Chiasson, program director for 640,000-student Los Angeles Unified school District’s diversity program, has never had issues with students abusing a system similar to AB-1266 since the system’s founding in 2005. “If someone was going to try to declare themselves as transgender just so they could sneak into the girls’ restroom for lecherous reasons, we would absolutely intervene,” she told Education Week in an interview (Blad). Sixteen-year old, female-to-male student, Ashton Lee, says that he had once felt uncomfortable attending school because it made him feel like someone he was not (Blad). Lee also reported that, after the law took effect, “It’s just helps get me to being normal at my school (Steinmetz).” It can also be just as easily argued that sex-segregated facilities and sports can be damaging and dangerous to transgender students. Transgender students are often the subject of ridicule and bullying for identifying, acting like, and sometimes dressing like the sex they feel most comfortable as. Sex-segregation can be demeaning to students who do not fall within the standards of gender and sex aligning. Seventy percent of trans students report be persecuted, bullied, or in rare, but awful cases, killed or driven to suicide in 2013 (Martin).
The ultimate question, for educators such a S. Alan Ray, of the religious institution, Elmhurst College, is whether or not seeking religious exemption from the law puts a strain on the growth of the student body. Education, Ray says, is preparing students for navigation in a culture-rich and ever-changing society. Educational institutes are expected to teach students and help them grow so they can decide who they are in the world. It is the job of educators to help students reach their full potential and feel comfortable with shaping themselves into upstanding members of society (Ray). Arguably, if stricter and less ambiguous wording was in California’s AB-1266, then maybe it would garner less opposition. Protection of students and faculty and providing a safe place is the duty of any educational system, religious or otherwise. In an ever-changing society, where knowledge is growing and so are the social norms, it is the job of educational institutes to cater to the needs of its students and provide a comforting environment for them.
Works Cited
Blad, Evie. “Calif. Transgender Law Takes Effect In Schools, Amid Efforts To Repeal It.” Education Week 33.18 (2014): 19-22. Academic Search Premier. Web. 17 Oct. 2014
“Chapter 85.” Assembly Bill. Vol. No. 1266. 2013. Print.
Martin, Chet. “Transgender Activists Fight for Gender-neutral Bathrooms.” USA TODAY College. 28 Jan. 2014. Web. 25 Oct. 2014. <http://college.usatoday.com/2014/01/28/transgender-activists-fight-for-gender-neutral-bathrooms/>.
Ray, S. Alan. “How Religion And Rights Align On Campus.” Chronicle Of Higher Education 60.44 (2014): A56. Academic Search Premier. Web. 17 Oct. 2014.
Scott, Alexandra. “Prep School Transgender.” Independent School 73.4 (2014): 12-16. Academic Search Premier. Web. 17 Oct. 2014.
Steinmetz, Katy. “California’s Battle Over Transgender Student Rights.” Time.Com (2013): 1. Academic Search Premier. Web. 17 Oct. 2014