Caroline

Although strides had been made in the Obama administration to loosen the legal definition of gender in order to include transgender people, those strides might be lost. President Trump is pushing to redefine the term gender as ‘a biological, immutable condition determined by genitalia at birth’. If this is taken into effect, it will drastically harm transgender individuals by not protecting them under any Title XI laws. This would leave them open to various forms of discrimination in the workplace and beyond. Trump has also been attempting to bar transgender individuals from serving in the military. These political moves can harm transgender people and push them even further into the margins of society.

                                                 Being a Transgender Child in 2018

           Transgender issues have been discussed in greater depth since 1980, and some strides have been made, however there are still many challenges that face transgender individuals. A study conducted by GLSEN’s fifth National School Climate Survey found that only 16% of the time school personnel interfered when homophobic remarks were made. Whereas when sexist and racist remarks were made they interfered 33% and 54% of the time. Furthermore, they found that 65% of transgender students felt unsafe in school due to their sexual orientation. This is a huge number, no child should feel unsafe to go to school, especially due to their gender or sexual identity. Harassment is still occurring in schools, the study found that 87% of transgender students had been verbally harassed due to their sexual orientation or gender expression. Even more upsetting is that 55% of transgender students had been physically harassed in school for the same reasons. Despite the passage of time between 1980 and 2018, transgender students are still being harassed at an alarming rate.

           However, laws have been passed to try and advocate for transgender people. There are now laws that call for neutral gender bathrooms, that any individual is allowed to use regardless of their gender. This can help transgender people feel more comfortable going to the restroom, without fear of being yelled at for using the ‘wrong’ one. There is also legislation supporting equal opportunities for transgender student athletes, that allows them to play on the sports team of their gender identity. This can help them form bonds with their teammates and feel more accepted at their school. Also, in 2016 the U.S. Department of Education passed a law that states that single-sex schools and schools receiving federal money have to treat transgender students consistent with their gender identity, helping them to feel comfortable.

“On the Team: Equal Opportunities for Transgender Student Athletes.” National Center for Lesbian Rights, 11 June 2014, www.nclrights.org/legal-help-resources/resource/on-the-team-equal-opportunities-for-transgender-student-athletes/.

“Championing LGBTQ Issues in K-12 Education since 1990.” GLSEN, www.glsen.org/sites/default/files/Harsh Realities.pdf .

                     Being a Transgender Child in the 1980’s – Janet Mock’s Experience

           Janet Mock grew up in Hawaii and California during the 1980’s as a part black, part Hawaiian transgender women. From an early age she knew that she was different but couldn’t quite understand how. Growing up, she was teased by classmates, and even her father, for being different and acting like a girl. After telling her classmates and teachers to call her Janet, “I can still feel the sting of my chemistry teacher purposefully calling out “Charles” every morning during roll call, to the giggles of my peers. To add insult to injury, she repeatedly mis gendered me, deliberately referring to me as “he” and “him” and reusing to reprimand bullies who interrupted class by shouting, “I can see your balls!” or “How big are your tits now?” Instead of taking a leadership role and proclaiming that intolerance wouldn’t be tolerated, she chose to turn a blind eye to insults, going as far as blaming me for putting a target on my own back for dressing the way I did. She viewed my femininity as extra, as something that was forced and unnatural” (Mock 147). Teachers set the tone in a classroom, and by purposely ignoring the students teasing and mis gendering her, the teacher set a tone of disrespect and non-acceptance.

            During the 1980’s, transgender issues were not discussed as often as they are now, and there were no gender neutral bathrooms or dress codes. This meant that choosing which bathroom to use was up to the child, but the school was allowed to punish them for using the ‘wrong’ restroom. This could be very traumatizing to a young child who is trying to figure out who they are. Dress codes were also very strict, and Janet Mock would repeatedly get in trouble for wearing clothes that were ‘inappropriate’ for a boy. These strict rules are harmful to transgender students because it impresses upon them the idea that they are ‘wrong’.

“Redefining Realness – A Trans Girl’s Memoir.” Janet Mock, janetmock.com/redefiningrealness/.