Understanding Gender Diversity
Today I am looking at gender diversity and how it affects everyone on a day to day basis. In 1998 in the small town of Laramie, Wyoming a gay student that attended the University of Wyoming by the name Matthew Shepard was murdered. The movie The Laramie Project followed a theater crew asking about the case and the personal connection and thoughts the citizens of Laramie had on the case (Kaufman, 2002). A lot of the locals agreed that it was wrong and that no matter what your sexuality is no one should ever have to be beaten into a coma and later die (Kaufman, 2002). Back then there was an uproar in states across the country where people wanted everyone to be treated equally no matter your sexual or gender identity and orientation. Today, people have the right to marry whoever they choose no matter their partner's gender. Even though everyone has the same opportunities this leads to more dangers in schools. "Gender diverse students often report feeling unsafe at school, avoiding gender specific spaces (e.g., restrooms), and experiencing harassment at school." (American Psychological Association, 2023). Students should not feel like their school is an unsafe place. Students spend most of their time in schools. If a student feels unsafe in the bathrooms then they will not use the bathroom even if they need to while they are at school. Bullying has been around for a long time and students that are now openly expressing their sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression they are an easier target for bullies to spot. Students should be able to to go to school and express themselves without worrying about being bullied or harassed. Sometimes school is the only place where they can openly express themselves without feeling the pressure of societal normality in their homes. "Fewer than 1 in 3 transgender and nonbinary youth found their home to be gender-affirming" (Paley, 2022). If students don't have the proper support system at home and at school this can diminish the students' mental health. "45% of LGBTQ youth seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year." (Paley, 2022). Almost half of the LGBTQ students that were a part of this survey thought about killing themselves. If the students don't have a proper support system this number won't decrease. Students need access to mental health services as well as people that support them. Supportive teachers can help students more than unsupportive families. "60% of LGBTQ youth who wanted mental health care in the past year were not able to get it" (Paley, 2022). We have to focus on the mental health of our students and be supportive of them because there may not be anyone outside of school that is supportive of them. "91% of transgender and nonbinary youth said that they have worried about transgender people being denied access to the bathroom due to state or local laws." (Paley, 2022). This is similar to what people of color went through with segregation. Civil rights activists had fought for people of color to be treated as equals. The same thing is happening now but instead of race, ethnicity, and skin color it's about how people identify and their sexual orientation. No one should have to worry whether or not they are able to use the bathroom because of the laws in their hometown. New York State had released a list of 10 rights LGBTQ students have in schools that states what students are able to do while they are at school. These rights are "Be safe and free from harassment and bullying. Be treated equally and be free from discrimination because of your sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. Be out or not be out about your sexual orientation, gender identity, and/or gender expression. Be yourself, including dressing and acting in ways that do not conform to stereotypes associated with your gender. Start a gender-sexuality alliance, queer-straight alliance, or similar club or affinity group. Wear LGBTQ-positive or political t-shirts, stickers, or bracelets. Speak out about LGBTQ issues. Access pro-LGBTQ websites or information about LGBTQ issues on your school’s computers. Bring a date to the prom regardless of their gender identity or expression. Use the sex-separated restroom or locker room that most closely aligns with your gender identity. You may also use a single occupancy restroom if you feel more comfortable, but no one can force you to use a single-occupancy restroom" (NYCLU.org, 2023). New York State has given students the right to express themselves so that way their schools become a safe space for them to be expressive. We must all come together to provide the safe spaces needed in our schools and communities so that no one has to go through the same pain as Matthew Shepard's family.
References
American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Students exploring gender identity. American Psychological Association. Retrieved February 5, 2023, from https://www.apa.org/ed/schools/primer/gender-identity
Kaufman, Moisés, HBO. (2002). The Laramie Project. YouTube. United States. Retrieved February 5, 2023, from https://youtu.be/u1qiTmF0p4A.
NYCLU.org, Your rights as an LGBTQ student. New York Civil Liberties Union. (2022, November 18). Retrieved February 5, 2023, from https://www.nyclu.org/en/know-your-rights/your-rights-lgbtq-student
Paley, Amit, 2022 national survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health. The Trevor Project. (n.d.). Retrieved February 5, 2023, from https://www.thetrevorproject.org/survey-2022/
American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Students exploring gender identity. American Psychological Association. Retrieved February 5, 2023, from https://www.apa.org/ed/schools/primer/gender-identity
Estrella, A. (n.d.). CNN. photograph. Retrieved February 5, 2023, from https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/30/us/lgbtq-faq-misconceptions-2022-cec/index.html.
Hi Remy,
ReplyDeleteAfter reading and examining your post, I feel as though you did a tremendous job of pointing to evidence to further your point on comprehending gender diversity. This was on full display when you referenced to that heartbreaking story about Matthew Shepherd. The fact that he was murdered for his sexuality is nothing short of devastating. This was such an inhumane act that needs to be addressed. However, this point helped drive your argument and gave it an element of credibility. I felt that the point you made pertaining to gender-diverse students not feeling safe in schools also spoke volumes about our need as a society to adapt and progress in our constantly changing world. These are human beings just like everyone else on the planet, and they're entitled to the same feeling of comfort, acceptance, and love as we all do. I just hope our society gets to a solution to help and support gender-diverse students so that they can go to school, or any public facility for that matter, with a feeling of safety and happiness. This was a fantastic response with so much insight!