How schools help and harm...
Gender diverse students
Every school is home to gender diverse students, even if it isn't "clear" that this is the case. That said, there is still a dearth of data on the number of gender diverse children in the United States. If we were to focus solely on individuals who identify as transgender, a 2017 report by The Williams Institute estimates that 0.7% of people aged 13 - 17 are transgender. This is slightly higher than the number of transgender adults, which is calculated at 0.6% of the population. According to the same report, about 10% of transgender individuals in the United States are aged 13 - 17, which indicates that the number of individuals who identify as transgender is slowly trending upward. It also suggests that: 1) it is more socially acceptable to identify as transgender than it was in the past, and 2) it is increasingly important for schools to take notice of transgender students.
The cover of the January 2017 issue of National Geographic, which portrays an increasingly complex understanding of gender identity. Nationalgeographic.com, 2017.
Disparities
By wide margins, gender diverse students experience educational disparities in comparison to their cisgender peers. According to the 2015 US Trans Survey, the largest survey of transgender individuals in the United States, 77% of transgender youth had a negative experience directly related to their gender identity; 54% experienced verbal harassment; 24% were physically attacked; 17% left a school due to mistreatment. Of those who did have negative experiences, 52% attempted suicide, 40% experienced homelessness, and 28% performed underground labor (sex work or drug sales). It should go without saying that these are devastating numbers, and they have severe implications for the education system in the United States.
Recent studies have shown that connectedness and safety at school are strong predictive factors for gender diverse youth. (Gower et al., 2019) In this section, we will uncover how schools can do just that, starting with general awareness and then developing more specifically into gender diversity in school sports. Click to the next page to find out how to get started.
Learn more:
To develop a more thorough understanding of the ideas presented in this lecture, check out the following resources:
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College and University Model Policy for Transgender and Nonbinary Athlete Inclusion
This policy, drafted by Athlete Ally, provides guidance for institutions of higher education that seek to include and affirm gender diverse athletes.
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Diet and Physical Activity Behaviors Among Adolescent Transgender Students: School Survey Results. (Paywall)
This 2020 study in The Journal of Adolescent Health reports findings from a survey of physical fitness and dieting habits among transgender adolescents. Overall, transgender youth reported disparities in both physical fitness and diet.
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Gender Minority Mental Health in the U.S.: Results of a National Survey on College Campuses
This 2019 study compiles data from college campuses around the U.S., and finds that there are extreme mental health disparities experienced by transgender students when compared to cisgender peers.
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How Schools Can Support Transgender Students
This policy document from Lambda Legal provides a more general overview of practices for including transgender students in school systems.
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The Levels and Predictors of Physical Activity Engagement Within the Treatment-Seeking Transgender Population: A Matched Control Study. (Paywall)
This study provides initial data suggesting that transgender people experience health disparities related to physical fitness and exercise, when compared to cisgender individuals.
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Trans Athlete
"transathlete is a resource for students, athletes, coaches, and administrators to find information about trans inclusion in athletics at various levels of play. This site pulls together existing information in one central location, and breaks down information into easy-to-reference areas to help you find what you need."
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Transgender Inclusion in High School Athletics
In 2016, GLSEN drafted this model high school athletics policy, which breaks down transgender student rights, equal access measures, best practices for inclusion, and the deconstruction of common myths.
