Shifting Paradigms: Moving Beyond “Trans 101” in Sexuality Education

Abstract

Trans-inclusive sexuality education can be complex, confusing, and outright intimidating for even the most seasoned sexuality educator to teach. Historically, standalone "Trans 101" sessions have successfully raised awareness about the highly marginalized transgender community. However, their potential success has been limited by being taught in isolation from other gender and sexuality education efforts. As natural allies to this sexual minority, we as sexuality educators are in a position to contribute to positive social change by becoming more trans inclusive in our own work. This article reviews the current status of trans inclusion in sexuality education and provides concrete strategies for implementing a new level of trans inclusivity within sexuality education.

The Interactive Impacts of High School Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) on College Student Attitudes Toward LGBT Individuals: An Investigation of High School Characteristics

“…Since schools with fewer financial resources in areas with high levels of poverty have been found to have higher levels of LGBT youth victimization related to sexual orientation and gender expression compared to LGBT youth in schools in more affluent communities (Kosciw et al, 2009), it could be especially informative to investigate the relationship between the financial resources available in high schools with GSAs and attitudes toward LGBT individuals. Fourth, this study included a limited measure of gender (male/female); thus, results may not adequately account for gender complexities and intersectionalities (Green, 2010). Fifth, this study did not include a large enough sample 6 to examine how GSA participants might differ from those who reported (or did not report) a GSA presence in high school.…”

Understanding Transgender Identity Development in Childhood and Adolescence

“…Furthermore, even sexuality education programs that manage to do a good job of integrating diverse view points on sexual orientation generally fail to include more than a brief mention of gender diversity and related topics (Green, 2010). Some of this may be due to a perception that crossgender behaviors, behaviors more commonly associated with the other sex, and identities are rare.…”

Evaluating a gender diversity workshop to promote positive learning environments

“…While there are a number of existing resources within sexuality education, including for example Our Whole Lives and Family Life and Sexual Health (see Green, 2010), we searched the literature and found no other comparable published studies which evaluated the impact of a gender diversity workshop for secondary school students. As such, this study, which seeks to formally evaluate the impacts that a gender diversity educational intervention has on promoting positive behavior for secondary school learning, makes an important contribution to the existing literature.…”

“…"Trans 101" is a form of educational work which typically offers a "brief introduction about transpeople/identities and their experiences to an audience with little to no prior information" (Green, 2010, p. 4), and seeks to raise awareness about transgender discrimination, and to develop empathy toward transgender people (Green, 2010). A key strength of the RainbowYOUTH program has been the inclusion of transgender people in the development and delivery of workshop content, and its particular focus on undertaking educational work that has been designed with the Aotearoa NZ secondary context in mind.…”

“…We evaluated an intervention that was 60 minutes in duration, specifically (Green, 2010). "Trans 101" is a form of educational work which typically offers a "brief introduction about transpeople/identities and their experiences to an audience with little to no prior information" (Green, 2010, p. 4), and seeks to raise awareness about transgender discrimination, and to develop empathy toward transgender people (Green, 2010).…”