“We Have No ‘Visibly’ Trans Students in Our School”: Educators’ Perspectives on Transgender-Affirmative Policies in Schools

Abstract

Background/Context: In Ontario, and Canada more broadly, anti-discrimination on the basis of gender identity and gender expression is enshrined in the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which have required schools to address trans inclusion. However, the ways in which educators understand or enact these policies, and whether they are even aware of them, remain largely underexplored. Purpose/Research Question/Focus of Study: Our purpose was to learn more about educators’ awareness and understanding of trans-inclusive policies in schools and the extent to which such policies were informing practice. Participants: While this research is based on survey data comprising 1,194 respondents, this article examines comments provided about trans-affirmative policy from 463 educators. Research Design: This study involves large-scale survey research conducted on 1,194 educators in Ontario K–12 schools; the survey was disseminated via social media and educational affiliates. We draw primarily on the qualitative data component of the survey, where educators provided detailed comments about and insights into trans-inclusive policies. We employed a reflexive approach to coding and thematic analysis to identify key themes. Findings/Results: Although our quantitative data depicted a favorable assessment of support for trans-affirmative policies—94% of respondents found their school’s policy to be very or somewhat relevant—our findings highlight a discrepancy between policy and practice, and a lack of commitment to addressing cisgenderist, cisnormative, and cissexist systems. The themes that emerged from our coding and analysis of the qualitative data were: (1) educators’ understanding of policy as accommodation; (2) individualized approaches to trans inclusion; (3) lack of administrative support and intervention; (4) the gap between policy and practice; (5) transphobic and cissexist resistance to supporting gender diversity; (6) the need for trans-affirming and gender-expansive curriculum, and (7) the problem of generalized approaches to equity and acceptance of diversity. In addition, we discuss several educator comments that raise important questions about race and the need for intersectional approaches to addressing equity and trans inclusion in schools. Conclusions/Recommendations: We advocate for a paradigm shift with respect to the necessity of employing a trans epistemological framework that addresses the need for gender-expansive education which focuses on the harmful effects of cisgenderism, cisnormativity, and cissexism in the education system. Central to addressing gender justice and trans marginalization in schools for all students, we conclude, is the need for policy makers to ensure accountability and budgetary allocation for the provision of resources and professional development for educators in schools.

A Transgender Studies Approach for Educators in Schools: Reflections on “Cissexist Pitfalls,” Bifurcated Frameworks, and Racial Justice

“…The article also raises questions about the sustainability about the ongoing provision of PD, especially given that what is needed are opportunities for educators to work through what trans studies frameworks and racial justice mean for their practice. The salience of this necessity is heightened under conditions of constraint and lack of PD provision in schools and teacher education, which lead to responsibility for this sort of learning falling on the shoulders of individual educators themselves (Martino, Omercajic, & Kassen, 2022). For example, the educators who enrolled in our program did so out of their own commitment to educating themselves, and they were passionate about wanting to create more equitable conditions for students in their schools, especially for those from minoritized communities.…”

The Disruptive Power of Policy Erasure: How State Legislators and School Boards Fail to Take up Trans-affirming Policies While Leaning into Anti-LGBTQ+ Policies

“…In addition to legal and policy strategies, evaluating policy implementation tools, like department of education guidance concerning LGBTQ+ students or parents' bills of rights, adds to existing research that questions how and whether leaders implement policies regarding trans and nonbinary students (McQuillan, 2021; McQuillan et al, 2023; Mangin, 2020a, 2020b; Martino, Kassen, & Omercajic, 2022; Martino, Omercajic, & Kassen, 2022). States legislatures, state executives, local school boards, and individual administrators may resist or counteract federal mandates, contributing to disparities in the educational experiences of trans students across U.S. public schools.…”

Boys, girls, and everyone else: Ontario public school board responses to gender diversity

“…Nor does The Ministry ensure that policies necessarily translate into practice. In fact, research suggests there is a discrepancy between policy and practice, a discrepancy which diminishes school boards’ impact in addressing barriers to the belonging of trans and nonbinary youth (Martino et al., 2022).…”