Developing Gender

Inclusivity in PK-12 Schools

IntroductionsErin Adams (she/her/hers) JJ Kahle (they/them/theirs)

Who’s in the room?Turn to the person next to you

Name

Pronouns

Your professional role

One reason you came to this session today

We want to help make connections.We are sending a device around for you to enter your contact information.

Alternatively, you can leave a calling card.

What do we mean by Gender Inclusive Schools?Schools that nurture academic achievement, provide physical and emotional safety and welcome all students of all gender identities and expressions.

Learning environments that affirm all community members by reducing gender role stereotyping and allowing all to express their interests and find confidence in their strengths.

Work actively and explicitly to dismantle gender binary stereotypes through conscientious development of curriculum and practice

BOY SCOUT TROOP

DISCONTINUED1998

GSA BEGUN AT UPPER SCHOOL,

1999

COMMUNITY CONFLICT

SURROUNDING FAMILY

CURRICULUM1999

KEVIN JENNINGS, EX.

DIR. OF GLSEN, VISITS

TWICE1999 & 2002

PAHR (PRE-CURSO

R TO MS GSA) BEGUN

IN 2002

LGBT PARENTS

GROUP FORMS 2000

STUDENTS BEGIN

COMING OUT IN SENIOR

SPEECHESCONFIDENTIAL

LGBTQ STUDENT SUPPORT

GROUP BEGINS AT

UPPER SCHOOL

LGBTQ STUDENTS BEGIN TO

DATE OPENLY, PARTICIPATE

IN DANCES

BLAKE FAMILY PRIDE

(PARENT SUPPORT GROUP)

BEGINS IN 2010

CURRICULUM BEGINS TO

REFLECT GLBTQ

IDENTITY

STUDENT COMES OUT AS

TRANS, 2011

SEVERAL TRANS

IDENTIFIED STUDENTS

2013

CONFIDENTIAL LGBTQ

SUPPORT GROUP AT

MIDDLE SCHOOL 2014

Lower school work--Initiative taken by teachers and guided by our Office of Equity and Community Engagement (OECE)

Summer learning and curriculum development

Teacher trainings PK-12

Guest visit by Jennifer Bryan (3 days)

Specifically addressing the Puberty and Reproduction unit in 5th grade

Visit to Waynflete School in Portland, ME

Working on Gender Inclusivity Policy at our school

Your school’s journey

Turn to a neighbor and discuss the journey your schools have been on with regard to gender inclusivity

What sorts of training or new learning have you and/or your school participated in that has helped to move toward a more gender-inclusive community for faculty and staff? Successes? Failures? Blind spots?

Identity Continuum

Male (anatomy, chromosomes, hormones)

Intersex Female Biological Sex/Assigned Sex

Men/Masculine (Who we have sexual contact with)Both

MultipleNone

Woman/Feminine

Sexual Behavior

Men/Masculine (Who we are attracted to)Bisexual

QueerPansexual

Woman/Feminine

Sexual Orientation

Masculine(Communication of Gender)

Androgynous Feminine

Gender Expression

Man

(Sense of Self)Genderfluid

Genderqueer Woman

Gender Identity

birth - pre-puberty

adolescent-adult

How do gender, gender identity and gender expression “live” in your school curriculum? What steps have you taken to identify and dismantle the gender binary as it resides in the different aspects of your school community? How do members of your community learn about gender inclusivity?

What steps have been taken in your school community to involve parents and guardians in your school’s work to be a more gender inclusive space?

Family acceptance plays a vital role

Grant, Jaime M., Lisa A. Mottet, Justin Tanis, Jack Harrison, Jody L. Herman, and Mara Keisling. Injustice at Every Turn: A Report of the National Transgender Discrimination Survey. Washington: National Center for Transgender Equality and National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, 2011

We CAN make schools more welcoming for transgender

individuals

We CAN make schools more welcoming for transgender

individuals

What are some significant challenges for your school community with regard to becoming a more gender-inclusive space?

I’m lucky to be in a world where I had my mom and where I get to go to Stanford. It’s a place where I can be a competitor, where I can help direct a play, join the band, or take a class like Energy Efficient Buildings. I can do and be so many things, and I can also be me.

Even paradise isn’t perfect. Here at Stanford, I can be mis-gendered 13 times in an hour. Each time, it’s like a shove to the ground.

When it’s just one little shove, you think, That was uncomfortable, but I can stand back up. When you get shoved to the ground 13 times, you’re going to want to fight someone ... intellectually, of course. It’s frustrating.

In those situations, my job is to take a deep breath, be my authentic self, and use my words.

Your job is not to shove me.

All I ask: Respect me and respect the struggle. And we’ll be fine.