No full-text available
To read the full-text of this research,
you can request a copy directly from the author.
Transgender Children in Schools
Abstract
This article is intended to provide evidence to suggest that information for teachers regarding transgender children does not represent an adequate picture of
transgendered children in schools and that primary schools need to be made more aware of how to deal with transgender children, even if these children do not make themselves known to staff. It will argue that this is probably a contributing factor in transgender children’s underachievement in school. The implications of this research will also suggest that findings of some psychiatric and psychology professionals are open to reinterpretation. I will additionally suggest that the inclusion of transgender issues when dealing with homophobic bullying and work on gender stereotyping is
likely to make combating homophobic bullying and gender discrimination more effective.
... The current research aimed to explore the positive school experiences of transgender CYP. It was hoped that, by exploring this area, a greater awareness of the issues that affect transgender CYP and the encouraging actions and experiences that support them could be identified so that in the future, schools and teaching staff feel more supported in addressing gender identity within the school (Clarke, 2016;Hellen, 2009;Payne & Smith, 2014), and that transgender CYP themselves feel safer, more secure and happier throughout their education. ...
... Indeed, Hellen (2009) argues that this negative school environment is directly linked to low self-esteem and poor academic achievement for transgender CYP. ...
... While research exists exploring the social, psychological and educational outcomes for transgender CYP, the majority of this research explores how being transgender has negative implications and outcomes (e.g. Austin & Craig, 2015a;Austin, Craig & McInroy, 2016;Giordano, 2008;Grant et al., 2011;Hellen, 2009;Miller et al., 2017;Yunger et al., 2004;Zucker, 2005). ...
Background
While the exploration into transgender students’ experiences is a growing field within psychological and educational research, much of this to date has explored the negative experiences faced by transgender children and young people, and the outcomes these have had on their physical, social and emotional well-being. The purpose of the research was to add to this field by highlighting the positive school experiences of transgender children and young people in order to promote and advocate for these for others.
Methods
An initial focus group was held to explore language around the transgender community and design questions for semi-structured interviews. Interviews were then conducted with three transgender young people. An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis approach was adopted.
Findings
Five superordinate themes emerged from the participants’ narratives. Participants raised The Importance of Language as a means of asserting their own identities and for others to demonstrate their respect and acceptance of this. Participants also raised the importance of Individual Teacher Support, Whole-School Approaches and The Importance of Community, highlighting ways others have shown support and advocated for their rights with others. A final theme reflected My Own Best Friend, which demonstrated the skills and resilience transgender children and young people bring themselves.
Conclusions
The research findings highlight that transgender children and young people are both able and willing to share their experiences with others to highlight positive practice and promote inclusive and supportive behaviours in schools. Findings are discussed in relation to previous literature and psychological theory, and limitations and suggestions for schools and authorities, as well as for educational psychologists, are highlighted. As a profession, educational psychologists are uniquely positioned to support children and young people at an individual, family and systemic level. It is important that educational psychologists continue to support transgender children and young people, and highlight their voices during the transition process, as well as continue to help schools and local authorities develop their guidelines for supporting transgender students in schools.
... Inclusión de referentes positivos de la diversidad en el aula (Hellen, 2009). ...
... Frente a esta situación, en los centros educativos tiende a imponerse el silencio y la inacción, previsiblemente como consecuencia de la falta de formación y recursos de los que dispone el profesoradoMendos, 2014). Sin embargo, para garantizar el bienestar de todo el alumnado, la cobertura de sus necesidades y la protección de la diversidad, es necesario replantearse la tarea docente, incluyendo referentes positivos y recursos que ayuden a trabajar la sexualidad y el género en el aula, así como construyendo redes de apoyo para el alumnado(Hellen, 2009;Mufioz-Plaza, Croise y Rounds, 2002). espanac@unican.es; ...
Con la presente revisión teórica se ha pretendido conocer cuál es la situación que viven las diversidades afectivo-sexuales y de género en los centros educativos a través del estudio diversas investigaciones. También se ha sido planteado, como objetivo, comprender el papel actual del profesorado ante dicha diversidad, incluyendo su forma de actuar y los recursos de los que dispone a la hora afrontar las actitudes existentes hacia ella en el aula. De esta forma, se ha empleado la revisión de los principales informes de organizaciones e instituciones realizados a nivel autonómico, nacional, y también internacional, así como el repaso de diversas fuentes bibliográficas extraídas de revistas indexadas en bases de datos tales como SCOPUS o Dialnet. Con ello, ha podido comprobarse cómo los centros educativos constituyen uno de los contextos en los que las diversidades afectivo-sexuales y de género encuentran un mayor número de obstáculos. También se ha observado cómo los y las docentes no disponen, fácilmente, de recursos que fomenten su comprensión de la diversidad afectivo-sexual y de género en el contexto educativo, ni de materiales que les permitan luchar, de forma efectiva, contra el acoso, la marginación, o la violencia, física y verbal, ejercida contra el alumnado que no cumple el modelo normativo de sexualidad y género. Finalmente, con esta revisión se pone de manifiesto la necesidad de repensar la labor docente a la hora de valorar la diversidad y prevenir las violencias que se den en el aula, así como de dotarles de recursos y mecanismos que les ayuden a comprender esta diversidad.
... Previous studies have also shown that ignoring problems is a means often used by a sexual minority group to cope with discrimination and violence [43]. Moreover, the current study is consistent with findings in the literature that individuals in a sexual minority group experience a high level of internalized stigmatization, which makes them more vulnerable to violence directed at gender from external sources, and therefore they prefer to hide sexual differences [44]. ...
Background
Transgender people experience violence in various forms, primarily domestic violence. The aim of this study was to examine transgender people’s experiences of domestic violence and their coping methods.
Materials and methods
This study was conducted using the phenomenological method, one of the five basic qualitative research methods, with 20 transgender participants who applied to Ondokuz Mayıs University, Samsun, Turkey, to start the gender-affirming treatment process. The participants comprised 19 transgender men and 1 transgender woman. A semi-structured interview form was used for data collection. The average interview duration was 75.7 minutes. Audio recordings were used in the interviews, which were then transcribed. The obtained data set was subjected to content analysis.
Results
As a result of the content analysis, three themes emerged: being a transgender individual and the family, experiences of domestic violence, and methods of coping. According to the study results, the participants had experienced domestic violence of different dimensions, primarily psychological violence. Defined gender roles and societal expectations were determined to trigger violent behaviors. The most frequently used coping methods were giving a direct reaction, seeking instrumental-social support, and ignoring the incidents.
Conclusion
Our findings demonstrated that transgender people experience domestic violence at a high rate and that transphobic behaviors are triggered by societal norms. Our results are particularly noteworthy for clinicians regarding the importance of family support and accurate information for transgender people and the coping methods they use most.
... The impact of media representations of parent advocates is tied to the verisimilitude it provokes in the reader. It is well documented that the lack of representation in news stories of peoples and issues makes under-represented lives "non-apparent" (Manning 2017;Hellen 2009). Prior to 2015, representations of these parent advocates as a homogenous, hegemonic group erase the diverse stories of those outside that norm. ...
... In a school environment, transphobic bullying has been suggested to result in transgender CYP being less successful, engaging in fewer extra-curricular activities, absenting from particular lessons or school in general, and having less confidence in themselves and trust in others, ultimately limiting their future aspirations (Department for Children, Schools and Families, 2009). Indeed, Hellen (2009) argues that this negative school environment is directly linked to low self-esteem and poor academic achievement for transgender CYP. ...
Aims: The negative school experiences of transgender students are well documented, but so far little research has explored what is going well for transgender students in school. This research highlights some of the positive school experiences of transgender youth in order to promote positive change.
Methods: A qualitative, interpretive approach was adopted. An initial focus group explored language within the transgender community and helped to design questions for semi-structured interviews. Interviews were then conducted with three transgender young people. An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis approach was adopted.
Findings: Five superordinate themes emerged from the participants' narratives. The Importance of Language was highlighted as a means for transgender youth to assert their own identities and for others to demonstrate respect, and Individual Teacher Support, Whole-School Approaches and The Importance of Community highlighted ways others have shown support to transgender youth. A final theme, My Own Best Friend, reflected the skills and resilience of the transgender young people themselves.
Limitations: Limitations are associated with the challenges of using a qualitative, interpretive approach, including language and the role of the researcher. These are discussed alongside suggestions for development.
Conclusions: The research findings highlight that transgender young people are able and willing to share their experiences and highlight positive practice in schools. Educational psychologists are uniquely positioned to support young people at an individual and systemic level. It is important that they continue to support transgender young people, as well as to continue helping schools and local authorities to develop guidelines for supporting transgender students.
... Trans kids are present in every population whether they make themselves known or not. Educational scholar Mark Hellen (2009) observes that the majority of them are "nonapparent" (p. 92); they hide because they expect a lack of acceptance. ...
This International Workshop on Gender, Diversity, and Inclusion was an outcome of the collaborative effort by the Department of Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies (GSWS) at Simon Fraser University (SFU) in Canada and the Research Center for Gender and Development of Hohai University (HHU) in Nanjing, China. In 2017, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the SFU Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) and the HHU School of Public Administration was signed by both universities. One of the stated objectives was to organize a collaborative international workshop on gender and diversity at SFU in 2019.
... There has been significant research and debate about appropriate treatment and support pathways for transgender experiences since the 1950s, but terms such as 'transgender' or 'gender dysphoria' were rarely applied to children or adolescents. UK-based education researchers have argued that transgender children have always existed, but should more accurately be categorised as 'apparent and non-apparent' in terms of their visibility within social systems (Hellen, 2009). Writing prior to the increase in numbers of children and adolescents seeking referral, Kennedy and Hellen observed that 'apparent transgender children are relatively rare ' (2010, p. 26). ...
This paper presents findings from a UK mixed-method study that aimed to understand parents/carers' views and experiences of support received from health services for primary school age (4–11) gender diverse children and their families. Data was collected via an e-survey including 10 open-ended questions with 75 parents/carers addressing experiences with (i) primary health services, including general practice (GP) clinics and child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) (ii) specialist gender identity development services (GIDS) (iii) non-health related support including transgender groups and online resources. Findings are organised into four themes: ‘journey to health service provision', ‘view on health services used', ‘waiting' and ‘isolation’. Discourses about gender diversity, childhood and the validity of trans healthcare shape parental experiences, including their desire for better information, more certainty in healthcare pathways and more expedient access to support services to reduce anxiety, distress and isolation. The emotional costs of waiting are compounded by the material costs of accessing the limited number of specialist services. Experiences could be improved through ensuring GPs and CAMHS are better prepared, expanding access to trans-specific support groups for those caring for children and young people, and exploring the provision of school-based support for gender diverse primary-age children.
... According to Wishart et al., individual discrimination is "social exclusion, stress, prejudice, and violence from individuals" (Wishart et al. 2019, 2) whereas institutional discrimination is "socially systemic discrimination codified into rules and regulations that limit the resources, opportunities, and the physical and emotional health of socially disadvantaged groups)." On an individual level, trans kids are often "non-apparent" (Hellen, 2009) or invisible due to their tremendous efforts to avoid teasing, scorn, harassment, and violence from peers, teachers and family members (Whittle, et. al., 2007). ...
In 2015 the Gender Vectors research team received a major research grant to conduct research with and about transgender youth in the Greater Vancouver Area. A unique aspect of this research project involved combining social action research with the development of a prototype of a video game as a knowledge translation tool to depict the life experiences of trans youth. We draw on transformative gender justice theory to document and address the diminished life chances of and the need to promote resilience among trans youth in the region and more broadly, across Canada and the United States. This article provides an overview of the research project and concludes by identifying key insights relating to resiliency that resulted from 15 narrative interviews with transgender youth, focus group meetings with the Project’s Youth Advisory Council, and dialog from an intergenerational workshop for transgender youth and adult care/service providers and allies. These themes informed the creation of the prototype.
... The end result is a compound effect that negatively influences transgender youth's psychological and physical health. For example, research on transgender youth confirms that a culture of exclusion motivates them to conceal their identities, triggering social and emotional problems ranging from loss of self-esteem to suicidality (Hellen, 2009). In addition, Seelman (2016), in her analysis of the National Transgender Discrimination Survey, offered evidence linking discriminatory policies to suicide attempts. ...
The purpose of this article is to articulate the need for a strong commitment to transgender inclusion in sport and physical activity, including in locker rooms and team spaces. The authors begin by defining key constructs and offering a theoretical overview of stigma toward transgender individuals. The focus then shifts to the changing opportunities for transgender athletes at all participation levels, case law and rulings germane to the topic, and the psychological, physical, and social outcomes associated with inclusion and exclusion. Next, the authors present frequently voiced concerns about transgender inclusion, with an emphasis on safety and privacy.Given the review, the authors present the case for inclusive locker rooms, which permit access by transgender athletes to facilities that correspond to their gender identity. The authors conclude with the official AKA position statement-"The American Kinesiology Association endorses inclusive locker rooms, by which we mean sex-segregated facilities that are open to transgender athletes on the basis of their gender identity"-and implications for sport and physical activity.
... Cela dit, toutes les familles n'acceptent pas de soutenir leur jeune trans. En effet, la vaste majorité des enfants trans demeurent invisibles (Hellen, 2009), parce que leur expression de genre est annihilée par la pression parentale et sociale de se conformer aux normes de genre (voir Kennedy et Hellen, 2010). Ainsi, dès le premier cercle des relations primaires affectives, soit celles intrafamiliales, les jeunes trans sont soumis le plus souvent à un déni d'existence, qui leur impose, dans le rapport intersubjectif, une autre personne que celle qui perçoivent être. ...
Dans cet article, il est question des enjeux auxquels font face les jeunes trans et la contribution de l’éthique de la reconnaissance de Honneth à l’intervention auprès de cette population qui fait face à de nombreux dénis de reconnaissance. À partir de cette perspective d’analyse qui offre un espace pour la réflexion et l’action, l’article présente des pistes d’interventions qui permettent d’étayer les pratiques, en soutenir l’enfant et sa famille, mais également en impliquant les jeunes dans les changements sociaux et structuraux nécessaires à l’épanouissement des personnes de tous genres.
... This subjects all children to a greater risk of bullying and other dehumanizing behaviors (Sears, 1999), particularly as they move from primary to secondary environments (Gerouki, 2010). This dynamic is especially problematic for transgender children since gender and sexual identities begin to emerge in elementary years, and may be recognized even earlier by transgender students (Hellen, 2009;Owens, 1998). These students need adults who can competently and comfortably help them to safely navigate the turbulent waters of K-12 schooling. ...
There is a growing recognition in society that more needs to be done to support LGBTQ youth in schools. In particular, school climate reports reveal that this need is particularly pressing for transgender individuals who are little understood and often rendered invisible or made to conform to gender-normative social standards. This mixed methods study surveyed and interviewed preservice teachers at three Catholic institutions. In particular, we focus on the shifting landscape of Catholic education in Canada as it relates to the support of transgender youth. The content of the study is framed by a common first grade social studies theme: family diversity, and takes its lead from the recent papal urging to pursue topics of discomfort at the peripheries of Catholic thinking. We explore how Catholic preservice teachers respond to the idea of teaching about transgender-parent families. The findings show there is dissonance between the personal and professional beliefs of new Catholic teachers. This dissonance is reflective of the beliefs held by North American Catholics at large, thus further illuminating the challenges and opportunities that are present in the emerging discussion about how to best support transgender students in Catholic school contexts.
... For parents of transgender children, silence about our children's gender diversity may also feel like the only protection we can offer from a world that poses significant dangers to their safety and well-being. At the same time, our silence serves to construct gender diverse children as an invisible population (Hellen, 2009), further contributing to their marginalization. As activists and academics we constantly have to weigh the risks and benefits of silence as we advocate for our children and seek to educate others about gender diversity. ...
In this article we explore some of the affective and ethical dimensions that we have faced as parent academic-activists seeking to understand and undo some of the structural transphobia that currently exists in Canadian society. Informed by critical feminist, critical race and black feminist thought, trans* scholarship, queer theory, and anti-oppression analysis, we discuss how our academic-activism assumes complex configurations of privilege and vulnerability.
... Recent statistics assert that between 2.6% and 6% of boys and between 5% and 12% of girls (see Moller, Schreier, Li, & Romer, 2009, p. 117) may feel, identify with, behave, or dress differently from what is socially expected for their natal anatomical sex. That said, many of these children will be unsuspected or "nonapparent" (Hellen, 2009) either because their behaviors are repressed or are tolerated only in the family home. ...
This article details the findings of a qualitative action research project with parents of gender-variant children in Montreal, Canada. Through a unique methodology, the project aimed at understanding the issues and challenges facing parents in the process of supporting their children, as well as offering them support and an empowering platform for effecting change around them. The article explores how parents understand their children's experiences, the various challenges they themselves cope with in supporting their children, and the solutions they believe would improve their lives and the lives of their offspring. Recommendations for practice conclude this article.
While social change regarding trans(sexuality) has evolved within an expanding nexus of concepts, practices, regulations and institutions, this process has barely been analysed systematically. Against the background of legislative processes on gender recognition in a society shaped by heteronormative hegemony, Adrian de Silva traces how sexology, the law, federal politics and the trans movement interacted to generate or challenge concepts of trans(sexuality) from the mid-1960s to 2014 in the Federal Republic of Germany. The interdisciplinary study draws upon and contributes to debates in (trans)gender and queer studies, political science, sociology of law, sexology and the social movement.
This volume brings together scholars from across disciplines and continents in order to continue to analyse, query, and deconstruct the complexities of bodily existence in the modern world. Comprising nine essays by leading and emerging scholars, and spanning issues ranging from literature, history, sociology, medicine, law and justice and beyond, Talking Bodies vol. II is a timely and prescient addition to the vital discussion of what bodies are, how we perceive them, and what they mean. As the essays of this volume demonstrate, it is imperative to question numerous established presumptions about both the manner by which our bodies perform their identities, and the processes by which their ownership can be impinged upon.
Strong parental support of transgender youth reduces their risk of self-harm and suicide, yet the challenges parents/caregivers face in advocating for a transgender child are immense. Until recently, parenting a gender nonconforming child has been culturally unintelligible, where children and their families were publicly invisible because they were subject to systemic processes of erasure. Professional support for these children reinforced heteronormative, binary gender expression and repressive signs of diversity, leading to the “non apparent” status of childhood gender nonconformity. Parents were viewed through the framework of parental psychopathology and mother blame. In this context, we discuss how parental advocacy for transgender children takes a special form: closer than allies, but never sharing the experiences of the children for whom we advocate.
The “transgender challenge” to the binary-based organization of most sport and many leisure activities is complex and potentially transformative. From relatively conservative campaigns and policies to enable binary-conforming and medically transitioned athletes to compete in their affirmed gender to more radical challenges to the very science of sex difference that naturalizes an ideologically constructed two-sex system, the world of sport is experiencing a shake-up. In this chapter, I describe and analyze changes at the policy level of key sporting institutions in terms of their conservative versus transformative potential.
Over the past five years transgender children and their parents have emerged as visible actors in public discussions about the rights of transgender people in Canada. In this article, I track the work of emotions in parent advocacy, showing how the enactment of filial (family) ties sheds new light on the gendered relationship between intimacy and political practice. I argue that an affective shift in parenting has opened up space for some cisgender parents to emerge as political actors in trans advocacy work. The affective politics of parent advocacy nonetheless operates through dominant frames of gendered, classed and racialized normativity, limiting both who can become a parent advocate and potentially narrowing the focus of the struggle.
This article explores the most recent knowledge on the experiences of trans youth and their parents. The article also explores best practices for professional who work with those families. Finally the article proposes two main principles of intervention to work with those populations, highlighting the importance of a transaffirmative perspective. In particular, it is proposed to challenge the current way of understanding gender and to appreciate the complexity of the various trajectories young people may take. Furthermore, we suggest focusing the intervention on promoting self-determination of the young person as well as to support families so they can better meet their child's needs.Objectives To provide comprehensive review of current knowledge on the experience of parenting a transgender youth, and to propose some reflections on directions for working with those families.Method Written as a theoretical paper, this article employs a systematic literature review to identify promising interventions with families who support a transgender youth.Results Because families of transgender children and youth experience difficulties both on personal and social levels, many of which are coming from social stigmatization and lack of knowledge about their experience, it is proposed that practitioners work toward interventions that not only facilitate families support, but also works toward a more just and inclusive society by broadening access to services and by challenging oppressive structures that contribute to the difficulties experiences by children, youth and their families.Conclusion The paper proposes that practitioners working with families of transgender children must be guided by an reviewed conception of gender and an understanding of the multiplicity of contexts that may affect the person's trajectory, as well as promoting self-determination and supporting families in meeting their needs.
Cet article explore les connaissances les plus recentes sur l’experience des jeunes trans et de leur famille, et propose des pistes d’intervention pour les professionnels travaillant directement ou indirectement avec ces populations. La premiere partie de l’article etaye le contexte sociopolitique dans lequel grandissent les jeunes trans. Cette discussion est suivie d’une recension des ecrits sur les connaissances relatives a l’experience des jeunes trans et de leur famille. Finalement, l’article propose deux pistes d’intervention a privilegier pour travailler avec ces populations, et ce, dans une perspective de travail transaffirmative. Notamment, on y propose de reapprendre le genre et de comprendre la complexite des parcours et experiences des personnes transgenres, ainsi que de promouvoir l’autodetermination et le soutien des familles vers l’atteinte de leurs besoins.
There is a likely genetic component to transsexualism, and genes involved in sex steroidogenesis are good candidates. We explored the specific hypothesis that male-to-female transsexualism is associated with gene variants responsible for undermasculinization and/or feminization. Specifically, we assessed the role of disease-associated repeat length polymorphisms in the androgen receptor (AR), estrogen receptor beta (ERbeta), and aromatase (CYP19) genes.
Subject-control analysis included 112 male-to-female transsexuals and 258 non-transsexual males. Associations and interactions were investigated between CAG repeat length in the AR gene, CA repeat length in the ERbeta gene, and TTTA repeat length in the CYP19 gene and male-to-female transsexualism.
A significant association was identified between transsexualism and the AR allele, with transsexuals having longer AR repeat lengths than non-transsexual male control subjects (p=.04). No associations for transsexualism were evident in repeat lengths for CYP19 or ERbeta genes. Individuals were then classified as short or long for each gene polymorphism on the basis of control median polymorphism lengths in order to further elucidate possible combined effects. No interaction associations between the three genes and transsexualism were identified.
This study provides evidence that male gender identity might be partly mediated through the androgen receptor.
A sample of 11 male gender-dysphoric patients meeting DSM-III criteria for transsexualism was seen over a 3-year period by a military psychiatrist. Eight patients had extensive military experience, including combat duty in some cases. At the time of evaluation three were on active duty, one was a Department of Defense employee, and four were veterans. Evidence is presented for a hypermasculine phase of development that coincides with the age of enlistment in nearly all cases. The psychodynamic underpinnings of the choice to enlist in transsexual males are discussed. Outcome of military service was premature discharge in over 60%. The military's management of gender-dysphoric servicemen is described. Current military policies, in association with the proposed hypermasculine phase of transsexual development, may actually result in a higher prevalence of transsexualism in the military than in the civilian population.
The goal of this paper is to present an alternative to a traditionally-held view that transgendered youth suffer from some sort of disorder, and instead shed light on the internal and external stress factors that may lead the young person to seek help. Social service professionals need to be aware of such factors in order to make a full assessment of what a potential transgendered adolescent client's issues are, and in order to work at changing some of these external pressures societally so that more transgendered youth can attain peaceful identity integration.
Anti-gay violence is here viewed as being the result of immature males fulfilling sexual status needs. Through such violence they reaffirm their commitment to heterosexuality in a way visible to their peers. Anti-gay offenders are divided into activists, who seek out homosexual victims; opportunists, who victimize gays and lesbians as occasions arise; and a much larger number who abandon any helping-citizen role when faced with such violence by others. Activists resort to gay-defined places to find victims; opportunists use other cues to identify victims. Chief among the cues used by offenders are behaviors and deportments that depart from traditional gender roles. Visibility of the victim as homosexual plays a dominant role in distinguishing gays or lesbians who have been assaulted from those who have not.