As humans, gender expression and identity create a complex and diverse narrative. To begin, I’d like to discuss my own experience with gender in a school setting. Going to a private catholic school my whole life, I’ve always felt stifled and forced into the traditional binary roles of a female. We had classes on the “sin” of gender identity and expression differing from the sex assigned at birth. However, I always felt like I was different from other students, and was afraid to express this outwardly. In my last college, I was actually able to be a part of the play “The Laramie Project” as a stage crew member. It is a moving, true story about the brutish murder of openly gay Matthew Shepard, as told in interviews. It exposes the homophobia of the town and shows what it can be like for a student with same-sex attraction (M. Kaufman, 2002). It can be very dangerous. The show opened my eyes and allowed me to begin exploring my own sexuality, and gender, in attraction, expression, and identity.
Gender expression and gender identity are distinctly different aspects that contribute to an individual’s understanding of their own gender. While gender identity refers to an internal sense of being, gender expression pertains to the external signs of this identity through various visible cues. Gender identity is deeply personal, representing an individual’s internal understanding of their gender, regardless of societal expectations or sex assigned at birth. On the other hand, gender expression involves the presentation of one’s gender identity, encompassing the choices individuals make in how they express themselves visually and behaviorally. For example, a school in New Jersey has declared that students who identify as transgender may now compete in accordance with their gender identities (Transgender athletes may now compete in line with Gender Identity in New Jersey 2023). A person who identifies as male would be able to participate on a male basketball team. In doing so, they are outwardly expressing their inward identity. It’s crucial to recognize that both of these aspects can align or differ, highlighting the diversity within the individual. Respecting both gender identity and expression is essential for fostering an inclusive and affirming environment where students can authentically navigate and express their gender while trying to learn.
In a modern and diverse school setting, the concept of gender should be embraced with a commitment to inclusivity and respect for the multifaceted identities of its student body. Firstly, the school must be inclusive of all, not just of gender. There is a great resource called “Instutalized Racism; A Syllabus” that explains and provides outsourced resources on this difficult subject, and handles the delicate topic of race very well (Halley, 2020). Additionally, beyond traditional binary expectations, the educational environment should acknowledge and accommodate a spectrum of gender expressions and identities. Students should encouraged to express their gender authentically, without fear of repercussion. Inclusive policies surrounding dress codes and language should be established to ensure that all students, regardless of their gender identity, feel safe and supported. The curriculum should be designed to reflect diverse perspectives on gender, fostering understanding and empathy among students, and allowing students to see themselves in what they learn.
Schools that actively engage in educating staff and students alike about the importance of respecting and affirming various gender identities and expressions are those that do right by their student body. A national survey performed by the Trevor Project shows that LGBTQ+ students have considered committing suicide (The Trevor Project, 2023). Often, that is because no one in their life can support them. By living a culture of acceptance and love, schools become safe spaces where every student can thrive academically and personally, irrespective of their gender background, and sometimes that is all they need.
Resources
Bassey, A. (2024, Feburary 3). Gender Word Cloud.
Halley, C. (2020, May 31). Institutionalized racism: A syllabus – JSTOR daily. Jstor Daily. https://daily.jstor.org/institutionalized-racism-a-syllabus/
Kaufman, M. (Director). (2002). The laramie project [film]. Good Machine, HBO Films.
The Associated Press. (2023, August 7). Transgender athletes may now compete in line with Gender Identity in New Jersey. Education Week. https://www.edweek.org/leadership/transgender-athletes-may-now-compete-in-line-with-gender-identity-in-new-jersey/2017/11
The Trevor Project. (2023). 2023 National Survey on LGBTQ Mental Health. https://www.thetrevorproject.org/survey-2023/
Hi Ann! I enjoyed reading your blog post about gender diversity and your story with The Laramie Project. I liked how you emphasized the importance of intersectionality when discussing gender and race. Most often, students of color who also happen to identify as a gender other than the sex they were assigned at birth are left out of important conversations when discussing each topic individually. Intersectionality brings the two large issues together to highlight the potential issues these students could face as people of color as well as identifying as a different gender other than the sex they were born with. While reading your post, I wondered if you considered the pushback against gender-inclusive classrooms. I believe that making students feel included is great, but of course, there will be people against it, especially disgruntled parents. To combat this, what should we do as future educators to protect the rights of self-expression of our students? I can’t even think of an answer, but I’m sure that there is a way to figure out how to maneuver this situation. To further expand on your already great ideas, I think including more of your thoughts on the other side will help bring your thoughts to the next level, as well as including how you as a future educator would combat any pushback you receive against being more gender inclusive, whether it be from another student, parent, fellow teacher, or administrator. Overall, I loved reading your blog post, keep up the good work!
Hey, Ann! I find it intriguing that you started off your post with a personal experience. I went to public school growing up, so I have no idea what it’s like to grow up going to a private Catholic school. It’s sickens me to my core to hear how you had to take classes that forced you into what is now the stereotype for women, controlling how you think and behave. This is a topic I’m very passionate about, as I believe that everyone has the right to express themselves however they want. In my opinion, there is no “correct” way to be a woman or to be feminine, so to hear that your school tried to force these ideals onto you sends chills down my spine. Moving on, I see that you mentioned how different sports teams, namely basketball teams, are starting to accept players that identify as transgender, which I would like to know more about. How do you think that the general population of America is reacting to these changes? Is everyone accepting of it, or is it controversial? Does the general opinion of American citizens on this topic vary depending on the state they live in? The only issue I see with your response is that you did not connect it to our module on Anti-Racism that we completed about two weeks ago. I would’ve also liked to hear your take on that module, and see how you connect it with the topic of discrimination against the LBGTQ+ community.