Teachers’ professional learning to affirm transgender, non-binary, and gender-creative youth: experiences and recommendations from the field

Abstract

This article critically examines the professional learning needs called for by educators working to support transgender, non-binary, and gender-creative (trans) youth and makes recommendations for practice. Interviews were conducted with 26 educators (preschool to secondary) who have worked directly with trans students (any child whose behaviour does not match stereotypes for their sex category assigned at birth, or who identifies with a gender different from their sex category assigned at birth). We examine two new concepts related to professional learning and educator preparation that emerged from theorising the data and related literature: pedagogies of exposure and culture of conversation. The limits and possibilities offered by these approaches are critically examined through the research base on teacher learning. Recommendations are made for teacher preparation, professional development and related practices to better create and sustain learning environments that affirm gender diversity.

Teachers’ Strategies for Supporting Transgender and/or Gender-Expansive Elementary School Students

“…Foremost, educators may lack the know-how needed to create gender-affirming school environments. Educators receive limited training related to gender diversity (Leonardi & Staley, 2018; Meyer & Leonardi, 2018; Payne & Smith, 2018) even though they report wanting more training (McQuillan & Leininger, 2020). When training is available, it may not extend beyond “Trans 101” and may inadvertently reinforce stereotypes (Green, 2010).…”

“…Educators play a critical role in creating educational spaces that affirm transgender people (Bartholomaeus & Riggs, 2017). Unfortunately, K–12 educators receive limited training related to gender during their pre-service or in-service education (Meyer & Leonardi, 2018; Payne & Smith, 2018). Moreover, research into the kinds of educational practices that might support transgender and/or gender-expansive students focuses primarily on adolescents (e.g., Ioverno & Russell, 2021; Snapp et al, 2015).…”

Methodology as Pedagogy: Trans Lives, Social Science, and the Possibilities of Education Research

“…Over the course of the last 20 years, a relatively small but robust body of research and scholarship has emerged that addresses trans experience as it relates to education. Although there has been somewhat more research on trans life in higher education (e.g., Beemyn, 2019; Courvant, 2011; Garvey et al, 2019; Jourian, 2017; Marine, 2017; Nicolazzo, 2016; Nicolazzo et al, 2015; Stewart & Nicolazzo 2018), nearly 70 peer-reviewed journal articles have been published that focus on or engage extensively with trans experience and knowledge production in U.S. K–12 education 6 (Meyer & Regan, 2021). Notably, the majority of these publications have appeared in specialist journals like the Journal of LGBT Youth , Gender and Education , and Sex Education .…”

Naming new realities: supporting trans youth in education

“…For example, in their article 'Sex and Gender in Transition in US Schools, ' Miller, Mayo and Lugg (2018) describe how both 'diversely gendered youth' and cisgender youth are 'dissatisfied with gender norms and restrictive school policies (GLSEN 2016)' and argue that 'language helps us locate and find our gender identities. ' Other articles adopt the term 'trans*' (Kwok 2018), incorporate phrases such as 'gender-creative' (Meyer and Leonardi 2018), or introduce new acronyms, like TIG (trans, intersex, gender minority) (Simons et al 2018).…”

“…The increased presence of trans students in schools is leading educators to consider how to better respond to the needs of these young people. Researchers Meyer and Leonardi (2018) provide a study of the ways in which US educators are working with trans students and describe the needs that educators report through the development of two concepts, pedagogies of exposure and culture of conversation. These concepts stress the need for more exposure to the topic of gender diversity.…”