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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/apr/24/transgender-student-messages-of-support
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| 'School is not the real world': messages of support for trans students | 'School is not the real world': messages of support for trans students |
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| Last week, Alex Sennello wrote about her experience of being a transgender high school student in the US. As a part of our growing series Opening Up, we reached out to transgender communities to learn more about the challenges they faced in school and how they overcame them. Here are the stories and messages of support from seven trans people who got through high school: | Last week, Alex Sennello wrote about her experience of being a transgender high school student in the US. As a part of our growing series Opening Up, we reached out to transgender communities to learn more about the challenges they faced in school and how they overcame them. Here are the stories and messages of support from seven trans people who got through high school: |
| When I was about thirteen, a girl asked me, in front of the class, why I wore boys' trousers. I realized then that I had no reason, that it was just natural to me. I am ashamed of the fact I gave in and bought a pair of girls' trousers to wear. I am pleased to say it took me two years to realize I had been wearing them back to front, proving that I shouldn't have been wearing them in the first place. Oddly, nobody made nasty comments about that. When very young, I would often be so unsettled by using the girls' bathroom that I would resort to urinating outside. It makes me so sad to think about it now. – Alex Ripley | When I was about thirteen, a girl asked me, in front of the class, why I wore boys' trousers. I realized then that I had no reason, that it was just natural to me. I am ashamed of the fact I gave in and bought a pair of girls' trousers to wear. I am pleased to say it took me two years to realize I had been wearing them back to front, proving that I shouldn't have been wearing them in the first place. Oddly, nobody made nasty comments about that. When very young, I would often be so unsettled by using the girls' bathroom that I would resort to urinating outside. It makes me so sad to think about it now. – Alex Ripley |
| On the first day of sixth form, we had to begin our first English class by introducing ourselves and giving one interesting fact about our lives. I was seeking to make a fresh start, even though the school was not yet fully on board with my transition – I had tugged on my brand new binder in a bathroom stall before lessons began. I remember whispering feverishly with my friend about whether or not to give my male name when my turn came. My heart was pounding, but I did it. I got some funny looks, but it was a step in the right direction. – Kevin | On the first day of sixth form, we had to begin our first English class by introducing ourselves and giving one interesting fact about our lives. I was seeking to make a fresh start, even though the school was not yet fully on board with my transition – I had tugged on my brand new binder in a bathroom stall before lessons began. I remember whispering feverishly with my friend about whether or not to give my male name when my turn came. My heart was pounding, but I did it. I got some funny looks, but it was a step in the right direction. – Kevin |
| Sports class was always very uncomfortable, because we were expected to not only change in front of the people you felt uncomfortable around – bawdy rugby players – but also to emulate them. Compulsory singing classes are another issue. Trans girls have to be reminded of their voices (categorized by default as bass) and vice-versa. Another thing: hair length! A lot of schools have this dated notion that boys hair shouldn't be any longer than their collars, which is awfully sexist in itself, and plagued me for years. – Kairi | Sports class was always very uncomfortable, because we were expected to not only change in front of the people you felt uncomfortable around – bawdy rugby players – but also to emulate them. Compulsory singing classes are another issue. Trans girls have to be reminded of their voices (categorized by default as bass) and vice-versa. Another thing: hair length! A lot of schools have this dated notion that boys hair shouldn't be any longer than their collars, which is awfully sexist in itself, and plagued me for years. – Kairi |
| I hit puberty in high school, that's when I really started to become a freak. I wasn't growing out of being a tomboy, I wasn't embracing the changes in my body like the other girls. I was just some terrible overly masculine creature that couldn't maintain eye contact or string a coherent sentence together. Society is only comfortable with two genders, any variation is seen as an object of ridicule. School reinforces this. It's a pressurized bubble, it's not the real world & doesn't prepare you for it. – Keltik | I hit puberty in high school, that's when I really started to become a freak. I wasn't growing out of being a tomboy, I wasn't embracing the changes in my body like the other girls. I was just some terrible overly masculine creature that couldn't maintain eye contact or string a coherent sentence together. Society is only comfortable with two genders, any variation is seen as an object of ridicule. School reinforces this. It's a pressurized bubble, it's not the real world & doesn't prepare you for it. – Keltik |
| Some of my friends have had physical violence towards them in school. Thankfully, that never happened to me. Trans students have problems simply surviving in a place which often harbors cruel young people. But aside from this, simple things – toilets, names, PE changing rooms, wearing gendered uniforms – become impossible and flare up inner hatred at yourself. School, when you think about it, is a very gendered place, and you notice it even more when you are trans. – Jon Edwards | Some of my friends have had physical violence towards them in school. Thankfully, that never happened to me. Trans students have problems simply surviving in a place which often harbors cruel young people. But aside from this, simple things – toilets, names, PE changing rooms, wearing gendered uniforms – become impossible and flare up inner hatred at yourself. School, when you think about it, is a very gendered place, and you notice it even more when you are trans. – Jon Edwards |
| Gendered tasks, clothing and socialization are exceptionally cruel for transgendered children. My schools were very strict about uniform, which was dresses for girls and trousers/shorts for boys. Any parent who forces their son to wear dresses despite their protestations would be investigated by the authorities, but nobody stands up for trans children being subjected to the same abuse. It was utterly humiliating. | Gendered tasks, clothing and socialization are exceptionally cruel for transgendered children. My schools were very strict about uniform, which was dresses for girls and trousers/shorts for boys. Any parent who forces their son to wear dresses despite their protestations would be investigated by the authorities, but nobody stands up for trans children being subjected to the same abuse. It was utterly humiliating. |
| The other big problem is that teachers like to split groups of children into 'boys' and 'girls' for certain activities. This forces transgendered children to self-identify as the wrong gender, because any attempt to join the correct group will result in them being corrected and quite probably made fun of. – Jon F | The other big problem is that teachers like to split groups of children into 'boys' and 'girls' for certain activities. This forces transgendered children to self-identify as the wrong gender, because any attempt to join the correct group will result in them being corrected and quite probably made fun of. – Jon F |
| I think I felt most aware of my gender at either primary school or year 10/11 in secondary school. In primary school I would get daily abuse from fellow students at my school for using the female toilets. PE was challenging in general because wearing a binder meant I naturally lost my breath quicker than if I hadn't had to wear it. – Ben Cross | I think I felt most aware of my gender at either primary school or year 10/11 in secondary school. In primary school I would get daily abuse from fellow students at my school for using the female toilets. PE was challenging in general because wearing a binder meant I naturally lost my breath quicker than if I hadn't had to wear it. – Ben Cross |
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