At Children’s Minnesota we firmly believe every child has an essential right to health care. We also recognize that the care we provide inside our clinic and hospital walls is a small part of what impacts kids’ health. As a parent and medical director of the Gender Health program at Children’s Minnesota, I know firsthand that school plays a big role in shaping our kids. In Minnesota, we are fortunate to have many wonderful schools and teachers. But for too many students, school is not a safe place.
Nationally, more than 80% of LGBTQ+ students experience harassment or assault in school.
Only 10% of LGBTQ+ students say school staff intervened most of the time or always when overhearing homophobic remarks at school.
Even more unfortunately, harassment is not only from peers. It can also come from adults at school.
The bottom line is we have a lot of work to do to make all schools safe for all students. That’s why I invited Dave Edwards, founder of Gender Inclusive Schools, to share ways we can make that happen.
Dave Edwards’ words:
As a queer person, and parent of a transgender child, creating safe schools for gender-expansive kids is a topic that’s really close to my heart. Through my work with Gender Inclusive Schools, I help communities establish learning environments that celebrate, affirm and protect LGBTQ+ community members. Here are a few high-impact strategies to create safer and more inclusive for transgender and gender diverse students:
It’s not enough to follow the law. Like all students, transgender and gender diverse students want to feel like they matter, like they’re an important part of the school community. That’s why visible supports, like safe space stickers, are crucial. They send a clear message that all kids are welcome and protected.
When we talk about creating safe spaces, we’re not just talking about the physical environment, it’s about making sure everyone feels respected and valued, regardless of their gender identity or expression. For younger kids, this means focusing on core values like love and respect. For older kids, it means supporting gender and sexuality alliances and curriculum that normalizes diverse identities.
School community practices should be informed and guided by the legal requirements to prevent discrimination and bullying behavior. However, everyone loses when school communities provide accommodations to gender-expansive kids solely to meet their legal requirements. We need to shift our mindset to creating gender-inclusive schools because it’s the best practice for promoting the happiness and well-being of all of our students.
It’s important to be proactive. The best time to have a conversation about gender identity is before there’s a problem. Providing educators, staff and students with comprehensive training on gender diversity and inclusion is fundamental. This includes understanding the challenges faced by transgender and gender diverse students, using correct pronouns and recognizing and addressing bias and discrimination. It’s also important that schools engage parents and the wider community in conversations about gender diversity and inclusion to support a broader cultural shift.
Implementing clear, inclusive policies that protect the rights of transgender and gender diverse students is also essential. This includes enumerated anti-bullying policies, guidelines for restroom and locker room use, and procedures for name and gender changes in school records. Finally, establishing support systems like counseling services and access to trusted adults who can serve as advocates, can greatly benefit transgender and gender diverse students.
Parents play a crucial role. Parents can and should contact school administrators to ensure that they are creating a safe and inclusive environment. If meeting with school officials, parents should invite a trusted person to accompany them, to take notes and be another set of ears. I also recommend that parents avoid making requests over the phone, but instead put them in an email and ask for an email response as well, to ensure accountability.
Last but not least. Above all, it’s vital that we communicate unapologetic support for our kids. Equity work in this way isn’t a burden, it’s an opportunity. We get to support transgender and gender diverse students. We have the privilege of having them in our spaces. And by taking the above steps, we can make a difference and ensure that every student thrives.
Dave’s book, Gender Inclusive Schools: How to Affirm and Support Gender-Expansive Students, is available now. With a forward and chapter contributions by Children’s Minnesota’s Dr. Kade Goepferd, this teacher workbook provides strategies and best practices for ensuring gender-expansive students are able to thrive in a school community to celebrates their authentic selves.
Dr. Kade Goepferd
Chief education officer and pediatrician in the Gender Health program
Dr. Kade Goepferd (they/them) founded the Gender Health program at Children’s Minnesota and continues to advocate for advancing equitable health care for all children. They have received several local and national awards for their work in advocacy and education and gave their first TED talk, “The Revolutionary Truth about Kids and Gender Identity” at TEDx Minneapolis in 2020.
