Teaching about transgender issues is usually better when linked to gender issues generally as well as LGB and homophobia issues.
Encouraging children to think about issues such as gender roles and sexism generally is always a good way into talkng about gender. Most schools and local authorities have policies on gender equality, some forward-looking ones even have policies on transgender discrimination. Most will also have policies on LGB discrimination. Remembering that, in many cases there are issues which can be discussed about sexism which will help girls and boys break out of stereotyped behaviour patterns and examining the causes of this presents a great learning opportunity for children.
Asking questions such as;
- Why are there different toys for boys and for girls?
- Should girls play football? Why/why not?
- Are there jobs which girls/women should not do?
- Are there jobs which boys/men should not do?
- Look at the picture below (you can use and copy this freely for non-commercial purposes) Why do we need different mice for girls and boys?
- What things are unfair to girls?
- What things are unfair to boys?
- What is difficult about being a boy/man?
- What is difficult about being a girl/woman?
- How many of these difficulties are caused by society rather than nature?
- Why shouldn't boys cry?
- Why should women be paid less for doing the same sort of work as men?
Will help children discuss issues relating to sexism. Teachers could also look at gender roles in the media, celebrities, films, books, and sexism in advertising. Get the children to collect examples of sexism in the media and make a display board about it. Look at sexism in history, including things such as the suffragettes.
This can then easily be taken further with questions like;
- What if you were a boy but everyone told you you were a girl?
- What would it be like if you were neither a boy nor a girl?
- What would it be like if you were both a boy and a girls?
- Why can't some children be a different gender from the one they were born into?
- Why do all boys have to like wearing trousers and playing football?
- Why do all girls have to like wearing skirts and giggling?
- Why can't a boy play with dolls?
- Why can't a boy wear a dress or a skirt or a pink t-shirt?
- Why is it that girls are allowed to do "boys" things like wear jeans and play football but boys aren't allowed to wear skirts or play with dolls?
Introducing children to the idea that some children might be girls born in boys' bodies or boys born in girls' bodies is then a lot easier. It is also important to introduce the idea that there are also girls and boys who identify as neither male nor female or as both male and female, and that this is also OK.
this can be linked to homophobic bullying issues since homophobic bullying is usually transphobic bullying in disguise; children suffer from homophobic bullying largely if they exhibit gender-variant behaviour, preferences or appearance. If they are a boy who is a little effeminate or a girl who does boyish things or looks boyish. It is also important to remember that the vast majority of children who suffer from homophobic bullying in primary and secondary schools are likely to be straight and non-transgender, but that this does not mean that it is right to bully anyone because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Let children know that being trans does not mean you are gay or lesbian.
It is important to let children know that being transgender, as with being gay or lesbian, is something which children are born with, something which should be celebrated, and not something which is deliberate, these are ordinary children underneath who are dealing with a difficult situation. they deserve our help and support.
