Adolescence can be a pretty confusing time for some children.
Their emotional and physical development during this point in their lives can have lasting effects on their overall development and the people they will eventually become.
The world is steadily becoming more accepting of people’s identities.
In today’s changing social climate, delicate topics such as sexuality and gender identity have largely lost a lot of the stigma they once held.
The world is more understanding and accepting of people previously considered “different.”
While we’re becoming more accepting as as society, children are still struggling to open up about their gender identity.
While many people are opening themselves up to the world and living their best lives possible, some children and youth battling gender dysphoria are finding it difficult to do the same, particularly at school.
Some transgender and non-conforming youth aren’t comfortable being themselves at their schools,
A national survey from the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) found that 75% of transgender youth reported feeling unsafe at their school.
The same survey found that these children not only fear judgement from their peers but from school officials as well.
Schools are taking steps to help all children feel welcome and accepted.
The Independent reported that several elementary schools in Brighton, England, have begun giving out gender pronoun stickers to students to try and eliminate misgendering.
Students can wear a sticker that says “he”, “she”, or opt for a blank sticker that lets them write in their own preferred pronoun.
There are even schools exclusively for transgender students.
HuffPost reported that Chile opened Latin America’s very first school for transgender children in 2017 as a way to encourage learning in an environment completely free of judgement.
Students reportedly often skipped classes at their previous schools in an effort to avoid discrimination and bullying from peers.
One school in Essex has decided to ditch gender pronouns altogether.
According to The Sun , Leigh North Primary has banned its teachers from calling students boys or girls, and are instead insisting on the use of gender neutral pronouns to prevent bullying.
While the move was made in an effort to protect any gender-confused children, parents are not happy.
A letter reportedly from a furious parent accuses the school of causing confusion among children who “otherwise would be perfectly happy.”
“”Where will it lead?” the writer asks. “Mixed-sex toilets? Mixed changing areas — which is indecent?”
The internet isn’t supporting the school’s decision, either.
Twitter users seem pretty unanimous in their disapproval of the elementary school’s ban.
“Another new modern tragedy,” one user wrote, while another used a Pink Floyd quote to encourage teachers to “leave those kids alone.”
Some have pointed out the hypocrisy in the school’s reasoning for the ban.
One twitter user quoted the Southend Council’s statement that this ban will encourage students to respect diversity, and insisted this cannot be done after the ban has been implemented.
“How do they ‘celebrate the difference’ if they fail to recognize the differences between boys and girls?” they implored.
Despite the backlash, the school board is standing behind their decision.
Southend Council, who are behind the gender pronoun ban, are not letting the parental backlash change their minds.
“Celebrating difference encourages children and young people to respect diversity,” Brin Martin, the director of children and learning, told The Sun . “It’s not about changing them.”
Although not everyone approves, some LGBT groups are applauding the school for its effort in creating an inclusive learning environment.
According to the Daily Record , the LGBT group Stonewall sees the ban as a positive move for all students and helping encourage acceptance in the classroom.
“It’s vital to create school environments where all children can reach their full potential,” a spokesperson for the group told the Daily Record .
h/t The Sun
