The number of students in our schools who identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community is growing at an ever-increasing rate. (LGBTQIA+ = Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, +.)
It is however, very difficult to reflect on or be accurate with these numbers. The decision not to include questions in the 2018 census regarding sex, gender and sexuality was one opportunity when people could be open and, if they chose to, provide answers that reflected their identity. In the UK, the number of students referred to the Gender Identity Development Service (for students who identified as transgender) in 2009-10 was 97. In 2015-16 this had risen 1,362% to 1,419.
That aside, as counting the number of students is not the important issue, how best to support them and provide an environment where they feel safe and open to be true to their identity is what we need to be ensuring. New Zealand has the unenviable position of having the highest youth suicide rate in the developed world (based on the 2017 UNICEF “Building the Future: Children and the Sustainable Development Goals in Rich Countries” report). LGBTQIA+ students are a high-risk group within these poor statistics.
For one, using the correct terminology is an important first step. A lack of acceptance of people in this community is a society issue, not just a school one, and understanding some of the acronyms and terms can be a struggle for some. There is no prescriptive list, hence the +, you should always ask an individual the terms they prefer to use in relation to themselves and if there are any terms that they reject or do not identify with.
One of the most important things to remember is that this is about a student’s identity. Nothing is more important to children and teenagers than their identity, and to take away from it is to deny that it exists. Working collaboratively with the student and their family is incredibly important, especially with transgender students, as getting the communication right to staff, the school community (if approved by the family) and enabling the student to feel comfortable and free to identify with their chosen identity is empowering. Support groups within a school also provide a ‘safe place’ where students can ask questions, at times in their lives when they may be struggling with their identity or sexuality.
These simple to enact things are a small, but important step to supporting these students and removing from their lives another cause of anxiety and pressure, which when combined with those experienced by every teenager, has seen them as one of the most ‘at risk’ groups within our schools. We are obliged as educators to do all we can to ensure that our schools are places that cater to all students regardless of gender, race, culture, religion or sexuality and above all are safe for our students to enjoy their education.
