DEFINITIONS FROM EGALE HUMAN RIGHTS TRUST’S WEBSITE
MYGSA.CA
Trans (adj.) A person who does not iden- tify either fully or in part with the gender associated with their birth-assigned sex (the antonym for cisgender) – often used as an umbrella term to represent a wide range of gender identities and expressions. Transgender people (just like cisgender people) may identify as straight, gay, etc.
Genderqueer (adj.) Refers to a person whose gender identity may not cor- respond with social and societal gender expectations. Individuals who identify as genderqueer may identify with both male and female genders, move between genders, or may reject the gender binary or gender altogether. Those who identify as genderqueer may or may not also identify as trans.
Cisgender (adj.) Refers to someone whose gender identity corresponds with their assigned sex.
Heteronormativity (noun) A cultural/ societal bias, often implicit, that assumes all people are straight and so privileges heterosexuality and ignores or underrepre- sents same-sex relationships.
SUGGESTED RESOURCES:
The Gender Book, a gender 101 graphic novel by Mel Reiff Hill and Jay Mays, available online at
thegenderbook.com.
in an all-gender cabin and then wanted to switch into a gendered cabin? How would the parent body be informed and consulted? What quickly became clear was that stu-
dents understood the issue. Clarice, in grade 8, explained: “The point of all-gender cabins is that it’s for all genders; male, female, trans, and gender fl uid students. When you partici- pate in the all-gender cabin there is support for people who don’t fi t into the binary.” And Patia would later write, “As a cisgender girl, I had two reasons for joining an all-gender cabin. My fi rst reason was that I wanted to be in a cabin with all of my friends and my second was to show support for those who identify as trans or simply do not identify with the gender that matches their body.” Just as offering an option for gender non-
conforming people is important, also ex- tending a choice for the trans students and cisgender students who feel safest in a boys’ or girls’ cabin satisfi es the expectations of the
Ontario Human Rights Code. At every turn, we found humility in our ignorance and op- portunity in our discussions. Students were very clear about their
concerns. Jordan wanted to know that there was a private space in each cabin to use as a changing area. This became a design feature that we would integrate into every cabin, us- ing a privacy curtain or bunk bed mattress to cordon off a pre-existing nook. In all cabins, students wanted to be able to iden- tify at least one good friend who would be with them, a logistical challenge worthy of a chess master, but possible. And students an- ticipated that parents and guardians would be concerned about the possibility of sexual activity, yet could sensitively articulate both the policies in place prohibiting the behav- ior and the underlying heteronormativity of the concern. Finally, as if all of the tumblers in a lock had clicked into place, a hand in the back of
The Gender Unicorn, a graphic produced by the Trans Student Educational Re- sources that is helpful in understanding sex, gender and sexuality, available free at
transstudent.org/gender.
Creating Authentic Spaces: A Gender Identity and Gender Expression Toolkit, available free at
the519.org/education- training/training-resources/trans-inclu- sion-matters/creating-authentic-spaces.
ELEMENTARY TEACHERS’ FEDERATION OF ONTARIO 29
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52
