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Teaching the “T” in LGBT Danny Schierl, Oshkosh
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As many of you would agree, education is a vital part of sustainability and growth within a society. Exploring new frontiers can be an exciting, but often an appre- hensive and overwhelming experience. Awareness of transgender topics is on the rise, especially in educational settings, but there are still misconceptions of transgen- der people within the general population and in schools. I am a transgender man and I invite you to read about my past experi- ences in public schools, and the present in a university setting. I will also share my future hopes and concerns as a prospective educator, as well as steps that teachers can take to cultivate an inclusive classroom for transgender students.
I am currently an undergraduate student at University of Wisconsin Oshkosh study- ing music education and am originally from Neenah, Wisconsin. I currently work as a handbell choir director at a local church. My parents have always supported my personal and academic endeavors and have supported me throughout my transition. Although great strides of social progress have been made, there are still many out-of-date terms used when talking about transgender people, and incorrect stereotypes and stigmas that are attached to the transgender community. I wrote this article in the hope of dispelling confusion and misconceptions that surround the “T” in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgen- der (LGBT) community.
Past
Growing up, I was not aware that the term “transgender” existed or what the differ- ence was between sexual orientation and gender identity. From early on, I detested wearing dresses and was the typical “tom- boy.” In my experience in public schools, the only time that LGBT issues were mentioned was briefly in my high school health class. There were Gay/Straight Alli- ance club meetings at my high school, but
I was always too afraid to go – wondering if I would be made fun of or singled out for going. During puberty, I realized that something wasn’t right between the way I felt in my body and how it was develop- ing, but I didn’t have the terminology to use to explain what I was feeling. After doing some research, I put one piece of my identity puzzle together and I came out as bi-sexual when I was 15. In this context, the term “out” or “coming out” refers to someone in the LGBT community disclosing their orientation or identity to someone else.
One of the most profound moments I experienced in high school was one with my high school band director. I was in the show choir band my senior year. In the choir, men wore suits and ladies wore dresses. He asked if I would be comfort- able wearing a dress and if I wasn’t, I could wear something else. Not wanting to stick out from the crowd, I said I would be fine wearing a dress. Looking back, I wish I had the courage to dress the way I felt, rather than be influenced by social and cultural norms.
Present
I came out as transgender in college when I was 19. It was received well by my fam- ily, friends and faculty. There was a time of adjustment during the pronoun change, but it was a positive experience that many people do not have. I had not yet taken hormones (testosterone) to change my ap- pearance, so I normally had to tell people that my pronouns were masculine. After two years at UW-Oshkosh, I transferred to a technical college, then worked in retail for a few years. During this time away from school, I began my journey of physi- cal transition. When I returned to school to complete my music education degree, professors were excited and supportive that I had decided to return.
“Teachers don’t have to announce their support to students;
show, don’t tell.”
On campus, students have the option of listing a preferred name that is shown on rosters, emails, etc., which is a positive step in supporting LGBT students and helps to reduce “outing” incidents. The majority of my time since I have returned to school, I was not “out” as transgender, which is called “stealth.” I explained my past to a select group of friends, but the information was inappropriately shared. This unfortunate occurrence happens frequently in the LGBT community. In- formation that would “out” someone is highly sensitive due to its personal nature; it can be dangerous in certain communi- ties, cause religious conflicts, etc.
My “outing” experience led me to become more of an active advocate for the LGBT community. For a school project, I inter- viewed my professors about transgender topics they felt were prevalent in public schools and in higher education. There was an overall consensus of support for transgender people and their rights. This school year, I began to speak on panels on campus to educate students and faculty about LGBT issues. I share my personal experiences and advocate for education and acceptance for people in the LGBT community. I also independently give speeches in classes and other social func- tions about my personal transition and give a “crash course” of basic LGBT information.
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January 2018
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