Transgender Student Essay

Attempting suicide is an epidemic in the United States; especially when 41% of transgender individuals have attempted suicide compared 1.6% of the general population (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation). Due to this, the question of whether or not transgender youth have a harder, more straining adolescence than their cisgender counterparts rises. Although adolescence can be hard on everyone, experiences such as a school environment, puberty, laws that guarantee protection, family and social acceptance of transgender youth are harder than those of their cisgender counterparts (harder does not necessarily mean correlate with strenuous, the use of harder is aiming more towards different, costly, and possibly more confusing). The revolution for transgender lives is just beginning, change is happening. But in order for change to occur, adequate information on the material needs to be discussed and terminology must be defined and questions must be answered. Questions such as: what do the terms transgender and cisgender actually mean? Why is it important to know the difference between the two terms? What is the difference between transsexual and transgender?

Scholars have been critical of the medical establishment’s and state’s involvement in constructing and policing of transgender identity. These kinds of pressing issues have occupied the small existing literature. There is not much information and studying what is being done on transgender in traditional areas, family studies research, such as their dating behavior and formation of intimate relationships in adulthood. There is little research on the issues around being parents, their children’s experiences with having transgendered parents, as well as relationships in the family as a whole, and relationships in work and school.

American society today is not any different from the past, except today people are apt to discuss everything publicly on various social media outlets such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram just to name a few. Transgender persons happen to be one of those subjects that have become the hot topic of the new normal. Nowadays there are blogs, tweets, and pictures posted online of people’s transition “coming out.” Like the past, society is still tough when it comes to judging each other. Although transgender might not have had a recognized community in the past, it is prevalent that society is becoming more accepting of their community, and aware of issues their community faces. In this essay the names, nouns, or pronouns used will be in accordance to the individual’s preference.

Kidd and Witten define the term transgender vaguely, stating it “describe[s] people who transcend the conventional boundaries of gender, irrespective of physical status or sexual orientation” (Kidd & Witten, 2007, p. 36). This term is a reference for the ‘other gender’ that is not particularly male or female. Currently, within the American society, there is a growing awareness of individuals who are transgender. Much of this awareness comes from LGBT movements and

School is thought of as a safe, friendly environment for all to learn and share their ideas, creativity, and opinions. It should be, especially since Americans send their children to school, five days a week, seven hours a day. Unfortunately, not all children feel that their safety is ensured at their schools. Transgender youth feel as if they cannot be their true selves in an environment that’s supposed to be radiating of positivity and support. This is a result of bullying, denial of their gender identity, and being prohibited from using the restroom that matches their identity. Gender identity refers to a person’s inner sense of being male or female, regardless of the gender they were assigned at birth. Gender expression refers to the way a person expresses their gender in ways socially defined as masculine or feminine. Examples of these expressions are: clothing, behavior, hairstyle, voice, or mannerisms. Approximately seventy-five percent of the transgender student population feel unsafe in school. Some end up not even attending school, which results in their GPA plummeting. Because of the feeling in unacceptance and insecurity, their desire to further their education decreases. (Schools). In fact, LGBT students altogether are twice as likely to choose to not further their education than cisgender students (National Center). No one should find their education unimportant

The transgender community has been particularly outspoken about the injustices they have faced as transgender individuals as of late. Due to this, the public’s attention is drawn to what can be done to help these individuals gain the same rights that cisgender people have. A particularly potent topic is that of transgender students in high schools. On account of the attention, schools and teachers are faced with whether they will help or hinder the lives of their transgender students. Unfortunately, it has been made clear that high school teachers and high schools in general are not doing enough to accommodate their transgender students.

The transgender community makes up a controversial, growing culture in America. Promoting the idea of tolerance, self-love and acceptance, the Transgender community helps support a community that is statistically not commonly received well by the American people of 2015. Many view this uprising as a positive, revolutionary movement that aims to not only help the minority groups of America but progress mindset of all people from potentially

Ensuring support to transgender students within the school system is relevant for the US Government. Therefore, the Department of Education has compile examples of policies to support transgender student. In addition, to ensure that transgender students are called or identified by the appropriate name and pronouns; informed school officials determine which name and pronouns a transgender student prefers. Moreover, consistency with a student gender identity is essential; thus, some schools embraced policies to capacitate school faculty and students to adopt the newly name of a transgender student.

The definition of uncomfortable, per Dictionary.com, is causing or feeling or awkwardness. The definition of unsafe, per Dictionary.com, is possible to cause harm or injury. The definitions of uncomfortable and unsafe are similar in some ways and are simply confused with each other, especially in cultivation. The major variance between the two words are physical pain is present in unsafe. Transgender is not new, the rights of transgender people is what is new to society, particularly in America. Recently the debt for gender natural bathrooms and if transgender people should be allowed to use the restroom of their preference.

The bathroom debate is a very serious touchy subject, and in several states, a controversial law was passed stating that if a transgender person has sex reassignment surgery they have the right to change the sex on their birth certificate, and in turn, they will be allowed to use the restroom of their choice. (BusinessInsider). However, not all people who are transgender feel comfortable with having gender reassignment surgery and many cannot afford it. Transgender people should not be punished for identifying with the opposite gender or made uncomfortable because of their personal decisions.

There has been increased support for those who identify within the LGBTQIA community, yet the transgender community itself tends to be marginalized. “The available evidence from U.S. adult samples suggests that transgender people face widespread prejudice and discrimination and may be at heightened risk for violence because of their gender identities and expressions” (Norton & Herek, 2013, p. 738).

Separation of, checks, federalism are the most important issue nowadays discussed in the country. These are the things which play the vital role in the development of the country. It has become a great problem and a major point of discussion in the country that transgender students using the bathroom in school by gender identity. I believed that transgender students should have a separate bathroom. In that way, there will be no violence in between the transgender students and gender students. There will be equal rights and opportunities in between all kinds of gender. The use of bathroom by transgender people does not mean men should use the women bathroom and women should

What defines a person? Looks? Beliefs? Gender and sexual orientation? About 0.58% of all adults in the United States identify as transgender, which is around 1,397,150 people. Society commonly feels as though transgender people are unnatural or disgusting, and they perform hate crimes because of this fact. Why is that? How could these people target others simply because of their identity, despite said identity having really no impact on their lives? The identity itself makes the transgender person uncomfortable because does it not match what the subcortical (meaning the area of the brain below the frontal cortex) areas of the brain tell about them, and they feel the need to become the gender their brain tells them to be. Why is that so wrong? Transgender people are just as human as anyone else. They are a little different than the rest of society, but they should be treated with respect accordingly.

My transgender identity influences my life in ways that I would have never imagined. As a five-year old entering kindergarten, I knew that I was “different”. I use that term very loosely because everybody is different in their own way. However, my “different” is not something I can hide. Teachers, parents, and students alike would ask the infamous question I became so used to in my life, “Are you a boy or a girl?”.

Previous studies suggested that it might be complicated to find a big sample of transgender employees. Indeed, studies on that topic have not exceeded 263 participants (Brewster, Velez, De Blaere & Moradi, 2012). Target sample size (N=159) was estimated using G*Power statistical software, with α=.05, β=.8 and f=.25. Giving the exploratory nature of this study, a medium effect size was utilized. According to the power analysis I will study three different groups of 50 transitioning transgender employees (total N=150). The study will focus on transitioning transgender individuals, who have already started their transition by having taken at least one shot of hormones, but who have not yet been through the sexual reassignment surgery. Before beginning any study procedure, I will be sure to obtain the approval from the Institutional Review Board at the University of California, Irvine. Anticipated risks are minimal since the target population will be over 18 years old, and that the questionnaire is online and anonymous, which does not involve any risk for the participant.