What Is Gender Dysphoria?

Most don’t explicitly look into the complexity of a transgender person’s life and all the questions or problems one might face: Do I use the men’s or the women’s bathroom? Is it appropriate to use this locker room? Those are only two of the many questions a transgender person might run into on a daily basis because of how others would see the situation, how the people who may have a sneaking suspicion that the woman they saw go into the ladies’ bathroom isn’t actually female by their definition, or how it could also seem strange to see that same person go into the mens’ bathroom. These all lead to dysphoria in any person’s situation in public places due to the fact that many choose to taunt or mock the person; however, with the help of Title IX these questions could start to vanish from the thoughts of many transgender students which Blad exemplifies with a quote in her article:

One current court case is dealing with a federal judge releasing an injunction to momentarily restrict transgender students from using school bathrooms as well as locker rooms of their choice (Eldeib). In blocking students from using something as simple as a restroom or locker room, a student’s identity can be misconstrued. Especially with a student who may already feel differently about their identity. A mother in Denton, Texas, hopes to change the legal problems revolving around the controversy of bathroom laws in Texas schools. Amber Briggle states her 8-year-old transgender son has felt he needs to wait to use the restroom until he would arrive home. As well as this, Briggle confirms her son, MG’s grades dropped drastically. His grades continued to worsen until he was given a restroom alteration, allowing him to feel comfortable. (Wright). Along with MG, many students do not feel safe in their schools because of having to hide their transgender identity. Students may not feel safe just because Texas is such a conservative state. Ken Paxton and other state leaders even exchanged in transphobic rhetoric at the 2016 Texas GOP convention. Because of the strong conservative viewpoints in Texas, young people as well as students in the area may not feel accepted as who they are, leading them to disguise their true self. School is already a tough time in a child or teens life, and being discriminated against because of how one identifies does not make a student’s lifestyle any easier. Because transgender students in Texas schools are entitled to free expression of gender identity, they are also permitted to dress how they please. As well as wearing the clothes a transgender students feels most comfortable with, it is permissible to address these students by their preferred name. Because transgender

The School Board will be in violation of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, 20 U.S.C. §§ 1681 et seq., if they do not allow a male that is diagnosed with gender dysphoria and identifies as a female, access to the female restroom. Though the Supreme Court has not ruled on this topic, a Fourth Circuit ruling, the Department of Education and Department of Justice Dear Colleague Letter, and case law regarding transgender students can help enlighten the school board on this topic. An introductory understanding of Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 will assist in this matter. Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 and its regulations prohibit sex discrimination in schools, educational programs and activities that are recipients of Federal funds. Within Title IX it specifically prohibits the discrimination of student’s based on gender identity, including the discrimination of transgender students. Title IX provides: “[n]o person… shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance” 20 U.S.C. § 1681(a).

In recent years, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights has received an increasing number of questions from parents and schools regarding civil rights protections for transgender students. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits discrimination in educational programs/activities based on gender, including discrimination based on a student’s gender identity or transgender status. This letter, while it does not add requirements to applicable law, provides significant guidance and encouragement regarding a school’s Title IX obligations for transgender students and how a school is evaluate for compliance with these obligations.

Gavin Grimm is a transgender who was born as a female, and want his right to go to the boys’ bathroom. In Richmond, a federal appeals court has said that he can sue the school board, because they are practically taking away his right to be what he wants to be (Balingit). “The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Virginia filed a lawsuit against the Gloucester County School Board for adopting a discriminatory bathroom policy that segregates transgender students from their peers” (@ACLU).

More and more kids and teens are realizing that, they are not who they want to be. Meaning that, they want to, or have already changed their gender identity. This doesn’t seem like the problem, but these kids, teens, and even adults don't have the rights we have on a regular daily bases. According to Discovery Education, it says that, these kids and teens aren’t allowed to use the bathroom of the gender they choose to be. This is a big problem throughout the United States, especially in elementary, middle, and high schools. The government also took away the law stating that transgender people, are to use

Here in Canada, this issue has been brought forward in both communities and provincial level of concerns. To take a look closer to home, the city of Toronto had witnessed the complexity of this issue in the past years. A Toronto transgender teen who identifies as a male, was banned from using his high school boys restroom, and was forced to leave school grounds and search for a public bathroom at a gas station. Concerns were mentioned for the safety of Spencer, and also how he felt uncomfortable being forced to use the women’s restroom; however, several parents and students agreed with how the school was taking action to this problem. After a petition was enacted by fellow supportive students, Spencer was allowed to freely use the restrooms at his high school.

In class, we have learned and discussed how during the period of adolescence, it is known that this is the period of time where individuals are finding themselves and figuring out where they belong. It is during this time where individuals are the most sensitive and personal problems tend to arise more commonly during this stage. A major issue adolescents struggle during this stage is gender identity and sexuality. Adolescents are trying to figure out who they are attracted to and how they perceive themselves to be. While the norm is to identify oneself as their biological gender, there are those who develop gender dysphoria. Gender dysphoria is a reoccurring feeling that one’s biological gender is the opposite of one’s sexual identity (Cole,

Gloucester School Board effects the faculty and students of schools across America. Gavin Grimm, an open transgender student at Gloucester High School wants to have access to the boy’s restroom at school, the boy’s restroom was used until the Gloucester County School Board received complaints from students and families. It’s noted that Grimm suffers from gender dysphoria, to make his transformation easier, all aspects, physical, mental, and social, must be transitioned also. The School Board eventually banned Grimm from using the boy’s restrooms in school, introducing a new policy; this “rule” and the Supreme Court’s ruling will impact many Americans apart of the LGBTQ community and students all over America. Many schools, events like sports, field trips, etc don’t include bathrooms special for transgender citizens like a unisex restrooms, this will affect all Americans, transgender or

Not only do students have mixed feelings but there are also parents who oppose the idea of allowing transgender students to pick their bathroom and sport team to join. Parents worry that there could be certain criminal activity if transgenders were allowed to choose which bathroom to use, but the law reflects the modern times and calls for change. Worries about having transgenders pick their own bathroom or locker room is preventing them from having the sense of security and importance that they should feel within their schools. A testimony from a 16 year old transgender boy from Manteca, California shows that all he wants is to not be deterred from the same options that normal high school boys at his school get, “I just want to be treated the same as all the other boys… my school forces me to take a gym class with all girls… leaves me feeling isolated and alone… (Yan).” Although there are worries of allowing transgenders to pick their bathrooms; transgender are citizens of America and deserve the same opportunities, such as choosing which sport team to participate in or which bathroom and locker room to use, as other citizens. They are being alienated and all they want is to be able to have the same choices, such as restroom rights, available to them. Jocelyn Samuels, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division states, “All students, including

Some people have a problem with transgender people using the ¨wrong restroom.¨ In the article “Seat of Unrest” by Sara GoodYear she explains that ¨The board is voting on whether he should be allowed to use the boys restroom at Gloucester High

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines gender nonconformity as, “a state in which a person has physical and behavioral characteristics that do not correspond with those typically associated with the person’s sex “ (Merriam-Webster, 1831). Throughout history, women have been viewed as inferior to men and unable to handle certain occupations. Although this may have been the case before World War II, women have established their role in society today by participating in gender nonconformity. Being a pilot was a job primarily for men because it involved a lot of knowledge and correct technique that took time to develop. Amelia Earhart’s love for adventure and airplanes led her to become not only the first women, but the first aviator ever to successfully fly solo over the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.

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.

In past generations, it has been clear to society that males and females use segregated bathrooms. It is also known that the rate of transgender people has been growing over the past years. Transgender people constantly face troubles when using a bathroom in public. Nevertheless, as society has become more aware of the transgender population and the issues that they face, many schools have had to decide how they will respond about the issue of school bathrooms when students identify themselves as transgender. A school should be able to provide separate facilities based on sex, but must allow transgender students access to the facility which matches their gender identity.

Gender Dysphoria is one of the most important issues associated with problems people have with their gender identity. Aspects of Gender Dysphoria include