CASEY: Being transgender, I could never really hide who I was. I’ve basically been picked on my whole life, at school and at home. TYLER: Your dad’s still on your case?
CASEY: I mean, he tries. He just doesn’t get that I could be born looking like a boy but actually be a girl.
TYLER: That’s tough.
DANI: Casey, maybe you could explain a little. I’m not sure everyone knows exactly what it means to be transgender.
CASEY: Sure. Well, the way I explain it is… Being lesbian, gay, bisexual, heterosexual… that’s about sexual orientation, like, who are you attracted to? If you’re transgender, like me, that’s about your gender identity—do you identify as male, female, or another identity? If the gender you identify with is different from the sex you were assigned at birth, then you might identify as transgender or “gender non-conforming.”
It seems to make some people uncomfortable. And for others, it raises a lot of questions. There’s a lot of transphobia, fear or hatred of transgender people, which I think—I hope—just comes from a lack of understanding.
DANI: What are some things you wish people knew?
CASEY: Well, I can’t speak for all trans people, but a few things I try to remind people...
First, being trans has nothing to do with who I’m attracted to. I know trans people who identify as gay, straight, bisexual… You can’t make any assumptions.
Second, it’s important to support how I choose to express my gender through my outward appearance. Some transgender students choose to be pretty consistent in expressing their gender with one type of dress, and other students may vary how they express themselves from one day to another, to express how they feel inside. Both are okay and need to be supported.
Three. Bathrooms and locker rooms can be extremely stressful. Trans people just want to use the bathroom, but because of this stress about sometimes not being allowed to use the restroom they feel most comfortable in, some kids don’t drink water to avoid having to go and then get dehydrated or even end up with urinary tract infections. Ultimately, I think people should be able to use whatever restroom they feel most comfortable in.
Four, pronouns are a way to show respect. I go by “she” and “her,” but there are other pronouns for different identities, and some people don’t use any pronouns at all and just use their name. It may feel awkward or silly to you, but using a person’s chosen pronouns is REALLY important in showing you care.
And five… Just like pronouns, the name someone uses is important, too. Many people have names they prefer, and you use preferred names for many students already, so supporting trans kids by using their preferred name, even though it isn’t what’s on their birth certificate, is important.
TYLER: Thanks for sharing that.
CASEY: At the end of this transcript, there’s a resources section with links to information about best practices and ideas for creating a safe space in your classroom for transgender students and all students.