I have been asked many time about how a school is can support gender non-conforming, gender queer, or gender neutral students and the question got answered today… Ask them what sport team they want to be on. Ask them what bathroom they want to use. Ask them what pronouns they use.
Let them lead the way.
Another question also got answered… What happens if a student is trans and their parents are either non-supporting or against their transition and the answer was once again let the student guide you. The school systems can override the parents.
Another question was about the intersection of gender identity/expression and race and how it affects trans students.
It was also mentioned that sometime this fall the Connecticut Department of Education will issue guidelines for trans students (I was on the committee that wrote the CHRO guidelines for trans students so I think a more realistic time for the release of the CT DoED will be more like the spring.).
CT TransAdvocacy Coalition was a co-sponsor for the symposium. Why was it important for me to go besides being a co-sponsor; if you want to advocate for the trans community you need to know the problems we face and how to overcome those problems and this symposium was the place to find those answers.
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| The symposium co-sponsors |
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| The lawyers & staff of the CHRO |
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| The distinguished panel |
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| Alix Simonetti CHRO Human Rights Attorney |
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| Robin McHaelen, Executive Director - True Colors, Inc |
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| Karla Vazquez, President - CT Association of School Psychologists (CASP) |
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| Dustin Rader, an English teacher at Canton High School. |
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| Michael Roberts, CHRO Human Rights Attorney and member of the CT Equality Coalition |
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| The Old Judiciary Room at the State Capitol |
All in all it was a very informative symposium.
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