Definitions
Gender is a social contruct separate from a person’s biological sex
Gender neutral is defined as free of explicit or implicit reference to gender or sex
Social transition – when a person chooses wear the clothing of the ‘other sex’ socially so others can see what they feel inside
Gender dysphoria – the distress a person feels when not identifying with the assigned sex or gender
Transgender - a person whose gender is different from stereotypical gender norms
Nothing to do with being gay, homosexual!
Reason
‘The best way to treat obstacles is by using them as stepping stones’ Enid Blyton
Human rights more than gender…social justice issue
All children to be given same opportunities
Education and health officials say more children are questioning their gender identity
Removing the ‘gender straitjacket’ usually created by age 10
Gender stereotyping increased the risks of mental and physical health problems
Some children struggle with their gender identity
How each gender behaves has become less rigid
Concept of gender is always evolving and predicted that eventually there will be an eradication of gender eg 100 years ago a woman couldn’t vote, 60 years ago men would never have been involved in child rearing
More and more families joining school with non-nuclear families eg same sex couples
We perceive this to be binary but some people feel they don’t fit into the binary view
A necessary step to eroding lingering vestiges of sexism
Focus is on being human, not male or female
More common for parents not to reveal gender of baby to stop people to project their gender ideas on the unborn baby, baby clothing grey, black, fawn, yellow, green
Inclusive society – gender friendly teaching is a foundation for equity in education
Culturally enforced gender roles are linked to increased risks of mental illness and physical health problems
Every person should have the right to be who they are, regardless of gender
Staff training
Adults at school are gendered beings, products of their society
Investigate all gender terminology to educate the staff on the reality of all gender types and the difference between gender identity and persuasion
Teach staff to be reflective – to become aware of their own biases
Ask questions like:
What is your comfort level with discussing gender diversity issues?
How have issues of gender and gender diversity shown up in your work?
Develop guidelines for new staff
Language used
Don’t make assumptions about someone’s gender or sexual orientation
Not boys and girls, use ‘pupils’, ‘everybody’, ‘folks’ or ‘friends’
Don’t make statements addressing one gender
Pronouns – ask the person without making assumptions HEN ZIE THEY THEM ZE
Check library books to ensure enough girl protagonists, books mentioning transgendered children and books of same sex couples having children
Boys’ and Girls’ bathroom passes…only need a bathroom pass
Challenge children’s language eg You’re such a girl! He looks gay! She dresses like a boy!
Adapting infrastructure
Get rid of urinals as they take too much space
Boys and girls’ toilets still or none
Gender-neutral bathrooms opening onto the passage instead of opening onto ‘foyer anti-room’ behind a door
Build field ablutions from all with showers and toilets
Traditional school practices
Never divide classes by gender eg registers, sitting in desks or at assembly
Lining up – alphabetically, colour of clothing, birthdays
Avoid assigning tasks by gender
Media, FaceBook and promotions should include boys/girls doing non-gender conforming things like boys playing with dolls
Create deliberate opportunities for non-gender conforming activities
Curriculum
Avoid gender specific words like fireman, chairman
Purposefully mix toys or books to entice both boys and girls
Look at your teaching materials through a gender-conscious lens – how is each gender portrayed
Look at poetry and books for gender linked ideas – why is a bear always male?
Include historical figures who were gender non conformist – Dr James M Barry
Ask specific questions in SS like ‘Did Mrs George Washington have a name?’ Why don’t they tell us her name?
Discuss ‘written by anonymous’ …… usually a woman who ‘couldn’t’ be named
Don’t divide subjects by gender – Needlework, Woodwork, physical education, dance
Include stereotyping in teaching, start conversations about what it means to be a boy/girl
Include planned gender changes in class eg drama boy playing a girl and vice versa, heroine sweeping a prince off his feet
Teach about gender diversity in Life Skills/health
Talk about biodiversity in Science eg fish that change sex when necessary
Uniform
De-colonise your uniform so children wear what they wear every day in real life
Blur gender boundaries to universal clothing
Don’t state what boys must wear and what girls must wear
Many high schools around the world have ‘banned’ skirts and adopted trouser only uniforms
If your hair touches your collar, it needs to be tied up
If you choose to wear earrings, you may one pair of studs, one in each ear.
Sport
Same uniform – tshirt and shorts
Mixed gender teams
All pupils can play any sport – challenge league matches if needed
Policies
Check all for gender discriminatory language
How to challenge gender stereotypes in the classroom
· Change your own mindset
· Create a safe place – okay to be different, create culture of acceptance
· Challenge stereotypes when you hear them voiced and correct them
· Talk about stereotypes
· Don’t label a ‘good’ girl’ or ‘good boy’
· Create classroom signs like “Girls are strong’ and ‘Boys are sensitive’
· Use theatre - provide a range of role models by using real life examples that challenge the ‘norm’
· Make the most of books
· Watch who uses which equipment, which space
· Make sure there aren’t boys’ jobs and girls’ jobs – ‘3 strong boys to move chairs’
· Divide children differently eg alphabetically
· Use inclusive language – children, pupils, everybody
· Deliberately call children by their first names
· Rewards and sanctions – do you treat boys and girls differently
· Arrange talks from inspiration women and mixed sports’ teams
· Model ideas don’t confirm them stereotypically
· Explore the modern world through current leaders…Does gender affect Theresa May? How? Why? Does it define what she can or can’t do?
Good Books for children
Jacob’s new dress – Sarah and Ian Hoffman
The Boy with pink hair – Perez Hilton
I am Jazz – Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings
And Tango makes Three – Justine Richardson and Peter Parnell
References
IREX – creating gender friendly learning environments
UNESCO - Gender responsive pedagogy: a teacher’s handbook
Asian Development Bank and Government of Australia – Toolkit on Gender Equality results and indicators
Sweden: Egalia Preschool, Nicolaigarden Preschool
BBC 2 documentary: No more boys and girls: Can our kids go gender free?
Google: gender-neutral toilets, gender neutral schools
Education Update April 2018 Volume 60 Number 4
An introduction to creating gender inclusive classrooms – Alyssa Broomfield
Contact persons
Ron Addinall Social Worker Sexologist Triangle Project 082 381 2650
Sam Taylor’s parents:
Elizabeth Kelly – 082 255 5688
Darren Taylor – 083 557 0095
Possible problems in the future?
Danger of a child identifying with the ‘other’ gender and then not being supported by the family
Risk of confusion and shame for this
Western society is saying Sweden is denying biological realities and imposing artificial sameness in a ‘dangerous’ experiment
Not equality but erasure
Could create an issue where no issue exists
