Student Problem Solving: How do we combat transphobia within our community?

The UTS Gender Equity Committee has been busy putting together a workshop for the grade 9 students to teach them about privilege and equity, specifically focusing on transphobia and sexism. The GEC has observed that while some students and teachers are very inclusive when it comes to gender identity, some are not, and the students in the club have observed particular problems with students making transphobic jokes. Statements such as, “but it’s just a joke–I’m not trying to offend anyone”, are reported to often be the responses of students making these jokes when they get called out.

The GEC decided that the most effective way to combat this transphobia is to educate. I am really impressed by the way they have tackled this issue: by first identifying a specific issue, and secondly, by assessing the most appropriate way to address it.

Plans are now underway for the workshop for the M3 (grade 9) students, and it will take place in April or May. In the midst of discussing the workshop for the M3 students, it hit me that while I completely agreed this population of the school was in need of education, I could think of another group in need: our own cohort. While I believe 100% we are all well-intended, informed, inclusive individuals, we all have something more to learn, and I think we could really benefit from a student-led workshop on transphobia and gender equity, whereby students are speaking about issues from their perspective. I proposed the idea that they could tweak the workshop for the M3s for our 143 cohort and they were really excited about the idea. A question for you, colleagues who are reading this blog, is whether you think this idea would be beneficial?

Student Leadership: Planning the GEC Workshop 

It was really interesting to observe and support the students in the planning of their workshop. They are going to first focus on the M3 workshop, and then move on to the TC 143 workshop (if it gets approved from our profs). The chair of the group has done an excellent job of staying organized and facilitating planning sessions during the meetings. In my previous job at Lakefield College School, where I was one of the staff facilitators for their Safe Space club, I would find without staff encouragement, the students would be fine to spend most (or all) of the Safe Space meeting time casually talking about their own gossip; it started to feel like a space for a group of friends to hang out. At UTS, however, the students are productive and on-task during their meetings, and I am constantly impressed with their mature, nuanced opinions on the issues they are tackling.

The Privilege Walk & Socially Responsible Citizens

An example of this student leadership was the January 31 meeting about doing a privilege walk to start off the M3 workshop. For those that don’t know what a privilege walk is, watch this quick YouTube video of an example of one. I promise you it’s powerful (and informative): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hD5f8GuNuGQ. The students explained how they did a privilege walk in their F2 (grade 8) geography class, and everyone was familiar with the concept. That alone was impressive, because it demonstrates that students are aware of the concept of privilege. People my age are not always aware of this, so it demonstrates the progressive nature of the younger generation. The students found a series of questions that were used for a privilege walk at UBC and edited them together. The level of maturity was astounding, and I was blown away by how they would discuss each question with nuance and awareness. They edited the statements to make sure it applied to UTS students, and some of the statements are as follows:

• Take one step forward if you can show affection to your romantic partner in public without fearing ridicule or violence

• Take one step forward if your ancestors’ history was taught accurately to you in schools

• Take one step forward if using gendered bathrooms has been stress-free for you

• Take one step forward if you see your gender on forms, licence applications etc.

• Take one step backwards if you ever felt offended by a joke or remark about the people you identify with, but felt unsafe to confront the situation.

I am really proud of the work the GEC has done on the workshop thus far, and I think this workshop exemplifies the way the students are promoting being socially responsible citizens. By educating the M3s about privilege, the GEC is taking a step towards creating an environment where it is safe to be trans, safe to be gender queer, safe to be a woman, safe to be a person of colour, safe to be a queer person of colour etc. They are encouraging the M3s to consider their own privilege, and perhaps their own complicity in making a space unsafe, thus advocating for socially responsible citizens. This workshop aligns with the Asia Society’s dimensions of global competencies: Students have been investigating how transphobia is prevalent within UTS and also more broadly in Toronto. They have been considering perspectives of transgender people (through doing research and informing themselves of the barriers that transgender people face). And they also have been reflecting together about what they have observed at UTS (see above re: jokes). They are in the process of planning the workshop for the M3 students, which will “communicate ideas effectively with diverse audiences” (Asia Society, 2011, p. 11). This workshop is also an example of “[taking] action to improve conditions, viewing themselves as players in the world and participating reflectively” (p. 11). I am really looking forward to seeing how the workshop plays out, and I think something I can do as a facilitator of student leadership is to encourage the reflection process at the conclusion of the workshop.

Sources:

Mansilla, V. B., & Jackson, A. (2011). Educating for global competence: preparing our youth to engage the world. New York, NY: Asia Society. doi:https://asiasociety.org/files/book-globalcompetence.pdf