Self, Identity and Values Transgender and transphobia

Learning Outcomes This session should enable you to: Define key terms relating to transgender Identify the nature of the prejudice facing trans people Reflect on your own assumptions, beliefs and prejudices relating to transgender Consider the role of social work in promoting equality for trans people

Activity Watch the video… (Coming Out Diaries) Consider these questions: Does anything in the video challenge your personal beliefs about gender? How would you feel if you were Jamie’s parent? What issues might face a young person coming out as trans? What issues might Jamie continue to face in the future?

Definitions Trans and transgender are terms that are used to describe people who don’t conform to the traditional division of male and female. This includes: People who cross-dress sometimes but don't want to live full-time as a member of the opposite sex People who feel that they're both male and female, or neither male nor female Drag queens, drag kings and other people who don’t appear conventionally masculine or feminine. Transsexual people, who have a strong and constant desire to live and be accepted as a member of the opposite sex. Many transsexual people have gender reassignment treatment to make their appearance more consistent with their preferred gender. This often involves hormone therapy and surgery. Transsexual people, who have a strong and constant desire to live and be accepted as a member of the opposite sex. Many transsexual people have gender reassignment treatment to make their appearance more consistent with their preferred gender. This often involves hormone therapy and surgery. NHS Choices, Transgender Health and Wellbeing

Definitions However, this is a very broad definition… Equality legislation in relation to transgender is concerned with the last of these groups: People who cross-dress sometimes but don't want to live full-time as a member of the opposite sex People who feel that they're both male and female, or neither male nor female Drag queens, drag kings and other people who don’t appear conventionally masculine or feminine. Transsexual people, who have a strong and constant desire to live and be accepted as a member of the opposite sex. Many transsexual people have gender reassignment treatment to make their appearance more consistent with their preferred gender. This often involves hormone therapy and surgery. Transsexual people, who have a strong and constant desire to live and be accepted as a member of the opposite sex. Many transsexual people have gender reassignment treatment to make their appearance more consistent with their preferred gender. This often involves hormone therapy and surgery. NHS Choices, Transgender Health and Wellbeing

Protected Characteristic The Equality Act 2010 “A person has the protected characteristic of gender reassignment if the person is proposing to undergo, is undergoing or has undergone a process (or part of a process) for the purpose of reassigning the person’s sex by changing physiological or other attributes of sex”

Definitions - activity Match the terms to the definitions (3 mins)

The period during which a person begins to live as their new gender. Transitioning requires changing one’s name, taking hormones, having surgery and changing legal documents to reflect their new gender An individual’s internal sense of being male, female, or something else. Since gender identity is internal, one’s gender identity is not necessarily visible to others How a person represents or expresses one’s gender identity to others, often through behaviour, clothing, hairstyles, voice or body characteristics An intense, continuous feeling resulting from an individual’s sense of the inappropriateness of their assigned gender at birth and resulting gender role expectations Definitions Gender Dysphoria Gender Expression Gender Identity Transition

Gender identity Trans people often have complex gender identities (their idea of who they are) Their gender identity may change over time (for example, a man may begin by cross-dressing occasionally, then decide later in life that he wants to live full-time as a woman. Some people who live full-time as the opposite gender prefer not to use the term "trans" at all. For example, a trans man (someone who has transitioned from female to male) may simply prefer to be called a man.

Video ges/Transoverview.aspx#video ges/Transoverview.aspx#video

Break

Activity Imagine you are assessing a couple who wish to adopt children. One of the couple is a transgender man How would the gender identity of the man affect your assessment? (3 mins) What concerns and anxieties do you think the couple might have about the assessment process? (3 mins) What could you do to help alleviate these concerns and anxieties? (3 mins)

Video player.asp?guid=BFC0EA22-612B A28B88423C15 player.asp?guid=BFC0EA22-612B A28B88423C15

Reflective activity Reflect individually… Would you feel entirely comfortable working with someone who is trans? If not, why not? What could you do to become more comfortable working with a trans person? (5 mins)

Implications for social work The key message is: The bottom line: You must be prepared to confront discrimination against trans people if and when you encounter it in practice.

Essay… ‘A critical analysis of the relationship between my values and the values of social work’ The essay will be assessed against learning outcomes C1, C2 and D1 C1: Discuss the importance of diversity in human identity and experience in relation to anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive practice. C2: Analyse the significance of the principles of rights, justice and economic wellbeing for social work practice. D1: Discuss the importance of reflective practice and analyse the relationship between their personal values and their professional values. Any questions?

Essay… This is a reflective essay. You are required to reflect on your own values and beliefs in relation to social work values. Areas you may wish to consider include: What are your own values and beliefs and how do they relate to social work values? What personal values and beliefs do you hold that might conflict with social work values? Be honest and self-critical. Acknowledging areas of potential conflict is the first step to resolving or managing those conflicts. Be as specific as you can about any potential areas of conflict. How will you resolve or manage these conflicts?

Essay What is ‘diversity’ and why is it important in social work? Give examples to support your explanation. How has diversity impacted on your own life? What is discrimination and why is it relevant to social work practice? What is ‘anti-discriminatory practice’? What is ‘anti-oppressive practice’? How might your personal values, beliefs, prejudices and assumptions hamper your ability to work in an anti-discriminatory and/or anti-oppressive way?

Essay… What are ‘rights’? Give examples. What is the relevance of ‘social justice’ to social work? How do economic wellbeing and economic disadvantage shape need? (You may wish to refer to the College of Social Work’s Code of Ethics and/or Domain 4 of the PCF but do not have to). What is reflective practice and why is it important? What have you learnt about yourself through reflecting on your own values in preparation for this task?

References NHS Choices – Transgender Health and Wellbeing, available at: ges/Transoverview.aspx (accessed ) ges/Transoverview.aspx