1. Meeting the Needs of Our Transgender Students JENNIFER L. LEVI DIRECTOR, TRANSGENDER RIGHTS PROJECT

2. Time magazine cover from June 9, 2014 with transgender activist and actress Laverne Cox

3. Language and Definitions Gender Identity: a person’s internal, deeply felt sense of their gender Gender Expression: the manner in which a person expresses their gender identity to the outside world Transgender: individuals with a gender identity that is different from the sex assigned to them at birth Cisgender (non-transgender): individuals with a gender identity that is the same as the sex assigned to them at birth Gender transition: the process by which a transgender person starts living as the gender with which they identify; can include social, medical, and legal transitioning Sexual orientation: a person’s orientation with regard to relationship development and desire; heterosexuality; bisexuality; homosexuality; asexuality

4. Transgender Discrimination Injustice at Every Turn: A Report of the National Transgender Discrimination Survey In 2011, the National LGBTQ Task Force and the National Center for Transgender Equality surveyed 6,450 transgender and gender non-conforming individuals. ◦41% of respondents reported an attempted suicide ◦78% reported harassment in grades K-12 ◦90% reported harassment or mistreatment on the job ◦26% lost a job due to being transgender ◦19% experienced homelessness ◦53% had been verbally harassed in a place of public accommodation

5. Transgender Youth in Schools ◦42% of transgender students report having been prevented from using their preferred name ◦59% report being required to use a bathroom or locker room based on their legal sex ◦31% report having been prevented from wearing clothing of choice GLSEN, The 2013 National School Climate Survey, 2013.

6. Transgender Youth in Schools continued ◦65% of transgender youth felt unsafe in school because of how they expressed their gender ◦87% were verbally harassed because of their gender expression ◦53% were physically harassed ◦26% were physically assaulted GLSEN, “Harsh Realities: The Experiences of Transgender Youth in Our Nation’s Schools,” 2009. ◦Over 20% of transgender youth report having to drop out of school due to harassment Preston Mitchum & Aisha Moodie-Mills, “Beyond Bullying: How Hostile School Climate Perpetuates the School-to-Prison Pipeline for LGBT Youth,” Center for American Progress, 2014.

7. 7 States with Gender Identity Non-Discrimination Laws (as of May 21, 2014) Minnesota Rhode Island New Mexico California Washington, D.C. Illinois Maine Hawaii New Jersey Washington Iowa Oregon Vermont Colorado Connecticut Nevada Massachusetts Delaware Maryland States banning discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity/expression (18 states and the District of Columbia) Laws banning discrimination based on sexual orientation (3 states)

8. Nicole Maines, plaintiff in Doe v. Clenchy

9. Medical Transition – Gender Dysphoria Psychotherapy Real Life Experience Hormone Blockers – delay puberty Cross-gender hormones – masculinize or feminize consistent with gender identity Surgeries – multitudes including chest/breast, genital (many), FFS

10. Medical Associations Support Medical Necessity of Treating Gender Dysphoria American Medical Association American Psychiatric Association American Psychological Association Endocrine Society National Association of Social Workers World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH)

11. Nicole Maines, plaintiff in Doe v. Clenchy

12. Coy Mathis, a transgender girl who won the right to use the girls restroom at her Colorado elementary school

13. Coy Mathis and her family on Katie Couric https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTRw2QiOfOM

14. Jazz Jennings, transgender rights activist and author of the children’s book I Am Jazz

15. Barbara Walters Jazz interview (2 nd one): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJw3s85EcxM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJw3s85EcxM Jazz interview about her picture book and life with some excerpts from Barbara Walter’s interview and questions about her dating that are questionable https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2JdPNAsaTs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2JdPNAsaTs

16. Leelah Alcorn, a 17-year-old transgender girl who took her own life in December 2014

17. Excerpt from the Department of Education Office for Civil Rights “Questions and Answers on Title IX and Sexual Violence”

21. 360 Degree Review of Practices and Policies Admissions Alumnae interviewing policies Admissions for single-sex schools Facilities Sex-segregated facilities Dorms/rooming Supporting Transgender Students Student non-disclosure and disclosure, where appropriate Transitioning (including maintaining student status at single-sex schools) Confidentiality (of historical and medical records and beyond) Parent conflict issues School Culture and Inclusion Mission for single-sex schools Inclusive, affirming environment Culture Traditions Compliance with state and federal laws Sports Health and sex education Diploma (corrections)

22. Basic Principles (1) A transgender girl is a girl. A transgender boy is a boy. Policies and practices should reflect affirmation of a student’s gender identity. There is no “magic moment” of transition, particularly for young people. The strongest determinant of a young person’s sex is his/her lived experience of his/her gender (e.g. gender identity). Peer affirmation/acceptance determined by strength of school leadership. “No flinch” moment – questioning of transgender student or segregating/marginalizing undermines inclusion and affirmation.

23. Non-Binary Identified Students Agendered Genderqueer Gender fluid

24. Basic Principles (2) Be guided by the principles of dignity, affirmation, and inclusion.

25. Mission – single sex schools Supporting and furthering the development and education of girls (including transgender girls). Supporting and furthering the development of girls and transgender boys (recognizing the shared history and experience of girls and transgender boys and supporting transgender boys who matriculate as girls). Supporting and furthering the development of all students with focus on all but non-transgender (cisgender) boys.

26. Admissions Policies ◦Mills College ◦Admits self-identified women and people assigned female at birth who do not fit into the gender binary; admits students who identify as female, who were not assigned female at birth but live and identify as women at the time of application, and students who are legally assigned female but identify as transgender or genderfluid ◦Mount Holyoke College ◦Admits students who are female or identify as a woman or were ever assigned sex female ◦Bryn Mawr College ◦Admits female students – students who were assigned female at birth, transwomen, intersex students who live and identify as women at the time of application, and intersex students who do not identify as male

27. Implementation of Admissions Policies ◦Mills College (student resolution of conflict) ◦If there is conflict between student’s self-identified gender and gender on legal documentation, the student is encouraged to contact admissions office ◦Student self-identification is driving force behind Mills College’s eligibility decision. ◦Mount Holyoke College (self-identification) ◦Office of Admissions only knows that an application is from a transgender student if the student self-identifies as transgender ◦Does not require any statement beyond an applicant’s gender self-identification ◦Bryn Mawr College (external confirmation) ◦Where an applicant’s gender identity is not clearly reflected in application materials, Bryn Mawr may request additional information, which could include verifiable legal or medical steps taken to affirm gender