Evidence affirming school supports for Australian transgender and gender diverse students
Tiffany Jones
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University, 215 Franklin Street, Melbourne, Vic. 3000, Australia.
B School of Education, University of New England, Queen Elizabeth Drive, Armidale, NSW 2350, Australia.
C Corresponding author. Email: tiffany.jones@latrobe.edu.au
Sexual Health 14(5) 412-416 https://doi.org/10.1071/SH17001
Submitted: 5 January 2017 Accepted: 27 March 2017 Published: 25 May 2017
Journal Compilation © CSIRO 2017 Open Access CC BY-NC-ND
Abstract
Background: The United Nations (UN) and related UN bodies have recognised transgender and gender diverse (TGD) students’ rights at the global level to full equitable access to education, and specifically sexuality education, repeatedly. Methods: This article explores the available support for this equal access in Australia. It discusses TGD student rights in a range of Australian laws and education policies. Results: It shows how the inclusion of TGD students, particularly in sexuality education, is reinforced in the current Australian National Curricula. Finally, it considers research on Australian TGD students’ educational attainment, experiences of transphobic abuse and violence, and experiences in contexts where they do and do not have staff (and other) support. It also shows that contrary to the picture of TGD students as victims leading inherently negative lives often seen in research, this group is nevertheless capable of resilience and positive education activism, which promotes their wellbeing and social outcomes. Conclusion: It argues for a shift from harmful approaches of victimising TGD students or treating them only as victims, towards celebrating the contributions of these students to their schools and societies.
Additional keywords: education, resilience, violence.
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