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'How movies teach manhood': Colin Stokes

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'How movies teach manhood': Colin Stokes

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Colin Stokes discusses the representation and perpetuation of masculinity in films. After his daughter became enraptured by the Wizard of Oz, and his son became obsessed with Star Wars at a young age, he began to question what messages films were reinforcing in his children. As a father. Stokes draws a link between representation of women in film and the ongoing inequality faced by women today. As a father of a daughter, he calls for more films with female role models, and more films which feature men cooperating with and showing respect for women.

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VRQA has oversight over all school bodies. The only related standard which schools must meet is evidence of their policies and procedures for "managing student wellbeing", such as "anti-bullying and harassment" (pg.20)

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Our guidelines are intended to help schools get registered and stay registered. They detail the requirements of the minimum standards for the registration of schools (minimum standards).

Our guidelines outline the evidence you need to collate when:

applying to registering a school

your school is being reviewed.

To download a copy of the guidelines, see:

About the minimum standards for registration

The minimum standards and other requirements for registration are set out in:

the Education and Training Reform Act 2006

Schedule 4 of the Education and Training Reform Regulations 2017.

The minimum standards for registration relate to:

School governance - democratic principles, governance, not-for-profit status, probity, philosophy

Enrolment - student enrolment numbers, enrolment policy, register of enrolments, attendance register

Curriculum and student learning - curriculum framework, student learning outcomes, monitoring and reporting on students' performance

Student welfare - care, safety and welfare of students, student behaviour management, attendance monitoring

Staff employment - teachers' requirements, compliance with the Working with Children Act 2005

School infrastructure -buildings, facilities and grounds, and educational facilities.

There are also specific requirements in relation to:

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Minimum standards and other requirements for schools

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Our guidelines are intended to help schools get registered and stay registered. They detail the requirements of the minimum standards for the registration of schools (minimum standards). Our guidelines outline the evidence you need to collate when: applying to registering a school your school is being reviewed.

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For infrastructure developments to be effective, they must challenge social norms which influence their use; amplify the collective voice of those who demand it, engaging them infrastructure design and management; and ensure effective, ongoing coordination between the groups who will implement, manage, and access it (Mohun et al, 2016).
In Australia where the PM asked his department to take down signs which gave people the choice of bathroom based on their gender identity, it's no surprise there is a clear lack of federal guidance.

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Scott Morrison has said he expects his department to remove signage that gives people the choice of bathroom based on their gender identity.

Morrison was asked about the bathroom signage in an interview with Ben Fordham on 2GB this afternoon, after Channel Nine's political editor, Chris Uhlmann, posted a photo of the sign from the Barton office on Twitter.

The sign on its toilet door said that the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet was "committed to staff inclusion and diversity" and invited staff and visitors to "please use the bathroom that best fits your gender identity".

Morrison said he had spoken with departmental officials about the signage, saying it was "political correctness over the top".

Chris Uhlmann (@CUhlmann)
Meanwhile at the Barton offices of Prime Minister and Cabinet... pic.twitter.com/oVL9f0xrXe

Josh Butler (@JoshButler)
2.49pm: journo tweets pic of a sign saying "use the bathroom that best fits your gender identity"

4.35pm: PM Scott Morrison gets on the blower to 2GB, says the sign is "not necessary" and will be "sorted out"

this is so cooked. We got nothing bigger to worry about than this? https://t.co/1RBH5D6hoY

Adam Liaw (@adamliaw)
How do people who get absolutely furious at gender-neutral bathrooms go to the toilet in their own homes?

Stephen Spencer (@sspencer_63)
Is this pathetic excuse for a prime minister aware that most of the bathrooms in Parliament House were converted years ago to look like this? https://t.co/zPd4RYwxMH pic.twitter.com/LqvqqLmUit

"It's ridiculous," he said. "I don't think this is necessary - I think people can work out which room to use.

"Honestly, this is why we call it the Canberra bubble.

"I have a very clear view about this and I am sure this will be sorted."

Asked whether the signs would be removed, Morrison said: "That's what I expect."

Morrison has previously criticised gender diversity policies, saying a recent Cricket Australia decision to release a policy that aims to allow transgender and gender-diverse people to play the sport at the highest level and guidelines for community cricket was "heavy-handed" and "mystifying".

The policy allowed players to compete in line with their gender identity, rather than the sex they were born with.

"I think it's pretty heavy-handed - to put it pretty mildly," he said. "There are far more practical ways to handle these issues than these heavy, mandatory ways of doing it, and I'm sure these issues have [been] quite carefully and practically managed at a club level already.

"So why there's a necessity to get the sledgehammer out on this is mystifying me but I think we need to get the issue in perspective and ensure we manage it calmly."
Topics

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Scott Morrison asks for removal of signs giving people choice of bathroom on basis of gender identity

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Scott Morrison has said he expects his department to remove signage that gives people the choice of bathroom based on their gender identity. Morrison was asked about the bathroom signage in an interview with Ben Fordham on 2GB this afternoon, after Channel Nine's political editor, Chris Uhlmann, posted a photo of the sign from the Barton office on Twitter.

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These young creators release valuable resources valuable to students living similar experiences.

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'Toxic Masculinity Is Bad for Everyone: Why Teachers Must Disrupt Gender Norms Every Day'

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'Toxic Masculinity Is Bad for Everyone: Why Teachers Must Disrupt Gender Norms Every Day'

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Colleen Clemens outlines how toxic masculinity is perpetuated by socially reinforced patriarchal structures and the resulting expectations placed on boys and young men harms not just themselves, but everyone.

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On the first day of October 2017, a gunman in Las Vegas killed 58 concertgoers and injured more than 500 others. On the 31st, a man drove a rental truck down a bike path in New York City, killing 8 people and injuring 11 more. A few days later, a gunman walked into a church in Sutherland, Texas, and killed 26 parishioners. In a little over a month last fall, nearly a hundred people were lost to unimaginable acts of public violence. And amid the discussions of gun control and mental illness that inevitably follow tragedies like these, some pointed out that the three murderers had something in common: All were men.

As educators, we need to be ready push back against some of the more perverse ideas about gender that sometimes surface in the aftermath of violence. Seeking an explanation for the mass shootings that happen at a rate of almost one per day in the United States, we have to get away from the idea that "men are just naturally violent." Instead, we need to recognize statements like this as manifestations of " toxic masculinity," and we need to push back against these ideas and the ideology behind them.

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Toxic Masculinity Is Bad for Everyone: Why Teachers Must Disrupt Gender Norms Every Day

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Teaching Tolerance provides free resources to educators-teachers, administrators, counselors and other practitioners-who work with children from kindergarten through high school. Educators use our materials to supplement the curriculum, to inform their practices, and to create civil and inclusive school communities where children are respected, valued and welcome participants.

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Women still underrepresented in Parliament after 2019 federal election

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Women still underrepresented in Parliament after 2019 federal election

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The reason that it is essential for girls and women to see themselves represented in positions of power is twofold; so that inequality is not perpetuated through women being excluded from the conversation, and so that they themselves can envisage rising to those leadership roles.

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Freshly endorsed as the Nationals' deputy leader, Bridget McKenzie was exactly where she wanted to be - up at the front of the post-election partyroom meeting.

Her leader, Michael McCormack, had just finished addressing colleagues when Damian Drum, the party whip, called the new Nationals ladies forward for a photo.

Senator McKenzie, clearly bemused at the oversight, quipped "right, well, this woman is already up the front so I'll just have something to say" before launching into her own congratulatory address.

Before the election, the traditionally blokey party boasted just two women in its ranks but that number has now tripled to six - a change Senator McKenzie believes will do the Nationals "a world of good".

From the perspective of female representation, it was perhaps the only bright spot in an election that did little to boost the number of women in Federal Parliament.

Despite having made women a huge feature of its campaign, Labor fell just short of its goal of achieving equal representation in the 46th Parliament.

Women will make up 47 per cent of Labor's ranks and outnumber the men in the Senate.

For the Liberals, it's 23 per cent (only 14 of the party's 77 Lower House MPs are female) - a very slight improvement.

Not only have the numbers barely shifted, but it appears neither major party will have a woman in their leadership team with Labor's deputy Tanya Plibersek stepping down from the position following her party's election loss.

The first female Member for Dunkley, Peta Murphy, is one of about 23 newly elected women who will soon be making their way to Canberra, and the significance of her seat is not lost on her.

"Dunkley's named after Louisa Dunkley who in the 1890s was in the Victorian Telegraph office and started a campaign for equal pay for women in that office and ended up spearheading the national campaign and in the 1902 Commonwealth Public Service Act, there's equal pay for women in the Telegraph office," she said.

"For me, Louisa stood for fairness, equality and community and I can't think of three better things for the first female representative for Dunkley to fight for."

A lawyer and political staffer, Peta Murphy is also a breast cancer survivor, an ordeal she said had given her the courage to put her hand up and run for politics.

She will be joined on the Opposition benches by the new Member for Jagajaga, Kate Thwaites, who has replaced Labor veteran Jenny Macklin.

Ms Thwaites credits Labor's quota system for forcing change in the party and getting more women into its ranks, and said being a woman was an advantage on the campaign trail.

"I had a lot of people, both men and women come to me and say they were really pleased to see a young-ish woman standing for Parliament," she said.

"One of the things that really propelled me forward was that I do think we need to see more women in Parliament and if I want to see that, then I thought I needed to be part of it."

Ms Twaites has a one-year-old daughter and is drawing inspiration from former MPs Kate Ellis and Kelly O'Dwyer who managed to juggle parenthood and politics.

It is no mean feat given politicians spend half of their year travelling to and from Canberra, working long, irregular hours.

"One of the things I really took heart from when I was thinking about whether I stand - and when I was preselected, my baby was five months old, so it was a real factor in my mind - was the fact that there are women who have done it and done it successfully," she said.

The new crop of female talent brings with it a broad range of real-world experience. From a vet to an academic, a paediatrician to a psychologist. Their backgrounds are many and varied.

For the incoming Member for Moncrieff, Angie Bell, her life experience and long career as an author, marketing consultant and businesswoman were key to winning preselection.

She will also become the first gay woman to represent a major party in the House of Representatives - a record she is proud of.

"I was never marginalised as a member of the LNP," she said.

"I think Australia has spoken on this topic and we've moved forward and that makes me very happy."

As the LNP's women president, Ms Bell recognised the need to get more women into Parliament and put in place a program to get future female MPs the money and profile they need for preselection.

"That ultimately resulted in Moncrieff, having five women stand for preselection in a field of eight, which is an outstanding result," she said.

She prevailed, replacing a man and securing a safe Liberal seat.

But her party still has a long way to go to solve its so-called woman problem and shake its boys' club perception.

Read more on this topic:

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume.
Watch

Duration: 5 minutes 39 seconds

Politics Explained: Women in politics are a minority. Is this a problem?

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More women are on their way to Parliament, but no party has equal representation

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Freshly endorsed as the Nationals' deputy leader, Bridget McKenzie was exactly where she wanted to be - up at the front of the post-election partyroom meeting. Her leader, Michael McCormack, had just finished addressing colleagues when Damian Drum, the party whip, called the new Nationals ladies forward for a photo.

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Safe and Strong: A Victorian Gender Equality Strategy

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Safe and Strong: A Victorian Gender Equality Strategy

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'Young people are concerned about the damaging impact of stereotypes, the problem of sexual objectification—including its effects on body image and self confidence—and about sexual violence, victim-blaming and sexting.
They called for safe spaces to talk about gender, gender equality curriculum and for school and community based strategies to empower and educate.'

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U18 students can request to make a decision instead of their parents or carers, and school's can review and approve this. This may be useful for transitioning students, who wish to change their name, gender, or pronouns on school records.

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Policy

The purpose of this policy is to provide guidance on when and how to assess a student as being mature enough to make their own decision about a particular issue.

Summary

Where a student under the age of 18 asks to make a decision instead of their parent or carer, principals or others working with students in schools can decide that the student is capable of making their own decision i.e. that they are a mature minor for the purpose of making a particular decision.

To be considered a mature minor, principals or others working with students must be satisfied that the student has sufficient maturity, understanding and intelligence to understand the nature and effect of their particular decision.

A student can be considered capable of making some decisions but not others.

Details

The Department recognises that parents and carers play an invaluable role in supporting a child's learning and wellbeing through being actively informed and involved from the early years through adolescence. Notwithstanding this, for a variety of reasons students under the age of 18 years sometimes ask to make decisions on their own behalf without the involvement of their parents or carers. For example, engaging with a health practitioner or allied health professional or going on an excursion.

The law recognises that as children become older and more mature, they are more capable of making their own decisions about a wide range of issues including decisions about their education, healthcare and wellbeing. The law recognises that a young person may reach this stage before they are 18 years old, but there is no specific age when a young person may be sufficiently mature and capable of making their own decision. These young people are referred to as 'mature minors'.

When responding to a request from a student to make a decision on their own behalf, principals or other professionals working with students in schools must make an assessment as to whether a child has sufficient maturity, understanding and intelligence to understand the nature and effect of a particular decision. In making this decision, a principal or other professional can take into account:

knowledge of and conversations with the student

the student's age, level of maturity for their age and their understanding of the issues and consequences of their proposed decision

the student's living arrangements and independence (for example, if they are not living with their parents)

the student's previous academic results/school reports

the views of members of the leadership team, relevant teaching staff, school welfare staff, Student Support Services (SSS) staff or any external health professionals treating or working with the student.

whether or not another professional working with the student has decided that that student is capable of making other decisions for themselves

whether, and if not why, the student will inform their parents/carers before or after making the decision

whether it is in the student's best interest to make the decision with or without parent/carer consent

A principal or other professional working with a student may decide that a student is a mature minor for some decisions but not for others. For example, a principal may decide that a student is a mature minor for the purpose of consenting to a referral for SSS, but this does not necessarily mean that the principal would automatically decide that the student is capable of making all decisions relating to their education or welfare.

When deciding whether a student should be considered to be a mature minor for a particular decision at school, principals and staff must also consider the human rights of any relevant parties (for example the student's rights and their parents/carers' rights) as set out in the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 (Vic) (Charter) and must act compatibly with the Charter. For more information refer to: .

The Department's Legal Division can also provide advice for schools to assist them in deciding whether a student is a mature minor, as needed, at or .

This policy does not apply to students aged 18 or over. Adult students can make all decisions that parents or carers can make. Refer to: Decision Making Responsibilities for Students for guidance on decision-making for adult students.

Students living independently

Students sometimes do not live in the day-to-day care of their parents. There are a range of reasons why this occurs. Sometimes this is because the student no longer wishes to abide by their parents' rules. This also occurs in situations of neglect, emotional abuse, family violence or where a parent is drug or alcohol affected.

When a student is living independently, the student may ask that the school decide:

that they are a mature minor for all or some aspects of their education and welfare

that another adult carer who they are living with can make decisions about them instead of their parents

Principals must make an assessment as to whether a child has sufficient maturity, understanding and intelligence to understand the nature and effect of these decisions, taking into account the considerations set out above, after speaking to the student, relevant members of the school's leadership team and other professionals supporting the student in the school.

Students who live independently will not always be mature minors for all or some education or welfare decisions, but their living independently is a relevant factor for consideration in deciding whether they are a mature minor.

In all circumstances when a student starts living away from their parents and notifies their school that they request to be considered a mature minor for any or all school-related decisions, the principal should first try to obtain confirmation from the parents or other responsible adults that the student is no longer living at home.

If the school confirms that the student lives independently and decides that a student is a mature minor for all schooling decisions, the school can then deal directly with the student for all decisions about schooling matters. This includes, for example, the student signing their own excursion consent forms.

If the school confirms that the student lives independently and the student is not assessed as being a mature minor for a particular decision or all schooling decisions, refer to: Decision Making Responsibilities for Students for guidance on understanding who the suitable adult is to make decisions about the student. If there is no adult carer acting protectively for the student and able to make decisions for the student, the school should report their concerns to the Department of Health and Human Services Child Protection or potentially Child FIRST.

School reports and general educational progress

Sometimes students ask the school to stop sharing their personal information with their parents. If the school deems the student to be a mature minor for this decision, or the student is living independently, the school should agree to this request other than with respect to general information about the student's educational progress and school reports. Schools must continue to keep parents informed about the student's general educational progress and provide them with school reports, unless the principal considers that doing so would adversely impact on the educational, social or emotional wellbeing of the child. Such circumstances might include:

concerns for the student's safety, welfare or wellbeing due to allegations of family violence, emotional abuse or sexual abuse

entrenched/protracted parental conflict having an adverse impact on the student and their education outcomes

the student is estranged from the parent and the parent is not involved in supporting their child's education

If a principal or their nominee has any concerns about any aspect of this decision-making process, seek advice from the Legal Division.

Relevant legislation

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The purpose of this policy is to provide guidance on when and how to assess a student as being mature enough to make their own decision about a particular issue. Where a student under the age of 18 asks to make a decision instead of their parent or carer, principals or others working with students in schools can decide that the student is capable of making their own decision i.e.

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Transcend Definition. verb: be or go beyond the range or limits: surpass, excel, exceed, outshine, eclipse Transcend was founded in 2012 and was the first parent led peer support network and information hub for transgender children and their families in Australia. We provide:

a safe and inclusive space for parents/carers

peer support

community connection

information and resources: medical, social, educational, legal

advocacy

Speaking: Parent and Youth Ambassadors.

Media and events

Discover More

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Transcend Support | Support for Trans and Gender Diverse Children

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Transcend Definition. verb: be or go beyond the range or limits: surpass, excel, exceed, outshine, eclipse Transcend was founded in 2012 and was the first parent led peer support network and information hub for transgender children and their families in Australia.

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Ygender is a peer led social support and advocacy group based in Melbourne. We organise events, programs and a range of projects based around the needs and interests of gender diverse young people.

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'For some transgender students, the school bathroom is a battleground' (ABC, 2017)

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'For some transgender students, the school bathroom is a battleground' (ABC, 2017)

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An article which uses personal experiences of young students to present an informative and challenging overview of the issue.

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Georgie Stone was eight years old when the school bathroom became a battleground.

In the face of daily humiliation and bullying, going to the toilet had become an act of enormous courage.

Born biologically male, Georgie had known from an early age she was a girl.

But despite her transition at age seven - identifying as, dressing as, and asking to be recognised as a girl - she was not allowed to use the girls' facilities at school.

Georgie's mother said the principal told her it would confuse the other children and potentially incite tensions with parents.

It led to an incident in the boys' swimming change room, just before Georgie's ninth birthday, that she describes as one of the most traumatic of her life.

"I was wearing female bathers, I had long hair and people knew that I'd transitioned. I remember walking in there and it was all boys and a lot of the people who had bullied me in the past were in there," the 16-year-old said.

"I just remember them jeering at me, making fun of me, shouting at me, saying, 'What's a girl doing in the male change rooms?' It was awful. I ran out half-dressed, crying my eyes out."

For the rest of the term, Georgie got changed for swimming behind a tree. At school, she stopped going to the bathroom altogether.

Concerned for her safety, her parents found a more understanding school. Now she is thriving and no longer lives in fear.

But the simple act of visiting the toilet remains a minefield for many trans and gender diverse students.

Students wearing nappies to school to avoid using toilets

As global recognition of the rights and struggles of transgender people grows, the momentum is throwing up a complex set of challenges for schools, most acutely around bathroom access.

Principals are balancing the needs of trans and gender diverse young people against the potential pushback from school communities - already witnessed in the United States - where opponents argue girls born biologically male pose a risk to other students in female bathrooms.

Transgender young people and their families say they are no threat and just want to feel comfortable using toilets.

But in the absence of uniform national guidelines outlining schools' legal obligations, some Australian students are being forced to use bathrooms that do not match their gender identity, in some instances causing them such distress that parents are pulling them out of school entirely.

Michelle Telfer, director of Melbourne's Royal Children's Hospital's Gender Service, said many young transgender people go to extreme lengths to feel safe in school bathrooms.

"We've seen kids who've worn nappies to school - in high school - to avoid going to the toilet. Kids who don't drink from the time they get up in the morning to the time they get home from school so that they're dehydrated and they don't need to go to the toilet," Dr Telfer said.

Melbourne student Oliver identified as a boy, and dressed in boys' clothing, until he transitioned at age 10. But until he came out to his classmates he felt obliged to use the girls' bathrooms.

"When I was about nine I had an incident at school where another girl said, 'Aren't you in the wrong toilets?' So I stopped using toilets in public altogether," the 14-year-old told ABC News.

"It was such an awkward experience and I didn't want to repeat it so I just stopped drinking water and went to the toilet at home."

Things are slowly changing

The Australian Education Union has called on state education departments to follow the lead of South Australia, which last month became the first state to introduce a new policy that requires all public schools to allow students to use the bathroom that aligns with their gender identity.

The education department developed the mandatory guidelines - which also allow students to use their preferred gender pronoun - following a number of queries from teachers and parents seeking guidance.

The policy states that, "failure to provide transgender students with access to appropriate toilet and change facilities may breach anti-discrimination legislation".

Victoria and Western Australia have introduced similar, although less explicit, guidelines outlining how schools should support trans and gender diverse students, including allowing them to access bathrooms that match their gender identity.

Australian Education Union Federal President Correna Haythorpe told ABC News it was "vital" schools support trans and gender diverse students to access appropriate bathrooms.

However, there is growing opposition to the advance of transgender rights, particularly in schools, fuelling concerns trans children here will be caught up in the so-called "bathroom wars".

Australian conservative groups - including the Australian Christian Lobby - have applauded US President Donald Trump's recent move to wind back federal protections for transgender students, which had instructed public schools to allow students to use the toilets and change rooms matching their gender identities or lose government funding.

"There are lobbyists within Australia who are really keen to import that idea of fear of a threat that really doesn't exist," said Laura*, the mother of a 13-year-old trans girl from rural Tasmania, who runs the support group Gender Help for Parents.

"They're just playing by the same playbook that they've used in the US. I think our kids are potentially going to be the next targets."

Some parents are opting out of the school system

After campaigning fiercely against the Safe Schools anti-bullying program, The Australian Christian Lobby has called on all state governments to "take immediate steps to allow schoolgirls to feel safe in school toilets and change rooms".

Managing director Lyle Shelton told ABC News this meant "boys identifying as girls" should not be allowed access to girls' private spaces such as toilets and change rooms.

When asked whether he thought transgender girls using female bathrooms was a risk to other students, Mr Shelton did not comment but said: "The idea of allowing biological males identifying as girls who have not had gender reassignment surgery to enter girls' private spaces is new.

"It is not reasonable for parents to be required, without their permission, to have their daughters participate in such a social experiment."

In the face of confusion and potential trauma to their transgender children, some parents are opting out of the school system altogether.

Kerri* has home-schooled her 16-year-old daughter Jasmine* since she transitioned at age seven, after her school in regional South Australia insisted she would not be allowed to use the girls' bathrooms until Kerri provided documents from a lawyer, counsellor, psychiatrist and GP.

"They were worried about legal issues. They wanted documents that would indemnify them if other parents had an issue," she said.

While Kerri gathered the documentation, the principal offered Jasmine the disabled or staff toilets - a common solution by schools that can often leave the student feeling more alienated.

For Jasmine, it was too late.

"We had to pull her out because she was just too distressed. She would try to hold on but she was having accidents, wetting herself," Kerri said. "There was just so much shame and fear for her."

'The predator myth'

As yet, no Australian student who has been denied bathroom access has publicly challenged their school.

But in the United States, Virginia teenager Gavin Grimm has become the face of the bathroom wars, taking his case to the Supreme Court, after being denied access to the male toilets and locker rooms by his school, citing breaches of federal law.

The equivalent Australian law is the Sex Discrimination Act, which Anna Brown, Director of Advocacy at the Human Rights Law Centre, said protected transgender students.

"Schools have a legal duty not to subject students to a 'detriment' or limit access to any benefit because of their gender identity," Ms Brown told ABC News.

"In practice this means supporting students as they transition, including allowing them to use toilets that accords with the gender they live as."

In the United States, opposition to bathroom access has centred on what equality campaigners have dubbed the "predator myth".

Conservative groups have argued that allowing trans people to use the toilet of their affirmed gender could lead to attacks on women and girls by men or boys posing as transgender females.

In response, a coalition of more than 200 organisations working with sexual assault and domestic violence survivors last year released a statement pointing out that in the 18 states where anti-discrimination laws protect trans people's access to the bathroom of their affirmed gender, there has been no rise in sexual violence offences.

Catharine Lumby, a Macquarie University professor who researches gender and the media, argues transgender women are more likely to be the victims of a transphobic attack than predators themselves.

"The predator mythology is a smokescreen for some people's deep discomfort with the idea that gender is fluid ... often male conservatives, who'd like return to a world where gender roles were highly structured and easy to identify," she said.

Young people aren't 'choosing' to be trans

In Australia, much of the opposition rests with a discomfort about young people transitioning too early, and a belief that some will change their minds.

David van Gend, president of the Australian Marriage Forum which opposes same-sex marriage, said he was concerned that allowing transgender students to use bathrooms that align with their gender identity "collaborates with a child's delusion".

How not to offend transgender people

A list for people wishing to discuss issues of gender with respect and without offending the trans community.

Read more

"Given the fact that the vast majority of gender-confused children get over their confusion around the time of puberty, why use the authority of the school to affirm and entrench their confused behaviour?" Dr van Gend told ABC News.

Dr van Gend said such policies were "clinically reckless" and likened them to agreeing with an emaciated girl suffering from anorexia that she is fat.

"In both cases, we must strive to help the young person come back to reality."

Dr Telfer said studies showing children grow out of their transgender identity had been widely discredited and that young people going through gender transition do so in consultation with parents, teachers and medical professionals.

"The young people we see aren't choosing to be trans. It's something they've thought about their entire life and has often taken a lot of courage over several years to speak up," she said.

"They're driven to come out to save themselves from self-harm and suicide."

Dr Telfer said Oliver's story was an example of how transgender children can flourish when offered appropriate support.

Before he came out to classmates, Safe Schools Coalition Australia visited the school at the request of the principal and worked out a plan with Oliver, his family and staff, allowing him to use the boys' toilets and play in the boys' sports teams.

"Nothing really changed except that they stopped using that old name and they started using the new pronoun," Oliver said. "It wasn't a big deal. I was just me."
*Names have been changed Jill Stark is a Melbourne-based journalist, author and media consultant specialising in LGBTI issues, social affairs and health. You can follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

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For some transgender students, the school bathroom is a battleground

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Georgie Stone was eight years old when the school bathroom became a battleground. In the face of daily humiliation and bullying, going to the toilet had become an act of enormous courage. Born biologically male, Georgie had known from an early age she was a girl.

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'Pastoral care for gender diverse students' (CEM)

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'Pastoral care for gender diverse students' (CEM)

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CEM recognises that "gender dysphoria is a complex and sensitive topic to navigate", and that each child's circumstance must be managed "on a case-by-case basis". However, it also references that "the way a school responds to gender dysphoric students must be informed and guided by the mission of Jesus".

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Rationale

Catholic Education Melbourne (CEM) is committed to providing learning environments that are safe, inclusive and affirming of the uniqueness of every child (CEM 2016a). Within Catholic school communities, all children and young people are welcomed and supported to grow and flourish into the fullness of life. In valuing the innate dignity and sacredness of the human person, all interactions in Catholic schools are grounded in the principles of care, compassion and respect.

This policy has been developed to assist Catholic schools to respond to the unique pastoral and learning needs of gender dysphoric children and young people. Gender dysphoria in individuals is characterised by a marked incongruence between the natal (birth) gender and the experienced/expressed gender of the person (APA 2013).

Diagnostic criteria for gender dysphoria in children includes the possible distress arising from a sense of mismatch, or incongruence, that a person may have about their experienced gender versus their birth gender.

Gender dysphoria is a complex and sensitive topic to navigate. Noting that every child's circumstances will be different, a diagnosis of gender dysphoria must be managed on a case-by-case basis. Working with the child, parents/carers, gender dysphoria medical experts, other specialists and relevant governing authorities, responses must be informed by the mission and purpose of the Catholic school, relevant legislation and fundamental human rights and freedoms to ensure individual and family needs are balanced with those of the school community.

This policy complements guidelines documented in Catholic Education Melbourne's Foundation Statement and Policy 2.26: Pastoral Care in Catholic Schools (CEM 2016b).

Definitions
Sex
a biological term dividing a species into male and female, usually based on physical, hormonal, chromosomal and genetic characteristics.
Intersex
the status of having physical, hormonal genetic or chromosomal features that are:

1. neither wholly female nor wholly male; (or)

2. a combination of female and male; (or)

3. neither female nor male' (Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth)).

Being intersex is about biological variations, not about a person's gender identity. People with intersex variations share the same range of sexual orientation and gender identities as people with no intersex variations.
Gender
a person's identity as male or female, harmonious with one's biological sex upon birth (CCC 2333).
Gender identity
one's own concept of self as male or female. The way in which individuals perceive and describe themselves. It is defined in the legislation as 'the gender-related identity, appearance or mannerisms or other gender-related characteristics of a person (whether by way of medical intervention or not) with or without regard to the person's designated sex at birth' ( Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth)).
Gender dysphoria
a marked incongruence between the natal (birth) gender and the experienced/expressed gender of the person (APA 2013).
Transgender
a person whose gender identity is different to their biological sex.
Gender transitioning
the process where a transgender person commences living as a member of another sex. This may occur through medical intervention, style of dressing, or anything else that indicates an intention to commence living permanently as a member of another sex.

Principles of decision making

The way a school responds to gender dysphoric students must be informed and guided by the mission of Jesus, who came 'that they may have life, and have it to the full'. Therefore the school has a serious duty of care for each of its students, which it interprets in light of Jesus' own ministry. In all circumstances the school will endeavour to ensure that all parties act truthfully, charitably, with good will, and with absolute respect for the human dignity of all parties (Parkinson, unpub, p. 23).

In responding to the unique learning and support needs of gender dysphoric children and young people in Catholic school settings, all decision making between the principal, parent/carers, child, gender dysphoria medical experts, treating specialist/s and relevant governing authorities should be guided by the principles of:

1. inclusion, respect and dignity for the human person

2. collaboration and open, constructive and non-judgmental dialogue

3. active listening and cooperation

4. discernment, objectivity and fairness.

Procedural considerations

Catholic schools must exercise caution, prudence and sensitivity in establishing how best to respond to the unique pastoral and learning needs of gender dysphoric children and young people. It is the role of families, supported by the school, to accompany students on their growth into maturity and help them understand the changes that are taking place.

Those providing pastoral care in Catholic schools will not automatically simply affirm the student's self-perceived condition; rather, building on an authentically Christian vision of the human person, they will strive to establish a safe and trusting relationship with the student capable of sustaining a sensitive, mature and hope-filled exploration of all future possibilities for growth (Parkinson, unpub., p. 20).

Catholic schools are bound to provide a nurturing environment that frees students to discover who they are, to appreciate their significant relationships, and to know that they are loved.

Under state and federal laws, it is unlawful to discriminate against a person on the grounds of their gender, intersex status or sexual orientation. School communities are required to take reasonable and proportionate measures to eliminate bullying, harassment and discrimination. In actively promoting inclusive school environments, principals must work with the child and their parents/carers, gender dysphoria medical experts, other treating specialist/s and relevant governing authorities to develop a school management plan to support the pastoral and learning needs of the student.
Developing a school management plan: key considerations
The school management plan must distinguish between the physical, social, emotional, cognitive and spiritual development of primary and secondary-aged students and include the provision of specialist counselling.

Documented management plans identify and establish clear expectations, strategies and actions. They assist schools to discharge their duty of care to all students and members of the community. Management plans contribute to building respectful relationships and resilience. This enables students to feel safe, valued and connected to their school community so that they may effectively engage with their learning.

Provisions within the management plan should be reviewed periodically to ensure that they continue to meet and reflect the wellbeing and educational needs of the gender dysphoric student, their family and the school community.

In developing and enacting a school management plan for a student diagnosed with gender dysphoria, the principal should:

1. Within the concept of 'community of care', engage in ongoing dialogue with the child and their parents/carers, gender dysphoria experts, other specialist/s and relevant governing authorities to identify strategies to assist the school to provide agreed pastoral and learning supports in accordance with their age, capability and maturity. This may include consulting on:

the referencing of and recording of student's preferred name, gender identity, and preferred use of pronouns

the use of toilets, showers and change rooms that meet the needs of the student

the appropriate uniform that reflects the gender identity of the student and meets the school's dress or uniform code.

2. Request relevant medical reports and supporting documentation from gender dysphoria medical experts and other treating specialist/s. Gender dysphoria experts for children and young people up to age 17 are available through Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville. Adolescents over the age of 17 can be referred to the Monash Gender Dysphoria Clinic, Hampton.

3. Maintain privacy and confidentiality in accordance with relevant legislation. The sharing of information should only be communicated with those who have an appropriate reason to know in order to support the wellbeing and learning outcomes of the student.

4. Ensure the student is not subject to bullying, harassment and/or discrimination either directly or indirectly.

5. Include the provision of relevant professional learning and information for staff, students and families within the school community to raise understanding of gender dysphoria within the context of Catholic teachings about human sexuality.

6. ​Consider the pastoral and academic needs of all members of the school community with the individual needs of the child experiencing gender dysphoria and their family.

7. Update school policies, where appropriate, to reflect arrangements for gender dysphoric students.

Principals should contact the Manager, Student Wellbeing Unit for additional advice and support. The student may be a 'mature minor'
Catholic Education Melbourne recognises that parents and carers are significant and essential partners with schools in actively supporting and nurturing the educational and wellbeing outcomes of children and young people from early years through to adolescence. For this reason, schools continue to engage parents in schooling matters even after the student has turned 18 and are legally recognised as adults. Notwithstanding this, for a variety of reasons students under the age of 18 sometimes ask to make decisions on their own behalf as a 'mature minor', without involvement of their parents.

In such scenarios the principal should,in the first instance, seek advice from Catholic Education Melbourne's Legal Unit prior to determining whether a student is a 'mature minor'.

Supports

Catholic Education Melbourne: Student Wellbeing Unit -
03 9267 0228

Catholic Education Melbourne: Legal Unit -
03 9267 0228

Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne Gender Service-
provides children and adolescents up to 17 years with a multidisciplinary approach to the assessment, care and treatment of gender dysphoria.

Monash Gender Dysphoria Clinic -
adolescents over the age of 17.

Victorian Equal Opportunity & Human Rights Commission -
educates people about the rights and responsibilities contained in the Charter and reports annually to the government about the operation of the Charter.

Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800

Lifeline 13 11 14

Resources

Bully Stoppers - supports students, parents, teachers and principals in working together to make sure schools are safe and supportive places, where everyone is empowered to help reduce the incidence of bullying.

Australian Student Wellbeing Framework - provides Australian schools with a vision and a set of guiding principles that assist school communities to develop positive and practical student safety and wellbeing policies.

Catholic Education Commission of Victoria Ltd (CECV) 2017, CECV Commitment Statement to Child Safety, CECV, East Melbourne www.cecv.catholic.edu.au/getmedia/b5d43278-51b9-4704-b45a-f14e50546a70/Commitment-Statement-A4.aspx.

Catholic Education Melbourne (CEM) 2016a, Horizons of Hope, CEM, East Melbourne
www.cem.edu.au/Our-Schools/Curriculum-Learning-Programs/Horizons-of-Hope.aspx.

Catholic Education Melbourne (CEM) 2016b, Policy 2.26: Pastoral Care of Students, CEM, East Melbourne
www.cem.edu.au/About-Us/Policies/Pastoral-Care-of-Students.aspx.

Department of Education and Training (DET) 2017, School Policy Advisory Guide: Gender Diversity Policy, DET, Victoria www.education.vic.gov.au/school/principals/spag/participation/Pages/gendersexualdiversity.aspx.

Department of Education and Training (DET) 2018, School Policy Advisory Guide: Gender Identity Policy, DET, Victoria www.education.vic.gov.au/school/principals/spag/health/Pages/genderidentity.aspx.

Catholic Education Melbourne May 2018
References
¹American Psychiatric Association (APA) 2013, Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.), American Psychiatric Association Publishing, Arlington, VA.

²Australian Government 2014, Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth), Federal Register of Legislation, ACT, www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2014C00002.

³Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) 1994, St Pauls Publications, Strathfield, NSW www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM.

⁴Catholic Education Melbourne (CEM) 2015, To Serve and Lead: Strategy Plan 2015-2019, CEM, East Melbourne https://www.cem.edu.au/About-Us/2015%E2%80%932019-Strategic-Plan.aspx.

⁵Catholic Education Melbourne (CEM) 2016a, Horizons of Hope, CEM, East Melbourne https://www.cem.edu.au/Our-Schools/Curriculum/Horizons-of-Hope.aspx.

⁶Catholic Education Melbourne (CEM) 2016b, Policy 2.26: Pastoral Care of Students, CEM, East Melbourne https://www.cem.edu.au/About-Us/Policies/Pastoral-Care-of-Students.aspx.

⁷Parkinson, J unpublished, Preparing Catholic schools to care for gender dysphoric students.

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Catholic Education Melbourne - Catholic Education Melbourne

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Rationale Catholic Education Melbourne (CEM) is committed to providing learning environments that are safe, inclusive and affirming of the uniqueness of every child (CEM 2016a). Within Catholic school communities, all children and young people are welcomed and supported to grow and flourish into the fullness of life.

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Schools must take "reasonable steps to eliminate discrimination on the basis of sex, gender and sexuality". This policy includes an extensive list of requirements and resources which schools can use to do this. Particularly, it's discussion of 'Gender affirmation student support plans', considering "maintaining appropriate privacy and confidentiality... in consultation with the student and family"; "the use of toilets, showers and change rooms that meet the needs of the student"; and "the appropriate uniform that reflects the gender identity of the student", may be useful for schools and educators.

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Policy

The purpose of this policy is to ensure schools support Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and gender diverse, Intersex, and Queer and questioning (LGBTIQ) students.

Summary

It is unlawful under state and federal laws to discriminate against a person on the grounds of their sexual orientation, gender identity or intersex status.

Schools must take reasonable steps to eliminate discrimination on the basis of sex, gender and sexuality.

Schools should ensure that their policies, practices and activities are inclusive and take positive action to eliminate discrimination or harassment of students on the basis of their sex, gender or sexuality.

Schools must work with students affirming their gender identity to prepare and implement a student support plan.

Details

Schools must take reasonable steps to eliminate discrimination on the basis of sex, gender and sexuality. The Department requires schools to support LGBTIQ students by:

providing a positive, supportive and respectful environment

respecting privacy and confidentiality in relation to all students

supporting students who want to affirm or transition gender identity at school

challenging all forms of homophobia and transphobia to prevent discrimination and bullying

giving proper consideration to the impact of any requirement to participate in school activities according to gender identity or an assumption of heterosexuality (for example, school formals, sports activities, camps)

inviting the young person and a family representative/carer to be part of the formulation of a school management plan (in cases where the student is a mature minor, refer to )

Schools should:

ensure that their policies, practices and activities are inclusive and do not have the effect of treating any student adversely because of their sex, gender or sexuality

take positive action to eliminate discrimination or harassment of students on the basis of their sex, gender or sexuality

For free staff professional development, resources, tailored support, planning, and further guidance on how to actively and positively support LGBTIQ students - refer to the site for contact details.

Gender affirmation student support plans

Schools must work with students affirming their gender identity to prepare and implement a student support plan.

The plan should be developed in consultation with the student and their parents or carers, where possible, and should be reviewed periodically to ensure that it reflects the needs of the student at the different stages of their transition, and at the different stages of their education.

It is important that the student is at the centre of creating their own support plan, and consulted in all decision making. In preparing the plan, the school should consider the following:

catering to the students' affirmed gender identity

that the support plan reflects this policy

adopting a common sense approach

developing the support plan over staggered sessions to allow time for trialling and opportunities for adjustments to occur

the best timing to undertake a gender affirmation process, such as term break

maintaining appropriate privacy and confidentiality - consider the privacy of the student, and only share information to those who have an appropriate reason to know. In consultation with the student and family, determine whether key staff members, such as a student welfare coordinator or the physical education teacher, need to be advised in order to effectively support or teach the student. Make a list of the names of staff members who know of the gender identity change.

the referencing of and recording of student's affirmed name, gender identity, and pronouns (he, she, they etc.)

the use of toilets, showers and change rooms that meet the needs of the student. This should be based on the student's gender identity and whichever facilities they will feel most comfortable using. Students without a disability should not be required to use disabled toilets or facilities.

the appropriate uniform that reflects the gender identity of the student and meets the school's dress or uniform code

developing a communications plan that includes what information staff members and other students need to know to best support the student

make plans to address potential community concerns, ensuring students' right to privacy is maintained

providing support to staff through professional learning and briefings on the arrangements for the student where appropriate

updating school policies to include support for transgender and gender diverse students and responses to transphobic bullying

consider scheduling regular Student Support Groups to support, guide and monitor the student's progress

Note: a letter from a gender identity specialist may be requested by the school to support them in developing the plan. This letter is not a conditional requirement for the school in providing support to the student, but it may help to ensure that schools can adequately discharge their duty of care to a student by planning appropriately. Gender identity specialists are available through Royal Children's Hospital and Monash Medical Centre.

Parental consent

There may be circumstances in which students wish or need to undertake gender transition without the consent of their parent/s (or carer/s), and/or without consulting medical practitioners.

If no agreement can be reached between the student and the parent/s regarding the student's gender identity, or if the parent/s will not consent to the contents of a student support plan, it will be necessary for the school to consider whether the student is a mature minor.

If a student is considered a mature minor they can make decisions for themselves without parental consent and should be affirmed in their gender identity at school without a family representative/carer participating in formulating the school management plan.

Department policy addresses situations in which students, though under the age of 18 years, may be sufficiently mature to make their own decisions, (refer to Mature Minors and Decision-Making).

Legal considerations

It is unlawful under state and federal laws to discriminate against a person on the grounds of their sexual orientation, gender identity or intersex status.

Anti-discrimination laws:

require schools to take reasonable and proportionate measures to eliminate discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or intersex status, including by taking positive steps to promote an inclusive school environment

prohibit direct and indirect discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or intersex status

Direct discrimination occurs when a person treats a person with a protected attribute (such as a gender identity, intersex status or sexual orientation) unfavourably because of that attribute. Direct discrimination may occur if the school denies or limits any access to any benefit provided by the school or subjects the student to any other detriment. For example, excluding a transgender student from using the toilet that matches their gender because of the sex they were assigned at birth, may limit or deny that student's access to the benefit.

Indirect discrimination occurs where a requirement, condition or practice is applied to all students equally but its application is likely to have the effect of disadvantaging students with a protected attribute (such as gender identity, intersex status or sexual orientation), and it is not reasonable. For example, it might be indirect discrimination for a school to apply a uniform policy with only 'male' and 'female' options to all students equally without regard to a student's gender identity. The result of that policy might be a student with a non-binary identity would be required to wear the uniform of their sex assigned at birth rather than their gender identity, and the requirement to do so is unreasonable.

Definitions

Lesbian
A woman who is romantically and/or sexually attracted to other women.

Gay
A person who is romantically and/or sexually attracted to people of the same sex and/or gender as themselves. This term is often used to describe men who are attracted to other men, but some women and gender diverse people may describe themselves as gay.

Bisexual
A person who is romantically and/or sexually attracted to people of their own gender and other genders.

Transgender
A person who's gender does not exclusively align with their sex assignment at birth.

Gender diversity
Gender diversity refers to a range of gender expressions and identities. This term includes those who may identify as transgender, gender diverse, gender-fluid, or who otherwise feel that their gender identity does not align with the sex assigned to them at birth and/or society's expectations of gender.

Intersex
Intersex means the status of having physical, hormonal or genetic features that are:

neither wholly female nor wholly male, or

a combination of female and male, or

neither female nor male

Being intersex is about biological variations, not about a person's gender identity. People with intersex variations share the same range of sexual orientation and gender identities as people with no intersex variations.

Queer
An umbrella term for diverse genders and sexualities.

Questioning
A person who is still exploring or questioning their gender identity or sexual orientation, or doesn't want to be locked into a label.

Gender identity
Gender identity is defined in legislation as meaning the gender-related identity, appearance, mannerisms or other gender-related characteristics of a person (whether by way of medical intervention or not) with or without regard to the person's assigned sex at birth.

Gender transition/affirmation
Gender transition/affirmation refers to the process whereby a transgender or gender diverse person socially and/or medically affirms their gender identity. There is no single moment of gender affirmation; it is an ongoing and individual process which may or may not involve medical support.

Sexual diversity
Sexual diversity refers to a diverse range of different sexualities, identities, and romantic or sexual attractions. This term includes those who may identify as same sex attracted, lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer and questioning or who may use other terms.

Sexual orientation
Sexual orientation is defined in legislation as meaning a person's sexual orientation towards:

persons of the same sex or

persons of a different sex or

persons of the same sex and persons of a different sex

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The purpose of this policy is to ensure schools support Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and gender diverse, Intersex, and Queer and questioning (LGBTIQ) students. It is unlawful under state and federal laws to discriminate against a person on the grounds of their sexual orientation, gender identity or intersex status.

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A resource to help schools improve student outcomes. We suggest that the processes and language used - moving through from 'Emerging', 'Evolving', 'Embedding', and 'Excellence' - could be useful for schools developing their own policies, or educators evaluating their own inclusive practices.

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Note: There is an interactive version of the Gender Unicorn that is only visible on desktop. English Coloring Book (English) Español (Spanish) Português (Portuguese) ру́сский язы́к (Russian) 日本語 (Japanese) Deutsch (German) Français (French) italiano (Italian) ภาษาไทย (Thai) Türkçe (Turkish) Nederlands (Dutch) ភាសាខ្មែរ (Khmer) magyar (Hungarian) dansk (Danish) íslenska (Icelandic) English Interactive (English) Coloring Book (English) [...]

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ftm female to male transgender transguy boy trans transman transition transsexual jamie raines jammidodger transmale transitioning buzzfeed ftmtrans couple r...

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Hi, I'm Jamie! Business email: jamieraines@hotmail.com Trans, LGBT+, lifestyle, fashion, relationship, PhD

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nikkietutorials nikkitutorials "power of makeup" "makeup tutorial" makeup beauty cosmetics "first impressions" review swatches "get ready with me" "nikkie de jager" nikkie "nikkie makeup" transgender nikitutorials tutorials

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N I K K I E T U T O R I A L S Business inquiries only: info@nikkietutorials.com " Instagram: @nikkietutorials " Twitter: Nikkietutorials " Snapchat: Nikkietu...

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I'm Ash - this is my YouTube. I shoot with a Canon 70D and edit with Final Cut. I'm queer and trans and I talk about that a lot on this channel. But I also d...

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An accessible resource explaining appropriate terminology for gender and sexual identities.

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An inclusive, diverse, handy reference book for those unfamiliar with the LGBTQIA+ community. Mardell tackles sex, gender, orientations, spectrums and other topics that are both comprehensive and relevant. Careful not to obfuscate gender identities, sexual, or romantic attractions, Mardell meticulously discusses various terminologies and further supports it with personal accounts of individuals that accurately portrays how they think, feel, and perceive themselves. It's an honest book that is we...more

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An inclusive, diverse, handy reference book for those unfamiliar with the LGBTQIA+ community. Mardell tackles sex, gender, orientations, spectrums and other topics that are both comprehensive and relevant. Careful not to obfuscate gender identities, sexual, or romantic attractions, Mardell meticulously discusses various terminologies and further supports it with personal accounts of individuals that accurately portrays how they think, feel, and perceive themselves.

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The following resources incorporate gender diverse main characters. These can be used in class to discuss gender diversity.

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partar400 ty turner transguy ftm transgender testosterone vlog funny parody sketch prank

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I'm Tyler! I'm a 20-year-old FTM transguy :) I make comedy videos as well as trans-related vlogs and updates throughout my transition.

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QLD Case Study: Gender-Neutral Bathrooms

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QLD Case Study: Gender-Neutral Bathrooms

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In late 2019, when a new $80 million highschool was announced to be built with primarily 'gender-neutral toilets', there was large public backlash. The Education Department was forced to reverse their decision before opening in 2020, now with 'gender-specific' toilets and change rooms, and 'specific disabled toilets'.

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'Gender-neutral' toilets at Brisbane school are BANNED as it's ruled boys and girls should have separate bathrooms

Plans for new Brisbane high school to have gender neutral toilets scrapped

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk expressed concerns when plan was confirmed

She has since overruled bold plans at Fortitude Valley State Secondary College

Original proposal also sparked public backlash from parents and experts

Controversial plans for students to share gender neutral toilets at Brisbane's newest high school have been scrapped following public backlash.

Fortitude Valley State Secondary College was set to become the first school in Queensland without specifically designed boys' and girls' separate bathrooms when it welcomed its first students within weeks.

The Department of Education confirmed last month that all toilets at the $80 million vertical high school would be be unisex, with the exception of two male and female toilets in change room facilities.

But Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk raised concerns that boys and girls should have their own toilet facilities and has since overturned the decision.

Education Minister Grace Grace said 'all necessary arrangements' had been made to coincide with the reversed decision.

'This includes a change to make separate, gender-specific toilets for boys and girls available. There are also specific toilets for students with a disability,' she told Daily Mail Australia in an emailed statement.

'Separate boys and girls change rooms with toilets had already been factored into the design of the school.'

The department previously told Daily Mail Australia that the new facilities met contemporary design standards in relation to accessibility, inclusivity, privacy and safety, when plans were confirmed in December.

The department said the move was in line with modern, state-of-the-art, vertical high schools in other states, including South Australia's Adelaide Botanic High School.

The original decision to only have unisex toilets sparked national outrage, with education expert and mum Michelle Mitchell describing the move 'ridiculous'.

'We already know some really bad things happen to kids in bathroom areas of schools - bullying, sexting, kids recording on mobiles, these things already go on when they're just within their own sex, and then you're adding in an extra element,' she told The Sunday Mail last month.

'Being a teenager is a really big time of change, for boys and for girls, and kids have a right to feel safe.'

Opposition education spokesman Jarrod Bleijie feared the 'very bad' move could be a 'recipe for disaster'.

'I reckon boys and girls need and deserve their own privacy at school,' Mr Bleijie posted on Facebook at the time.

'How about instead of this PC rubbish the government spend more time helping our teachers with workload issues, air con our schools, declutter the curriculum, fix the school maintenance backlogs and better support our teachers in regional and remote Queensland. Labor have its priorities all wrong.'

The Facebook post sparked a divided response.

'These kids are at high school why do we have them sharing the same toilets when so many other aspects of their education needs to be improved. Also young ladies and men need their privacy,' one person commented.

But many others couldn't understand the fuss.

'Nearly every accessible facility for disabled people is a unisex facility, and, last time I looked, nearly every household, you know where these kids live, has unisex toilet facilities! There are bigger issues than this that deserve attention,' one person commented.

Schools in Western Australia were urged earlier this year to include 'gender-neutral toilet options' and in a bid to stop discrimination against transgender students.

The recommendation from Inclusive Education WA, a specialised resource for schools in the state, aims to create a 'more inclusive environment' for transgender and gender diverse students.

Fortitude Valley State Secondary College is the first inner-city state school to be built in Brisbane in over half a century.

The school will welcome its foundation Year 7 students on January 28.

The new school will also push back class times to avoid traffic chaos, with students urged to walk or cycle to school to ease congestion in the inner-city.

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Premier reverses on unisex toilets decision at Queensland school

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Plans for new Brisbane high school to have gender neutral toilets scrapped Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk expressed concerns when plan was confirmed She has since overruled bold plans at Fortitude Valley State Secondary College Original proposal also sparked public backlash from parents and experts Controversial plans for students to share gender neutral toilets at Brisbane's newest high school have been scrapped following public backlash.

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South Australia Case Study: School Procedures

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South Australia Case Study: School Procedures

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SA has the most comprehensive guidance on inclusive infrastructure and practice. In their policies for supporting gender diverse young people, they require that students have "the choice of accessing toilet and/or change room facilities that match their gender identity". Further, "alternative options (such as use of disability and staff facilities) must be considered short-term options only".

Although Victorian policies contain similar expressions (School operations: LGBTIQ Student Support, 2020), these are simply 'considerations' for individual student support plans, rather than overarching policy requirements.

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Introduction

All students are entitled to access safe and unbiased education regardless of their gender identity and schools have an obligation to work with students to develop a student support plan that affirms their gender identity (School operations: LGBTIQ Student Support, 2020).  For teachers and staff at many Australian schools, this is a challenge that will best benefit from a “multi-pronged” approach (Tinklin, 2003) involving policy, curriculum, behaviour and language.

This online tool will present issues and responses to areas like dress code, language, infrastructure and representation in the media that can provide teachers with potential responses to prepare them for the classroom.  The issue is broad and no one approach will address all of the challenges you are likely to encounter.  We have attempted to provide some examples of issues teachers will encounter.

Scope of the Issue

Gender diverse people “refers to people who fall outside the typical range of masculinity or femininity with regard to gender identity and/or physical sex characteristics” (Australian Curriculum in Jones, 2017).  Critical is the notion that gender identity needs to be separated from the sexed body of the person (Zimman, 2017).  Additionally, students have a broad range of ways of identifying themselves, as one survey (Jones, et al., 2016) found that 50% of the respondents identified as something other than male/female binary (e.g. genderqueer, gender fluid, agender, etc.).

This is a vulnerable student group, as surveys show that spoken and corporeal abuse is common and suicide risks are high for this group (Jones, 2017).  Students who were surveyed showed markedly higher rates of self-harm, social withdrawal, transferring schools and fear of attack.  Schools can act as catalysts for change and support networks for these at risk students.

How the Teacher can help

Teachers can have a significant impact on the life of a transgender or gender-diverse student.  Issues like drop-out rates, hiding at school, bullying and written abuse can all reduce when teachers and administration are supportive (Jones, et al., 2016).  School-wide policies and programs that provide multi-level support are particularly important (Jones & Hillier, 2013).   Research shows that gender diverse students are more sensitive to the language and messages from their teachers, responding positively to inclusive language that is seen as supportive (Ullman, 2017).

Start with the small things.  Avoid activities that segregate students on the basis of gender, such as lining up in rows of boys and girls, that highlights the binary differences of people (Jones, et al., 2016) and use inclusive language based on the preferences of the gender diverse student.

The benefits can extend beyond gender diverse students to the school as a whole, creating a more inclusive and accepting environment for all students with other challenges (Bartholomaeus & Riggs, 2017).  This is consistent with the notion that difference is essential for any kind of learning, promoting the transformability of teaching (Florian, 2012).

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Policy

The purpose of this policy is to ensure schools support Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and gender diverse, Intersex, and Queer and questioning (LGBTIQ) students.

Summary

It is unlawful under state and federal laws to discriminate against a person on the grounds of their sexual orientation, gender identity or intersex status.

Schools must take reasonable steps to eliminate discrimination on the basis of sex, gender and sexuality.

Schools should ensure that their policies, practices and activities are inclusive and take positive action to eliminate discrimination or harassment of students on the basis of their sex, gender or sexuality.

Schools must work with students affirming their gender identity to prepare and implement a student support plan.

Details

Schools must take reasonable steps to eliminate discrimination on the basis of sex, gender and sexuality. The Department requires schools to support LGBTIQ students by:

providing a positive, supportive and respectful environment

respecting privacy and confidentiality in relation to all students

supporting students who want to affirm or transition gender identity at school

challenging all forms of homophobia and transphobia to prevent discrimination and bullying

giving proper consideration to the impact of any requirement to participate in school activities according to gender identity or an assumption of heterosexuality (for example, school formals, sports activities, camps)

inviting the young person and a family representative/carer to be part of the formulation of a school management plan (in cases where the student is a mature minor, refer to )

Schools should:

ensure that their policies, practices and activities are inclusive and do not have the effect of treating any student adversely because of their sex, gender or sexuality

take positive action to eliminate discrimination or harassment of students on the basis of their sex, gender or sexuality

For free staff professional development, resources, tailored support, planning, and further guidance on how to actively and positively support LGBTIQ students - refer to the site for contact details.

Gender affirmation student support plans

Schools must work with students affirming their gender identity to prepare and implement a student support plan.

The plan should be developed in consultation with the student and their parents or carers, where possible, and should be reviewed periodically to ensure that it reflects the needs of the student at the different stages of their transition, and at the different stages of their education.

It is important that the student is at the centre of creating their own support plan, and consulted in all decision making. In preparing the plan, the school should consider the following:

catering to the students' affirmed gender identity

that the support plan reflects this policy

adopting a common sense approach

developing the support plan over staggered sessions to allow time for trialling and opportunities for adjustments to occur

the best timing to undertake a gender affirmation process, such as term break

maintaining appropriate privacy and confidentiality - consider the privacy of the student, and only share information to those who have an appropriate reason to know. In consultation with the student and family, determine whether key staff members, such as a student welfare coordinator or the physical education teacher, need to be advised in order to effectively support or teach the student. Make a list of the names of staff members who know of the gender identity change.

the referencing of and recording of student's affirmed name, gender identity, and pronouns (he, she, they etc.)

the use of toilets, showers and change rooms that meet the needs of the student. This should be based on the student's gender identity and whichever facilities they will feel most comfortable using. Students without a disability should not be required to use disabled toilets or facilities.

the appropriate uniform that reflects the gender identity of the student and meets the school's dress or uniform code

developing a communications plan that includes what information staff members and other students need to know to best support the student

make plans to address potential community concerns, ensuring students' right to privacy is maintained

providing support to staff through professional learning and briefings on the arrangements for the student where appropriate

updating school policies to include support for transgender and gender diverse students and responses to transphobic bullying

consider scheduling regular Student Support Groups to support, guide and monitor the student's progress

Note: a letter from a gender identity specialist may be requested by the school to support them in developing the plan. This letter is not a conditional requirement for the school in providing support to the student, but it may help to ensure that schools can adequately discharge their duty of care to a student by planning appropriately. Gender identity specialists are available through Royal Children's Hospital and Monash Medical Centre.

Parental consent

There may be circumstances in which students wish or need to undertake gender transition without the consent of their parent/s (or carer/s), and/or without consulting medical practitioners.

If no agreement can be reached between the student and the parent/s regarding the student's gender identity, or if the parent/s will not consent to the contents of a student support plan, it will be necessary for the school to consider whether the student is a mature minor.

If a student is considered a mature minor they can make decisions for themselves without parental consent and should be affirmed in their gender identity at school without a family representative/carer participating in formulating the school management plan.

Department policy addresses situations in which students, though under the age of 18 years, may be sufficiently mature to make their own decisions, (refer to Mature Minors and Decision-Making).

Legal considerations

It is unlawful under state and federal laws to discriminate against a person on the grounds of their sexual orientation, gender identity or intersex status.

Anti-discrimination laws:

require schools to take reasonable and proportionate measures to eliminate discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or intersex status, including by taking positive steps to promote an inclusive school environment

prohibit direct and indirect discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or intersex status

Direct discrimination occurs when a person treats a person with a protected attribute (such as a gender identity, intersex status or sexual orientation) unfavourably because of that attribute. Direct discrimination may occur if the school denies or limits any access to any benefit provided by the school or subjects the student to any other detriment. For example, excluding a transgender student from using the toilet that matches their gender because of the sex they were assigned at birth, may limit or deny that student's access to the benefit.

Indirect discrimination occurs where a requirement, condition or practice is applied to all students equally but its application is likely to have the effect of disadvantaging students with a protected attribute (such as gender identity, intersex status or sexual orientation), and it is not reasonable. For example, it might be indirect discrimination for a school to apply a uniform policy with only 'male' and 'female' options to all students equally without regard to a student's gender identity. The result of that policy might be a student with a non-binary identity would be required to wear the uniform of their sex assigned at birth rather than their gender identity, and the requirement to do so is unreasonable.

Definitions

Lesbian
A woman who is romantically and/or sexually attracted to other women.

Gay
A person who is romantically and/or sexually attracted to people of the same sex and/or gender as themselves. This term is often used to describe men who are attracted to other men, but some women and gender diverse people may describe themselves as gay.

Bisexual
A person who is romantically and/or sexually attracted to people of their own gender and other genders.

Transgender
A person who's gender does not exclusively align with their sex assignment at birth.

Gender diversity
Gender diversity refers to a range of gender expressions and identities. This term includes those who may identify as transgender, gender diverse, gender-fluid, or who otherwise feel that their gender identity does not align with the sex assigned to them at birth and/or society's expectations of gender.

Intersex
Intersex means the status of having physical, hormonal or genetic features that are:

neither wholly female nor wholly male, or

a combination of female and male, or

neither female nor male

Being intersex is about biological variations, not about a person's gender identity. People with intersex variations share the same range of sexual orientation and gender identities as people with no intersex variations.

Queer
An umbrella term for diverse genders and sexualities.

Questioning
A person who is still exploring or questioning their gender identity or sexual orientation, or doesn't want to be locked into a label.

Gender identity
Gender identity is defined in legislation as meaning the gender-related identity, appearance, mannerisms or other gender-related characteristics of a person (whether by way of medical intervention or not) with or without regard to the person's assigned sex at birth.

Gender transition/affirmation
Gender transition/affirmation refers to the process whereby a transgender or gender diverse person socially and/or medically affirms their gender identity. There is no single moment of gender affirmation; it is an ongoing and individual process which may or may not involve medical support.

Sexual diversity
Sexual diversity refers to a diverse range of different sexualities, identities, and romantic or sexual attractions. This term includes those who may identify as same sex attracted, lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer and questioning or who may use other terms.

Sexual orientation
Sexual orientation is defined in legislation as meaning a person's sexual orientation towards:

persons of the same sex or

persons of a different sex or

persons of the same sex and persons of a different sex

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The purpose of this policy is to ensure schools support Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and gender diverse, Intersex, and Queer and questioning (LGBTIQ) students. It is unlawful under state and federal laws to discriminate against a person on the grounds of their sexual orientation, gender identity or intersex status.

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The following are some examples highly influential people with gender diverse backgrounds:

'Martine Rothblatt: CEO of United Therapeutics

Martine Rothblatt is currently the highest-earning CEO in the biopharmaceutical industry, as well as the founder of her company, United Therapeutics. Her fascinating and storied career has spanned the fields of law, aerospace, and medicine.

Martine publicly came out as a trans woman in 1994, and remains a fierce advocate for trans rights. She's married with four children, and dedicates much of her time to transhumanist efforts.

Jennifer Pritzker: Founder of the Tawani Foundation

Jennifer Pritzker is best-known for being the first transgender billionaire. She served as a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army, and founded the Tawani Foundation in 1995. Through the foundation, she seeks to donate to numerous civic causes.

Pritzker publicly came out in 2013 via a statement to her employees. She has received many accolades for her work in advancing the visibility of and discussion around gender identity.

Vivienne Ming: Co-Founder of Socos

Vivienne Ming is a theoretical neuroscientist and entrepreneur, and is the co-founder of Socos. Socos aims to combine machine learning and neuroscience to maximize the potential of students. In 2013, Ming was named one of Ten Women to Watch in Tech by Inc. Magazine.

Vivienne came out as trans to her then-fiancé, Norma, on her 34th birthday in 2005. She and Norma married the following year, and went on to found Socos together. Today, Ming sits on the boards of StartOut, The Palm Center, Emozia, Engender, and Genderis Inc.'

(Excerpt from Kerrigan, 2018)

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Making a better person | Vivienne Ming | TEDxBerkeley

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Created by The Representation Project, this documentary explores how the patriarchy harms young men by perpetuating toxic masculinity. Toxic masculinity rejects what is perceived by society to be 'feminine', leading to young men suppressing their emotions in order to appear 'manly'.

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Nobel Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai outlines the importance of education for women. Educating women increases standards of living and helps grow economies.

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Number of Lower House MPs and Senators by Gender, Federal Election 2019

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Number of Lower House MPs and Senators by Gender, Federal Election 2019

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'Boys Speak Up, Girls Silenced in the Classroom'

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'Boys Speak Up, Girls Silenced in the Classroom'

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This article by Trinity Western University outlines a case study undertaken by Allyson Jule, who found that the linguistic space in a classroom is dominated by male talk, which is often unknowingly reinforced by educators. This dynamic which enforces male significance may be a contributing factor in women's lack of representation in positions of leadership and authority.

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Newswise-Boys talk nine times more than girls in the classroom-and are encouraged to do so-according to findings from a new language dynamics study. Subtlety enforcing male significance early in life may help explain why women aren't often found in positions of authority and significance in their workplace, says Allyson Jule, study principal and Trinity Western University professor.

In her book, Gender, Participation, and Silence in the Language Classroom: Sh-Shushing the Girls, Jule publishes a ten-month case study of a group of grade 2, ethnic-minority children growing up in Canada, and explores the relationship of gender, ethnicity and participation within an English-language teaching classroom.

In the classroom, the boys were given tiny, almost imperceptible signals of significance over the girls. The teacher usually referred to the boys by name but the girls in groups. For instance, "Peter, be quiet," and "girls, shhh."

Often the teacher would repeat a comment by a boy, or a boy-tempered question, for the class; but if a girl answered she wouldn't repeat it.

These findings confirm previous studies in western classrooms that show boys take up five times as much linguistic space as girls. "The trend that's been seen in thousands of other classrooms is that linguistic space is something belonging to boys," says Jule. "This study supports that and shows that gender may be a more significant variable than ethnicity."

Critics of the study's conclusions argue that boys act out more, and therefore need to be controlled and addressed by name, but Jule says the overcorrection is still giving significance to the boys-even their naughtiness is more interesting than the girls' participation.

"Girls are often celebrated for being quiet," she says. "The 'nice, quiet girls' get their work done-and on some levels, it's working." Girls are outscoring boys in major exams and the number of women entering medical school has now topped the number of men. But Jule says follow the trajectory of their careers and see who holds the top medical positions of power. "They're [females] not chiefs of surgery," she says. "Often they don't even select specialties that reflect what they could do. Studies performed in public settings-classrooms, courts of law, surgery rooms-look for whose is the voice of authority and significance. It's male." Jule's study investigates if this pattern is innate and normal, or if it's simply become normalized. "We are rehearsing roles so that by the time we reach adulthood we can be even better performers of our gender," she explains. "Looking at children offers insight into if women/girls are essentially quieter in public settings, or if it can be altered. My conclusion is that it can. From my research, the teacher does systematic things that can silence them. If she'd done different things, they would have said more. It's not that girls are quiet, it's that girls have been silenced."

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Boys Speak Up, Girls Silenced in the Classroom

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Newswise-Boys talk nine times more than girls in the classroom-and are encouraged to do so-according to findings from a new language dynamics study. Subtlety enforcing male significance early in life may help explain why women aren't often found in positions of authority and significance in their workplace, says Allyson Jule, study principal and Trinity Western University professor.

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'Why I'm done trying to be "man enough"': Justin Baldoni

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'Why I'm done trying to be "man enough"': Justin Baldoni

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Actor Justin Baldoni explores how he has worked through deconstructing his own image of his manliness as it has been perpetuated by his roles in film and TV. He encourages men to practice vulnerability, sensitivity and accountability. He calls on men to reach out to their male friends for help when they are struggling and to listen to and support the women in their lives.

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Why I'm done trying to be "man enough" | Justin Baldoni

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'Guidelines for the inclusion of transgender and gender diverse people in sport' (AHRC, 2019)

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'Guidelines for the inclusion of transgender and gender diverse people in sport' (AHRC, 2019)

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AHRC resource which discusses common questions and issues with sport and gender diverse people. Useful for outlining what is and is not 'lawful', and the rare occasions where 'special measures' may apply.

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Implications of single-sex and binary school uniforms

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Implications of single-sex and binary school uniforms

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Nonbinary students attend all types of schools, including coeducational and single-sex sectors. Schools and teachers hold major roles in students’ lives, so their support of gender diversity is important for the inclusion and wellbeing of all students. Here, I will show the how sexism, single-sex schools, and binary uniform policies deny gender diversity and limit students’ expression of their identities. I will suggest ways to improve their inclusion.

Student behaviours and values are affected by school environment. According to Proctor (2011) single-sex schools reinforce gender roles, likely developing sexist behaviours. Plus, Lee et al. (1994) show that sexism is more common and substantial in single-sex schools, rather than in coeducational settings. Although the presence of two genders does not eliminate sexism, equal representation of girls/women and boys/men reduces the risk of sexist incidents. Within this school context, students are expected to follow prescribed binary norms according to their sex assigned at birth, limiting their freedom of self-expression, development of personality and preferences.

Gender non-conformity includes a wide spectrum of fluid, nonbinary and transgender identities. Bragg et al. (2018) show that gender identity is strongly linked to self-expression. Through student interviews, Jones et al. (2016) observed uniform policies do not acknowledge gender diversity. Students are discouraged and penalised for wearing uniforms associated with the perceived opposite sex. These enforced binary uniforms lead to the erasure of gender diversity and broader feminism issues, relating to women’s liberation and self-expression, in turn, promoting normative gender stereotypes. These requirements relating to student self-expression influence their wellbeing.

All schools may have gender diverse students and should display appropriate support. Bragg et al. (2018) demonstrate schools have an awareness of feminist issues, addressing gender equity and gender justice themes through extra-curricular programs. These practices begin to support gender inclusivity but remain within the current gendered binary society. Moreover, Morgan (2017) observes that implementing policies about gender diversity drastically improves inclusivity. Flexibility is required for further inclusion, in fact, this case opens the discussion about the need for medical certificates to formally acknowledge students’ identities, using preferred names and pronouns, affecting their enrolment process.

Progress in gender inclusion is made through flexible policies. While gender equality content allows to fight sexism when implemented in lessons, it is not sufficient alone. Lee et al. (1994) conclude that gender equity policies make a difference for an equitable treatment of gender diverse students. The establishment of these policies would frame staff and student behaviours towards diverse students to improve their wellbeing. In addition, policies should aim to represent and acknowledge gender diversity, and specify enrolment circumstances in single-sex schools, or gender specific subjects, such as sports. Flexibility with uniform policies would allow students to express their identity, by either developing gender neutral clothing items available to all students or cease separating items in a restrictive binary system, in turn, allowing any student to wear any uniform garment. This would allow all students to feel validated, safe, and comfortable in the school environment.

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Billions | Introducing Taylor (Asia Kate Dillion) | Season 2 Now Streaming

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euphoria | unfiltered: hunter schafer on jules vaughn | HBO

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Tips for Integrating New Names & Pronouns into the Classroom

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Tips for Integrating New Names & Pronouns into the Classroom

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The adoption of a new name and/or set of pronouns is often one of the first ways in which youth manifest their exploration of a new gender or identity (Sinclair-Palm, 2017). The use of the adopted name/pronouns by peers is a powerful affirmation the individual's identity and self and has been linked to the reduction of mental health risks in transgender youth (Russel, Pillitt & Grossman, 2018). All too often, one's request to be referred to by something new is met with confusion and hostility within the classroom and outside of it. The research shows that the modelling of the teacher - has a profound impact upon gender socialisation and how such changes are navigated within the classroom (Giraldo & Colyar, 2009).
The following list comprises tips for the classroom teacher in supporting a student who wishes to change their name or preferred pronouns, and in creating a classroom environment wherein students feel encouraged and comfortable in choosing to change their name or pronouns.

- If a student approaches you with a request to address them by different pronouns/name to those you are presently using, check if they are comfortable with the pronouns or new name being used in all contexts. It is not uncommon for a transgender person to come out to different groups of people in stages, for reasons that may include comfort, trust, exploration or safety (Sinclair-Palm, 2017). They may have chosen to come out to you before other students, staff, their family or the wider community. If the student indicates that they are not comfortable with the new pronouns or name being used in a certain context ask them what they would prefer in this context.

- People will make mistakes. What is important however, is that if someone "slip-up" without correcting themselves, that you firmly ask the person making the mistake to correct. If you see the same person repeatedly making the same mistake, you may need to have an extended discussion with them about the reasons this is occurring. (Cooper & Brownell, 2016)

- If you have difficulty remembering to use the student's chosen pronouns and/or name, write or type them in on the class list used for roll call beside the old name listed if it is not already (Seelman, 2014). Get into the habit of using any such listed name first when addressing a new class, for all students. This helps to normalize the idea that an individual is not bound to the identity of a legal or birth name.

- If you are teaching English or another linguistic subject where it becomes relevant, teach students that the pronouns "they/them" should be used to refer to a singular person of unspecified gender, or for a singular person who uses "they/them" as their specified chosen pronouns. Many students have a misconception that "they" is only used to two or more people (David, 2019).

- Do not deliberately try to avoid using a student's chosen pronouns by using semantics you would not use when referring to another student, and be aware of others doing so as well (Russell et al, 2018). One example would be excessively referring to the student by their name to avoid using any pronouns at all.

- Consider asking all students for their pronouns. When introducing yourself to a class, specify your own pronouns. You can do this orally or through a written "Getting to know you" survey. Students may perceive this as pointless and respond with hostility - you can use this as an avenue to teach them that an individual's pronouns are not necessarily what you assume they are (Shelton & Dodd, 2019).

- Gender and identity is fluid and it is normal for someone exploring their gender or identity to change their names or pronouns multiple times in an indefinite span of time (Sykes, 2011), or even revert to ones previously used. If a student indicates that their preferences have changed, accept this and use the new name/pronouns going forward.