Sexism and Transphobia

"Sexism is a type of prejudice or discrimination based on beliefs about a person’s sex or gender. Several different types of sexism exist, and each of them can have harmful consequences." The six main types include: Hostile, Benevolent, Ambivalent, Interpersonal, Internalized, and Institutional. - Strong, R. (2022, April 5). Recognizing and addressing sexism in everyday life. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/what-is-sexism

"While sexism typically affects women and girls, transgender and nonbinary people can experience sexism, too. A nonbinary person may experience sexism when someone makes assumptions about them based on sex assigned at birth, for example. Sexism directed toward trans people can also involve transmisogyny. This overlap of misogyny and transphobia might include criticism and condemnation for failing to align with gender norms associated with either sex assigned at birth or their actual gender." - Strong, R. (2022, April 5). Recognizing and addressing sexism in everyday life. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/what-is-sexism

Transphobia: the aversion to, fear or hatred or intolerance of trans people and communities. Like other prejudices, it is based on stereotypes and misconceptions that are used to justify discrimination, harassment and violence toward trans people. - Ontario Human Rights Commission. (n.d.). Appendix B: Glossary for understanding gender identity and expression. Appendix B: Glossary for understanding gender identity and expression | Ontario Human Rights Commission. https://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/policy-preventing-discrimination-because-gender-identity-and-gender-expression/appendix-b-glossary-understanding-gender-identity-and-expression

What is Gender?

The Ontario Human Rights Commission provides the following definitions which are useful when discussing Gender Equity:

Gender identity is each person’s internal and individual experience of gender. It is their sense of being a woman, a man, both, neither, or anywhere along the gender spectrum. A person’s gender identity may be the same as or different from their birth-assigned sex. Gender identity is fundamentally different from a person’s sexual orientation. 

Gender expression is how a person publicly presents their gender. This can include behaviour and outward appearance such as dress, hair, make-up, body language and voice. A person’s chosen name and pronoun are also common ways of expressing gender. 

Trans or transgender is an umbrella term referring to people with diverse gender identities and expressions that differ from stereotypical gender norms. It includes but is not limited to people who identify as transgender, trans woman (male-to-female), trans man (female-to-male), transsexual, cross-dresser, gender non-conforming, gender variant or genderqueer. 

Discrimination happens when a person experiences negative treatment or impact, intentional or not, because of their gender identity or gender expression. It can be direct and obvious or subtle and hidden, but harmful just the same. It can also happen on a bigger systemic level such as organizational rules or policies that look neutral but end up excluding trans people. Friends, family or others who face discrimination because of their association with a trans person are also protected. 

Harassment is a form of discrimination. It can include sexually explicit or other inappropriate comments, questions, jokes, name-calling, images, email and social media, transphobic, homophobic or other bullying, sexual advances, touching and other unwelcome and ongoing behaviour that insults, demeans, harms or threatens a person in some way. 

The Manitoba Teachers’ Society, The Every Teacher Project on LGBTQ-Inclusive Education in Canada’s k-12 Schools Final Report (2015) also provides useful definitions:

Cisgender – A person whose gender identity aligns with conventional social expectations for the sex assigned to them at birth (e.g., a cisgender man is someone who identifies as a man and who was assigned male sex at birth). 

Sex/Gender Binary – The notion that there are only two possible sexes (male/female) and genders (man/woman), that they are opposite, distinct and uniform categories, and that they naturally align as male/man and female/woman (in other words, that gender is determined by sex).

Two Spirit – An umbrella term that reflects the many words used in different Indigenous languages to affirm the interrelatedness of multiple aspects of identity, including gender, sexuality, community, culture and spirituality. Prior to the imposition of the sex/gender binary by European colonizers, many Indigenous cultures recognized Two Spirit people as respected members of their communities and accorded them special status as visionaries, healers and medicine people based upon their unique abilities to understand and move between masculine and feminine perspectives. Some Indigenous people identify as Two Spirit rather than, or in addition to, identifying as LGBTQ. Two Spirit is a term that is only used people from within the Indigenous community; it is not a term for all people to use.

They / Them / Their – This report follows the emerging practice of using the plural pronouns “they,” “them,” and “their” as singular gender-inclusive pronouns (e.g., “The teacher taught their class”) to incorporate the evolution of language that seeks to expand the gender binary, particularly as it is constructed linguistically. 

The Ontario Human Rights Commission further outlines that everyone has the right to define their own gender identity. Trans people should be recognized and treated as the gender they live in, whether or not they have undergone surgery, or their identity documents are up to date.

Source: Human Rights in Ontario Gender identity and Gender expression. (2014). Ontario Human Rights Commission. Queen’s Printer for Ontario. 

General Education Resources
Performing Arts Resources
CODE Resources

Language 

https://qmunity.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Gender-Inclusivity-Sheet_PDF-web-SEPT-2016.pdf

Glossary of terms

https://qmunity.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Queer-Glossary_2019_02.pdf

https://www.genderspectrum.org/quick-links/understanding-gender/

Infographs

http://www.transstudent.org/graphics

resources

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/policyfunding/inclusiveguide.pdf

http://www.welcomingschools.org/pages/framework-for-developing-a-gender-inclusive-school/

http://www.etfo.ca/buildingajustsociety/lgbtq/pages/resourcesgenderindependentchildren.aspx

Building a Just Society. http://etfo.ca/BuildingAJustSociety/LGBTQ/pages/theeveryteacherproject.aspx

Human Rights in Ontario Gender identity and Gender expression. (2014). Ontario Human Rights Commission. Queen’s Printer for Ontario. 

Do

Here's Why

Why not try?

Pay attention to the language used in the classroom 

We inadvertently leave some students out when we use gender exclusive terminology

  • “Hi everyone”, “Hi folks", “Hi friends”, “Hi team”
  • "Your caring adult(s)", "Your siblings"

Consider gender conscious casting and role playing scenarios, avoid assigning roles that reinforce the binary

Gender is a spectrum and it is important to be mindful of inclusivity

Leaving gender out of the assignment of roles, as long as the role does not require the specificity of a particular lived experience (e.g., transgender, nonbinary experience)

Choose texts that represent a variety of gender identities and expressions

It is important for students to see themselves reflected in the content of what we study in class. Our classrooms are a space where students can be exposed to a variety of narratives and identities.

Seek out texts that speak to a diversity of identities and expressions.

Be mindful of perpetuating gender stereotypes by connecting colour, style, preferences, activities, etc. to specific genders

Colours, style, preferences, activities are not gender based

Gently remind students that blue does not have a gender, etc.

Examine gender issues through the fiction of drama. Be mindful of singling students out who may have personal experience with the topics being explored

Exploring gender issues in drama takes place safely under the guise of fiction and of playing role. Drama in education is separate and different from Drama Therapy. Drama Therapy approaches are not part of the Ontario Curriculum.

Know the resources in your Board that can provide specific supports to students grappling with gender identity. Be explicit about setting boundaries in class surrounding sharing personal stories. Consider explicitly teaching "Circles of Friendship" to support student understanding of which stories are community stories and which stories are only shared with their inner circle, etc. The classroom can be a positive space for examining gender issues; however, it is also a public space, e.g. Avoid assuring students that “everything that happens in drama stays in drama and is private”.

Avoid making assumptions about students’ genders or the genders of those in their family

Assumptions can become microaggressions if they are repeatedly experienced by the individual. Assumptions also erode trust and erase the possibility of complex lives. All students benefit from a model who disrupts common assumptions.

Model a habit of offering your pronouns and providing students with opportunities to share preferred pronouns with you, if desired. Comply with your board's policy and the advice of your union about eliciting pronouns for all students. Do not request students to share their pronouns publicly - it may place students in a position of "outing" themselves to peers before they are ready or putting them in a situation where they need to erase their identity to stay safe.

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