School Bathrooms and Locker Rooms Don’t Have to be a Nightmare
Published: October 18, 2011
Bathrooms and locker rooms currently pose a safety risk for many transgender and gender nonconforming students. Policy change, implementation and education can greatly reduce this risk. Read stories from students about how these situations impact their opportunities and environment for learning and academic achievement.
Nik
“I am transgender. I was born female but identify as male. During ninth grade, as a student at my previous school, I experienced significant harassment because of my masculine gender expression. I was pushed into lockers, verbally harassed, and students threw things at me. Some of the most consistent and sustained harassment came from just trying to use the bathroom. I was chased out of bathrooms by my peers as well as my teachers - going for eight hours without being able to use the bathroom. I was told by my teachers and school administration that I couldn’t change in the locker room for gym class, but changing for gym was a requirement for passing the class. My teachers and school administrators punished me for not being prepared for class, and allowed other students to bully and harass me. The insults were so degrading and hurtful I started skipping class, and eventually started skipping the whole day.
As a student who is passionate about learning and about the future of my education, the conditions at my school were unbearable. A year of missing gym put me behind, but no one would help. I moved from school to school, yet faced the same type of issues. Last year I finally moved to a new school. With support from the Gay-Straight Alliance Network , I educated my new school about Education Code 220 and the nondiscrimination laws. I asked to be treated in ways that are consistent with my gender identity. It was a much better year for me. I was allowed to use the male bathroom and locker room which corresponds with my gender identity and safety was no longer a problem. My teachers have educated each other and even my peers. I no longer get bullied. If anyone does make an inappropriate remark, my teachers educate them, making me feel safe and making learning much easier in all my classes.”
Isobel
“As a youth whose presentation was much more feminine than that of a typical ‘biological male’ student, using the boys’ restrooms and locker rooms was always an uncomfortable experience that I tried to get over with in as little time as possible. Because of my gender presentation, it's not likely that I would fit well in the girls’ restrooms, either. Though I was fortunate not to be very seriously harassed, I did experience name calling and slurs, and regularly received unpleasant looks that just made using the restrooms more uncomfortable. It would have been much nicer if my school had been proactive on this kind of issue and had offered a gender neutral bathroom and changing area as an option.”
Syd
“I started using the boys’ bathroom after I “came out” as transgender in eighth grade. None of my peers objected. A few asked, I explained, and the general reaction was "Okay.” The administration, however, told me I couldn’t use the boys’ room because it might make someone uncomfortable. They told me to use the nurse’s bathroom instead, which made me late to class. They treated me like I was a trouble maker when all I wanted to do was use the bathroom that fits my identity. They were more concerned with potentially hurt students who didn’t really exist (at least, none came forward) than the real, actual student in visible turmoil in front of them. This hurtful situation could have been avoided if the staff at my school participated in non-discrimination training that addressed discrimination and harassment and how to handle transgender issues. Also, a viable gender-neutral bathroom, not an itty-bitty, out-of-the-way nurse’s bathroom, would have helped.
High school was better. The staff made every effort to accommodate me without stepping on others’ toes. They addressed the bathroom/locker room question straightforwardly and with minimal histrionics. Thanks to their sensibleness, I can use the boys’ bathroom at school and I got changed in the nurse’s bathroom for PE. My ninth grade PE teacher made sure I did not feel stigmatized by this, and treated all of his students as equally as possible, regardless of gender. With this support, I now feel more comfortable and able to participate fully in school.”
Impact on academic achievement
When students feel unsafe, they are more likely to be truant or academically disengaged. School bullying has been linked to absenteeism from school and diminished future academic aspirations (e.g., attending college) (GLSEN, 2009). Hear from students how bullying and harassment impacts their ability to be engaged and learn in school.
Nik
"My experiences of bullying and harassment made me doubt that I would even be able to obtain an education. It made me lose hope on my future and my grades which ultimately led me to just drop out to avoid the harassment and give up on high school in general. I never thought I would go back to school – I didn't want to because I was so scared the same thing would happen over and over again. It made me despise school and avoid interaction with any students or anyone my age, because I felt inferior to anyone who attended school and I felt anyone at any point could put me through the harassment that I had already faced at school.”
Isobel
Fortunately, my grades were not hurt by the hate I came into at school. I was lucky not to feel so threatened that I'd had to stay home from school. However, I was not a common case. I had the mindset to turn these thoughts around and use my negative experiences as motivation to be an activist. However, most students don't have the resources I had and are hurt very deeply by homophobia and transphobia.”
Providing Support
These stories provide a glimpse into the learning environments some students in California are experiencing. For more information on how to provide a safe learning environment for all children, click here.
We would like to thank t. aaron hans, former Advocacy Program Manager at Gay-Straight Alliance Network, and the students who shared their stories, for contributing to this edition of Link to Learning: Healthy Students, Ready to Learn.