Working with schools

School support

Increasingly, schools are providing staff training, supporting GSAs (Gender and Sexuality Alliances) and QSAs (Queer Straight Alliances), and establishing policies to ensure equitable access to education for gender creative A term that refers to children who identify and express their gender in ways that differ from societal and cultural expectations. Some gender creative children grow up to be trans and some do not. and trans students. Many preschools and daycares provide staff training and create environments that support gender exploration and creativity. 

Unfortunately, schools can also be a place where children and youth experience bullying, harassment, and discrimination based on their gender expressions or identities. 

Gender support plans

Whether or not your child goes to a school that has experience providing an affirming environment for gender creative A term that refers to children who identify and express their gender in ways that differ from societal and cultural expectations. Some gender creative children grow up to be trans and some do not. and trans students, you may need to advocate for your child. 

A gender support plan helps to create a shared understanding of how a student’s authentic gender will be acknowledged and supported at school. 

Engaging with the school

Here are some suggestions for approaching your child’s school to develop a gender support plan:

• Talk with your child about what kinds of support they would like from the school. Find out if they have any current or expected issues. Discuss whether or not they would like to be part of the school meeting.
• Find out if the school or district has a policy or procedure in place to support gender creative and trans students.
• Connect with other parents of gender creative and trans students within your school district.
• Identify a trustworthy contact person who can provide guidance about how systems work in your child's school or district. This might be a teacher, counsellor, administrator, diversity liaison, SOGI Lead or GSA/QSA sponsor.
• Write down the support you would like in place, and be prepared to explain why they are important for your child — you may not need to provide an explanation, but it's helpful to be prepared.
• If your child is connected with any professionals (such as a counsellor or doctor), consider having them write a letter detailing the kinds of support your child requires.
• Bring a support person with you to the meeting, if needed.

Elements of a support plan

Your child's plan should address your child's unique needs. Below are eight elements to consider in a School Gender Support Plan:

1. Identification — Ensures correct names and pronouns are respected within the school community, on school records and in correspondence.
2. Confidentiality — Establishes who will be aware of your child's gender creative or trans identity, how they will protect your child's privacy and a procedure for maintaining their privacy.
3. Safety — Identifies one or more contact people within the school your child can go to in case they feel unsafe.
4. Washrooms and changerooms — Ensures access to washrooms and change rooms where your child feels most comfortable.
5. Dress guidelines — Outlines dress guidelines based on school policy and accommodations for your child.
6. Inclusive learning materials — Allows review of available learning materials and resources for students, parents and personnel, including anti-harassment/bullying policies.
7. Gender inclusive activities — Identifies the supports needed for participation in school and extracurricular activities.
8. Educator training — Allows review of required and optional training for school personnel.

Use this list to create your own support plan or you can download the detailed School Gender Support Plan template by Gender Spectrum.

Some helpful web resources

• BC Government: Erase Discrimination
• SOGI 123: SOGI-inclusive schools
• Trans Care BC: Queer Straight Alliance information
• Trans Rights BC: Legal rights of trans students in British Columbia

SOGI 123

SOGI 123 is a B.C.-wide resource supporting 2SLGBTQ+ inclusive school policy, procedures and environments as well as teaching resources. If you and your child need support, reaching out to your school or school district’s SOGI lead is a good first step. 

If you need help finding a SOGI contact to connect with, contact the Trans Care BC health navigation team. 

Resources for schools

Ideally, your child’s school will be affirming, already have policies and procedures in place and have experience providing support to gender creative A term that refers to children who identify and express their gender in ways that differ from societal and cultural expectations. Some gender creative children grow up to be trans and some do not. and trans students. However, it is good to be prepared to provide some education and resources to the school staff. 

The following resources may be helpful for you to review and share with them:

• Trans Rights BC — This website has information on the rights of trans students in public and independent schools in British Columbia.
• SOGI 123 — This organization helps educators make schools inclusive and safe for students of all sexual orientations and gender identities.
• Supporting Transgender Students in K–12 Schools — This guide for educators comes from Canadian Teachers’ Federation.
• Schools in Transition — This guide supports transgender students in K–12 schools.
• Affirming Gender in Elementary Schools: Social Transitioning — This resource offers steps and advice on how to make elementary schools more gender-affirming.
• Queer Straight Alliances — Queer A reclaimed term for non-heterosexual or non-cisgender people. "Queer" provides convenient shorthand for "LGBT2Q+", and is also used by some people to describe their personal identities. Straight Someone who is primarily attracted to people of the "opposite" gender within a binary understanding of gender. Alliances (QSAs), also known as Gender and Sexuality Alliances (GSAs), are groups that provide opportunities for students of all gender identities to come together in a safe environment.