Statement on Reversal of Title IX Guidance for Transgender Students
Mental and emotional safety are our primary concerns in ensuring LGBTQ youth, including transgender and gender-liberated youth, have opportunities to succeed.
When a young person goes to school, feeling safe in a bathroom should never be in question.
A study from The Williams Institute showed 54 percent of transgendered young people reported adverse health effects from trying to avoid using public restrooms, such as dehydration, kidney infections, and urinary tract infections.
Studies also show that LGBTQ youth in schools with inclusive and supportive curriculum reported 50% less violence and discrimination than those whose schools lacked organizational support.
Hetrick-Martin Institute supports policies and practices that empower transgender and gender liberated youth to use the bathroom of the gender they identify with in all academic settings.
All young people should have access to schools that recognize and celebrate students’ authentic selves.
HMI stands by the following:*
- Transgender and gender-liberated students deserve schools that celebrate and value diversity.
- Transgender and gender-liberated students deserve schools where oppressive language and behavior which denies their humanity is always addressed and curtailed.
- Transgender and gender-liberated students benefit when curriculum is inclusive of their identities.
- Transgender and gender-liberated students deserve access to facilities that are aligned to their gender identity.
- Transgender and gender-liberated students deserve to be addressed by their chosen names and pronouns.
- Transgender and gender-liberated students deserve to have school dress codes that do not limit, but instead affirm their identities.
- Transgender and gender-liberated students deserve to be protected by comprehensive policies which provide clear guidelines for supportive and inclusive schools.
*Created in partnership with GLSEN.
