Its up to us, as adults, to be the voice for our children. All children matter, ALL lives matter. Unfortunately some aren't treated like their lives matter as much as others do. Like their rights and safety and well being don't matter as much, because they don't fit into the status quo and because they're not understood. Do any of you remember high school? Children can be cruel, their words damaging, their bullying having life long lasting effects. Why would any adult not want ALL children to be included in a nondiscrimination policy? This is 2015, and its time to finally leave all of our outdated, bigoted beliefs in the past, where they belong. Here's a little food for thought, if you even care that is:
•Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among young people ages 10 to 24.
•LGB youth are 4 times more likely, and questioning youth are 3 times more likely, to attempt suicide as their straight peers. [2]
•Suicide attempts by LGB youth and questioning youth are 4 to 6 times more likely to result in injury, poisoning, or overdose that requires treatment from a doctor or nurse, compared to their straight peers.
•Nearly half of young transgender people have seriously thought about taking their lives, and one quarter report having made a suicide attempt.
•LGB youth who come from highly rejecting families are 8.4 times as likely to have attempted suicide as LGB peers who reported no or low levels of family rejection.
•1 out of 6 students nationwide (grades 9-12) seriously considered suicide in the past year.
•Suicide attempts are nearly two times higher among Black and Hispanic youth than White youth.
•Each episode of LGBT victimization, such as physical or verbal harassment or abuse, increases the likelihood of self-harming behavior by 2.5 times on average.
(Stats from The Trevor Project website)
Doug - 9 years ago
Realization of self actualization in the lives of all of humanity is pertinent to the growth, development, and well being of us as a species. Taking a moment to observe and reflect on what matters most is of greater value than pointing fingers and placing blame. If we only allowed ourselves to be more informed about an issue, we wouldn't be so fearful of the outcome. Belief is based on information passed down from one generation to the next and by allowing ourselves to be influenced by other misguided individuals. This topic has the potential to stretch our insecurities to the breaking point if we allow it to do so. Whereas changing the way we view it by attempting to see the situation from another perspective will not only open minds but encourage growth. We can no longer allow ourselves to be so reactive about what we truly don't understand. None of us have walked in another's shoes and therefore have no ground to stand upon when taking a stance in judgment. With this being said, I am Doug.
I did not begin my life as Doug, but rather I chose my path in the process of my own self actualization. As a child, I was consistently mistaken for a boy - even as an infant my mother, in spite of dressing me in pink, was inevitably informing people that I was a girl and couldn't they tell since she had so intentionally dressed me in little girls clothes?! As a youth, I was referred to as "son" by men who might ought to have known. As an adult, a dear friend informed me that I "confused people", as though I was doing so intentionally. If I hadn't already begun to identify as the opposite gender before then, those who didn't know me already had. Being informed I was in the wrong restroom was not unfamiliar to me. But this topic really has nothing to do with restrooms and lockers and everything to do with acceptance and None judgment. If we would take more time to look within and be content with who we all are divinely and uniquely created, we would move quickly beyond such ignorance and truly understand that life is about loving one another in spite of our differences...whatever they may be.
Taeleyn Scharr - 9 years ago
"As if puberty is not hard enough for adolescents..." and exponentially harder for transgender adolescents who are discriminated against and demeaned for living true to themselves. Girls do not have to "worry about guys in their bathrooms...." They have to worry about their makeup, their hair, their clothes, their grades, whether the guy or girl they like likes them back...you know, normal adolescent stuff. The transgender girl who may be in the next stall should only have to worry about the same things, not whether she is going to be kicked out of the bathroom when she really needs to pee.
Education is a fundamental right for ALL students, regardless of gender.
Dick Kloppel - 9 years ago
Updating BP 3210 to address transgender issues was a very forward looking, move by GFPS. Like it or not, this issue is part of today's reality and it will be only a matter of time before schools across the state and nation are faced with it. By addressing it proactively, GFPS is able to avoid scrambling to react when the situation arises in our District.
Tom Glover - 9 years ago
Yes this statement of non-discrimination is necessary and long overdue. Gender assignment at birth was and is an arbitrary decision made at birth and has had a detrimental effect on the lives of people for generations.
The problem with deciding a person's sexual preference is not something new but indeed kept secret because of ignorance and fear.
Such ignorance and fear was on display at the school board meeting. The people afflicted with this fear would spit out the word "transgender" with contempt. It was embarrassing to watch.
Ignorance is a deadly affliction saw well it consigns so many of our young people to troubled lives, homelessness, and suicide. An appalling percentage of thirty percent attempt to take their own lives.
Not necessary? Long overdue remedie for victims of ignorance, fear and hatred.
Jo jones - 9 years ago
No. Is this really necessary? As if puberty is not hard enough for adolescents, now young girls have to worry about having guys in their bathrooms and possibly their locker rooms? Another reason to pull your kids out of the public school system and send them to a private school of your choosing. Have we not other fish to fry like low education levels compared to other western countries, high drop out rate and our communities epidemic of child abuse?
Its up to us, as adults, to be the voice for our children. All children matter, ALL lives matter. Unfortunately some aren't treated like their lives matter as much as others do. Like their rights and safety and well being don't matter as much, because they don't fit into the status quo and because they're not understood. Do any of you remember high school? Children can be cruel, their words damaging, their bullying having life long lasting effects. Why would any adult not want ALL children to be included in a nondiscrimination policy? This is 2015, and its time to finally leave all of our outdated, bigoted beliefs in the past, where they belong. Here's a little food for thought, if you even care that is:
•Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among young people ages 10 to 24.
•LGB youth are 4 times more likely, and questioning youth are 3 times more likely, to attempt suicide as their straight peers. [2]
•Suicide attempts by LGB youth and questioning youth are 4 to 6 times more likely to result in injury, poisoning, or overdose that requires treatment from a doctor or nurse, compared to their straight peers.
•Nearly half of young transgender people have seriously thought about taking their lives, and one quarter report having made a suicide attempt.
•LGB youth who come from highly rejecting families are 8.4 times as likely to have attempted suicide as LGB peers who reported no or low levels of family rejection.
•1 out of 6 students nationwide (grades 9-12) seriously considered suicide in the past year.
•Suicide attempts are nearly two times higher among Black and Hispanic youth than White youth.
•Each episode of LGBT victimization, such as physical or verbal harassment or abuse, increases the likelihood of self-harming behavior by 2.5 times on average.
(Stats from The Trevor Project website)
Realization of self actualization in the lives of all of humanity is pertinent to the growth, development, and well being of us as a species. Taking a moment to observe and reflect on what matters most is of greater value than pointing fingers and placing blame. If we only allowed ourselves to be more informed about an issue, we wouldn't be so fearful of the outcome. Belief is based on information passed down from one generation to the next and by allowing ourselves to be influenced by other misguided individuals. This topic has the potential to stretch our insecurities to the breaking point if we allow it to do so. Whereas changing the way we view it by attempting to see the situation from another perspective will not only open minds but encourage growth. We can no longer allow ourselves to be so reactive about what we truly don't understand. None of us have walked in another's shoes and therefore have no ground to stand upon when taking a stance in judgment. With this being said, I am Doug.
I did not begin my life as Doug, but rather I chose my path in the process of my own self actualization. As a child, I was consistently mistaken for a boy - even as an infant my mother, in spite of dressing me in pink, was inevitably informing people that I was a girl and couldn't they tell since she had so intentionally dressed me in little girls clothes?! As a youth, I was referred to as "son" by men who might ought to have known. As an adult, a dear friend informed me that I "confused people", as though I was doing so intentionally. If I hadn't already begun to identify as the opposite gender before then, those who didn't know me already had. Being informed I was in the wrong restroom was not unfamiliar to me. But this topic really has nothing to do with restrooms and lockers and everything to do with acceptance and None judgment. If we would take more time to look within and be content with who we all are divinely and uniquely created, we would move quickly beyond such ignorance and truly understand that life is about loving one another in spite of our differences...whatever they may be.
"As if puberty is not hard enough for adolescents..." and exponentially harder for transgender adolescents who are discriminated against and demeaned for living true to themselves. Girls do not have to "worry about guys in their bathrooms...." They have to worry about their makeup, their hair, their clothes, their grades, whether the guy or girl they like likes them back...you know, normal adolescent stuff. The transgender girl who may be in the next stall should only have to worry about the same things, not whether she is going to be kicked out of the bathroom when she really needs to pee.
Education is a fundamental right for ALL students, regardless of gender.
Updating BP 3210 to address transgender issues was a very forward looking, move by GFPS. Like it or not, this issue is part of today's reality and it will be only a matter of time before schools across the state and nation are faced with it. By addressing it proactively, GFPS is able to avoid scrambling to react when the situation arises in our District.
Yes this statement of non-discrimination is necessary and long overdue. Gender assignment at birth was and is an arbitrary decision made at birth and has had a detrimental effect on the lives of people for generations.
The problem with deciding a person's sexual preference is not something new but indeed kept secret because of ignorance and fear.
Such ignorance and fear was on display at the school board meeting. The people afflicted with this fear would spit out the word "transgender" with contempt. It was embarrassing to watch.
Ignorance is a deadly affliction saw well it consigns so many of our young people to troubled lives, homelessness, and suicide. An appalling percentage of thirty percent attempt to take their own lives.
Not necessary? Long overdue remedie for victims of ignorance, fear and hatred.
No. Is this really necessary? As if puberty is not hard enough for adolescents, now young girls have to worry about having guys in their bathrooms and possibly their locker rooms? Another reason to pull your kids out of the public school system and send them to a private school of your choosing. Have we not other fish to fry like low education levels compared to other western countries, high drop out rate and our communities epidemic of child abuse?