A Safe Space?

By: Olivia Passmore

This article is dedicated to Lizz Dettmer.

A Safe Space?

By: Olivia Passmore

This article is dedicated to Lizz Dettmer.

School is supposed to be a safe space. A comfortable space. A place where students should be able to express themselves in whatever way makes them happy. A place where students should be able to be themselves without boundaries holding them back. Well this may be the case for many students here; it is not the case for all of them. Transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming students do not always feel comfortable being themselves here. While there are many supportive faculty and students here, who embrace name and pronoun changes in an attempt to make students feel the most comfortable, there are still many who do not recognize the impact this change will have on these students. High school students are still developing, and figuring out ones gender identity can be a very difficult thing in a teenager’s life. They need a place to feel accepted and valued, and they should get this respect at school. Transgender, non-binary, and GNC individuals will often go through a process called transitioning, a process of going from what others have labeled them as to who they truly are. Transitioning is an individual journey, and will look different for everyone. Changing ones name is often times a part of this process, though it is important to remember that not everyone will change their name, or even their physical appearance, but respecting someone’s identity, no matter what stage of transition they are in, is vital in making sure the individual feels accepted. For those who do change their name, respecting this name change is very important. By law, schools are required to accommodate name and pronoun changes for transgender, non-binary, and GNC students, but at Wheatland chili, if a non-binary or GNC student requests a name or pronoun change, they will be denied under the pretense that they are not “fully trans.” Dead names are attached to any document, attendance sheet, or yearbook provided by the school, which is why it is a big deal when this cannot be changed for said students. Dead naming someone or using incorrect pronouns is a harmful act, and it will make the person feel invalid in their identity. Transgender, non-binary, and GNC students will often feel ostracized by peers, and use of their dead name or incorrect pronouns will add to this feeling of isolation