The presence of misinformation on the internet is creates barriers for people looking to better understand transgender inclusion and gender identity inclusion resources. As LGBTQ2I+ inclusion educators, part of our priority is making real and factual information accessible. Simplifying the processes for building inclusive and equitable work spaces, and inclusive classrooms, requires knowing how to find accurate information and resources. This post looks at common myths and misinformation around transgender identities, and gives you simple steps to bust them.

“The more an idea is tied to your identity, the more you will ignore evidence it is false. To continue to grow and learn, you must be willing to update, expand, and edit your identity.”

James Clear

Taken from a Blog post and updated Feb. 20 2021 before our 3rd annual 2021 Inclusive Classes Read Nova Scotia event: part of Trans Awareness Week, Nov. 12th – 19th, here I examine a harmful myths and propaganda around transgender people.

Background

Since 2016, North America saw the first openly trans employee hired in the White House. They called it a ‘Transgender Tipping Point’ when Laverne Cox made the cover of Time magazine. Meanwhile, in Canada, Bill C-16 passed in June 2018, creating a new law which explicitly prohibits discrimination against transgender Canadians and affords them protection against hate crimes.

In many ways, despite the progress made, Canada and the US are dangerously stalled. Reported violence towards 2SLGBTQIA+ communities has increased by more than 140% between 2016 and 2021. Across Canada, there is a rising trend of hateful actions, rhetoric, and harassment. Recognizing the significance of transgender inclusion and resources on gender identity will strengthen allyship and promote inclusive workplaces and classrooms.

In 2017, research indicated one third of all trans people in the UK suffered hate crimes:

In the UK, two in five (41 per cent) of trans people have experienced a hate crime because of their gender identity in the past 12 months. This figure shot up to 53 per cent for young trans people aged between 18 and 24. Additionally, more than a third of all trans people suffered hate crimes in 2017, research suggests. Therefore, if we want progress, we need to be able to discern between what is real and what is fake news. Source

Fake News

Fake news about gender identity makes people believe that trans children don’t exist. It paints a picture that being trans is a ‘condition’, or that they will change their mind if left alone. Some even promote conversion therapy for parents. A more suitable term for fake news could be fear-based news.

Change takes time. For many years, North American society has been taught that there are only two genders. This can make it uncomfortable to talk about gender identity. People who were taught there are only two genders may feel conflicted about what they’re now hearing.

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The Myths

From bathroom threats to children unable to discern their own gender; to better understand transgender inclusion and gender identity inclusion resources, let us examine the myths prevalent in 2016:

Myth #1

Myth #1 of the article focuses on the bathroom and sadly this still provokes violent feelings and polarization. So much so, in southern U.S. parents at a local Jr. High threatened on social media to kill a trans child for using the bathroom.

The idea that trans people are sexual predators is ignorant and discriminatory.

Many transgender people already use the bathrooms that fit their gender identity. At the time of writing this, the state of Maryland, hundreds of cities and dozens of schools ban bathroom discrimination. And there have been no reported cases of such laws leading to harassment.

Meanwhile some trans youth are so scared to use the bathroom that aligns with their identity, they’re experiencing extreme dehydration from not drinking fluids or they are holding their bladders to the point of injury.

Simple Steps:

• Provide an ‘Everyone Washroom’ or gender neutral option in your workplace or school
• Clearly train your staff and provide access to information about expectations supporting this policy.
• Check out 3 Top Tips for creating trans inclusive washrooms

While some schools in Nova Scotia have incorporated ‘everyone’ washrooms that support anyone who would like a little privacy once in a while, there is still a long way to go. Allocating a teachers washroom for transgender students often proves ‘othering’ and harmful. My own kiddo was often called out by substitute teachers assuming a student was sneaking into their loo…. or by students asking, ‘why are you using the teachers washroom?’.

This results in being counter-intuitive to creating safe spaces.

Myth #2: children are too young to know gender identity or be transgender

It’s important to note there is vast progress being made to counter presumptions around trans youth. The American Academy of Pediatrics released in Sept. 2018 a standard of care recommendation for all health care providers supporting trans youth and gender diverse children. It’s accurate and medically backed by an association of more than 67,000 children’s health specialists. We help summarize the the AAP’s recommendations in a Blog post in the Healthcare section.

The understanding of gender identity in young children can be complex. At the age of two or three, they start forming their sense of self and picking up cues from the world around them. They learn about themselves and notice societal norms. For example, a three-year-old may recognize logos from popular places, like the golden arches of McDonald’s, even if they’ve never been there. This shows their early cognitive development and how they absorb information from the environment. It’s remarkable how young children grasp elements of their identity and their surroundings.

Being transgender is not an identity choice.

Being transgender is a deeply personal and integral aspect of an individual’s identity. It is important to acknowledge that being transgender is not a choice, but rather a fundamental part of who a person is. For many transgender individuals, their identity is a deeply held truth that they have come to understand and embrace over time. It is essential to show respect and empathy towards transgender individuals, recognizing and affirming their experiences and identities. In doing so, we can contribute to creating a more inclusive and understanding society for everyone.

In the inclusion video below, Cynthia Sweeney speaks with Co-Author DeShanna Neal and Author Theresa Thorn about their children’s storybooks focusing on gender identity and inclusion, featuring trans characters and celebrating diversity in an education, classroom-friendly way. Both My Rainbow and It Feels Good To Be Yourself were featured books in the 3rd annual Inclusive Classes Read Nova Scotia in February 2021. DeShanna and Theresa share as mother’s, why it was important for them to have transgender inclusive language to be able to connect with young children about gender identity: 

PFLAG Canada chapters are seeing more and more families with young gender creative / gender diverse children between ages 3-to-10 years old, needing support.

Key areas include:

• Acceptance
• Normative
• Education

‘Awareness is key as it leads to a more informed and accepting society. The feeling of isolation is high for our community which often leads to a higher risk for depression.’ 

PFLAG Canada Durham Region

After a Grade 8 trans youth was brutally assaulted in school on Jan. 11th in British Columbia, while fellow students stood around and video recorded the girl being kicked and punched by two students, we spoke to Pflag Durham Advocate and Elementary School Principal Barry Bedford on Hey, Cis!  In episode #11, Ally is a Verb and not a Noun, we talk about transgender inclusion in schools, why pronouns are important in gender inclusion and identity, transphobia and homophobia and how educators can break down stigma in early childhood education:

You may also enjoy listening to Episode #2 when we talk to nurse practitioner and mom, Megan Kean about the importance of inclusion in classrooms and how her daughter’s Grade 1 teacher created safe space for her child to be herself.

Myth #3. Being transgender is relatively new

Anti-trans sites (disguised as helpful resources) emphasize trans youth as victims of a phenomenon, attention seeking or subjects of a made-up, medically unrecognized term called, Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria. It’s positioned as a phase and provides a platform for hate-oriented organizations to promote conversation therapy, ‘a cure’, because they’re transphobic and don’t recognize trans people as human beings.

A teacher reading a book about gender identity, will not make a child want to change their gender. It may help a child find words to describe how they’re feeling; make them feel less alone; and help end stigma surrounding gender diversity.

Myth #4: Transgender people often come to regret transitioning

Being transgender is NOT a phase.

The concept of a phase, particularly when it pertains to child development, typically encompasses a span of around 8 months. It’s crucial to address the inaccuracy and harm of the widespread belief that a child can ‘outgrow’ or ‘desist’ from their gender identity. This misconception not only fosters stigma and prejudice but also contributes to the mistreatment of transgender youth and gender diverse communities. The impact of perpetuating such beliefs can be profound, leading to barriers in access to affirming care and support systems for these individuals, which in turn can have long-term detrimental effects on their well-being and mental health. Therefore, it’s essential to advocate for accurate, compassionate understanding and support for transgender and gender diverse youth, emphasizing the importance of affirming their identities and experiences.

There’s this stat out there claiming that 80% of kids will stop questioning their gender if you just leave them alone. It’s like the first thing that pops up when new parents of gender nonconforming kids search the topic. But, here’s the thing – that stat’s completely false. The research behind it was debunked ages ago, and the person who came up with it got their license taken away. Yet, this fake stat keeps floating around, scaring people for no reason.

Here’s what the AAP (American Association of Paediatrics) knows about this:

‘…research substantiates that children who are prepubertal and assert an identity of TGD know their gender as clearly and as consistently as their developmentally equivalent peers who identify as cisgender and benefit from the same level of social acceptance.’

…rather than focusing on who a child will become, valuing them for who they are, even at a young age, fosters secure attachment and resilience, not only for the child but also for the whole family.

Uncovering Misinformation and Flawed Methodology

The spread of false information, sometimes pretending to be real research, is a big problem today. When groups against transgender people purposely promote stories that hide their bad methods, it’s important to carefully look at this kind of content. By showing the tricky ways these groups use and exposing the true reasons why they share wrong information, we can have open and honest conversations.

 Here’s what the AAP has to say about it: 

“The AAP agrees with most people who’ve looked at those studies and finds they have “validity concerns, methodologic flaws, and limited follow up on children who identified as TGD”

AAP

They don’t. When supported, very few trans people feel regret.

With regard to surgeries and the regret myth, #NYB or… not your business to even go here in conversation.

Interjecting personal opinions on the deeply personal nature of health-related matters, or questioning whether one should even feel comfortable interjecting opinions on someone’s medical treatment or body-related questions, leads to the importance of emphasizing the sensitivity of these topics.

• If the answer is NO, then same goes here. If you haven’t done your research; you haven’t spoken to any trans people; how can you presume you’ve any knowledge worth offering?
• An important caveat about gender affirming surgery; trans people are trans people. Whether or not someone has surgery, has no reflection on them being trans. We all have decisions to make around being comfortable in our bodies.

On mental health and trans identities:

“Being transgender or gender variant implies no impairment in judgment, stability, reliability, or general social or vocational capabilities; however, these individuals often experience discrimination due to a lack of civil rights protections for their gender identity or expression. … [Such] discrimination and lack of equal civil rights is damaging to the mental health of transgender and gender variant individuals.” https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/142/4/e20182162/37381/Ensuring-Comprehensive-Care-and-Support-for?autologincheck=redirected

Here’s a full link to the AAP’s policy statement .