2SLGBTQ+ Inclusive School Supports

Do your lessons and classroom conversations use gender-inclusive language?  

Do your classroom activities and structures represent and support diverse gender identities?   

Do we unintentionally make assumptions about students or normalize heteronormativity?  

Does your school culture promote the use of inclusive, gender-neutral language?

Use inclusive language, chosen names, and correct pronouns to make everyone in your school community feel valued and seen. 

Here’s how...

• Default to gender-neutral language
  • When addressing a group, use terms like students, folks, athletes instead of ladies/gentlemen, girls/boys
  • If you don’t know what someone’s pronouns are, default to using the person’s name or they/them pronouns when referring to them
  • When referring to relationships and family structures, use neutral terms like partner, spouse, sibling instead of boyfriend/girlfriend, husband/wife, sister/brother
• Standardize respect for correct names and pronouns across students and school staff (refer to Egale Canada’s Pronoun usage guide)
• Make space for students and staff to identify their chosen name and pronouns in school systems (e.g., registration forms, attendance lists, school email addresses)
• Allow for a student’s chosen name/pronoun information to be updated within school systems without legal documentation or parental consent
  • Ensure the student is leading the decision/disclosure process

Are two-spirit, trans, and nonbinary students and staff able to access and safely use school spaces (e.g., washrooms, change rooms)?

Safer physical spaces can be:

1)      Private (single stall) with all-gender signage

2)      Shared (binary) with signage that explicitly invites folks to use the space they feel most comfortable with.

Create safer spaces for students to use the washroom and to change their clothes for physical education or extra-curriculars, without judgement and harassment.

Here’s how...

• If there’s the opportunity to renovate/build new spaces (e.g., when a new school is being built), advocate for private, all-gender washroom and change spaces to be integrated into the design
• If there’s no opportunity to renovate/build new spaces:
  • Post signage on shared, binary spaces (e.g., traditional boys/girls washrooms) that invites folks to use the space they feel most comfortable with. Do not make assumptions about which space would be most comfortable; allow the individual to decide for themselves
  • Post all-gender signage on private (single stall) spaces (Note: ensure availability of at least one private, single stall washroom in the school)
  • Make students aware of these spaces and their right to access them (and avoid barriers to access such as asking the office for a key each use)
  • Educate the school community about the importance of having safer physical spaces
  • Consider creating an FAQ document to share with the school community
  • Integrate inclusive washrooms into school policies and guidelines
  • As staff, monitor and ensure the safety of washroom and change room spaces

Does your school have a Gender & Sexuality Alliance (GSA) or other 2SLGBTQ+ student organization/club?

Create or maintain this important venue for 2SLGBTQ+ youth and allies to form connections and friendships, and experience safety at school.

Here’s how...

If students have come forward with an interest in establishing a GSA:

• Support student leaders with what they need to get a GSA started (e.g., approval to form, space to meet regularly, ability to promote the group, access to an educator advisor, funding, tools to lead the group)
• Share resources to guide student leaders, e.g.
  • Starting a GSA at your school
  • 10 steps for starting a GSA
  • Tools for student groups: developing accountable and healthy group norms
  • Where possible, ensure student voices are setting the priorities and direction

If students have not come forward, school administrators can ask educators to offer to work with students to start a GSA.

Policies and Guidelines

Does your school or school board have explicit anti-discriminatory policies and guidelines that protect 2SLGBTQ+ students and staff?

Create policies and guidelines that help foster consistent safer practices and processes.

Here’s how...

Implement/modify (or advocate for the implementation of) the following policies and guidelines:

• Dress code and uniforms 
  • Modify dress code to be gender-neutral (including uniforms)
  • Allow students to wear the clothes/uniform they’re most comfortable with
  • Make rules about garments themselves, regardless of the gender of the student wearing the garment
• Transition plan for students and staff
  • Create a policy or guideline to support students or staff who are transitioning to affirm their gender identity (e.g., changes to name and/or pronouns, transition related hormones, surgeries) to facilitate any needed changes in the school environment
  • Use the policy or guideline to develop an individualized student/staff-led transition plan (including if and what they want to communicate, where, to whom)
  • Ask the student/staff member where they feel the most vulnerable and what you can do to make them feel safe and supported
  • Draw on resources like Rainbow Health Ontario’s Schools in transition: A guide for supporting transgender students in k-12 schools to inform your practice
• Bullying/harassment
  • Specifically prohibit and address bullying and harassment based on sexual orientation and gender identity (as per the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accepting Schools Act)
• Suicide prevention/intervention
  • Consider the 2SLGBTQ+ population in suicide prevention/intervention policies and guidelines, because they are at elevated risk of suicide
• Safer physical spaces (if applicable)
  • Integrate safer physical spaces (e.g., washrooms, change rooms) into policies and guidelines

Social Culture

Does your school ensure equal access to school facilities, sports teams, student organizations, and all other extracurricular activities?

Reflect on the current social culture of school activities and take opportunities to make them more inclusive.

Here’s how...

• Consider how current school practices may reinforce the gender binary (e.g., prom king and queen, Battle of the Sexes activities) and look for ways to make them more inclusive
• Select school plays with fewer gender-defined roles and/or implement flexible casting on gendered roles
• Reduce barriers to participating in sports teams using Egale Canada’s 2SLGBTQI Sports Inclusion: Playbook to breaking down barriers
• Allow trans and nonbinary students to play on the sports team of their choice (Note: OFSAA supports student-athlete participation on a team of their lived gender)
• Avoid categorizing students by gender (e.g. girls vs. boys in gym class, girls vs. boys lineups)

Do your school staff receive regular training on how to create a safe and affirming learning environment for 2SLGBTQ+ students?

Provide meaningful learning opportunities for school staff to support the mental health of 2SLGBTQ+ students. 

Here’s how...

• Provide educators with regular training on 2SLGBTQ+ competencies and how to create a safe and affirming learning environment for 2SLGBTQ+ students
• Ensure existing trainings (e.g., suicide prevention/intervention, anti-bullying) are linked to the experiences of 2SLGBTQ+ students
• Reflect on your own values, beliefs, and biases using Cultural Humility Self-Reflection Tool for School Staff
• Learn about and share online/local resources

Does your school celebrate the presence and accomplishments of the 2SLGBTQ+ community?

Show your school’s pride and support for the 2SLGBTQ+ community.

Here’s how...

• Develop campaigns and host events to foster education, community, and celebration of gender and sexual diversity
  • This would be a good opportunity to partner with your school’s GSA (if applicable)
• Mark and/or celebrate important moments like Pride month
  • Refer to 2SLGBTQI Dates of Significance

Does your school have visible indicators of 2SLGBTQ+ inclusion that welcome and affirm students, staff, and families?

Create opportunities for your school community to see themselves reflected in the space.

Here’s how...

Does your school have a feedback process in place for 2SLGBTQ+ students, staff, and families?

Ask your school community for feedback to ensure changes made are having a positive impact.

Here’s how...

• Evaluate whether your school environment is a welcoming space by asking 2SLGBTQ+ students, student organizations, staff, families, and local organizations to provide feedback
  • Complete an equity walk with key members of the school community
  • Invite advocates from organizations that support 2SLGBTQ+ youth to tour the school
  • Provide students, staff, and families the opportunity to give anonymous feedback
  • Invite a local GSA or other 2SLGBTQ+ student organization to play an active role in creating a more inclusive school environment