Voices of Transgender Children in Early Childhood Education

• In Event: 45.079 - Transgender and Gender-Expansive Youth: Supporting and Affirming Queer Identities

Abstract

Cisnormative educational settings inadvertently binarize individuals young children. These settings are compounded by hostile peer interactions (rife with bullying), lack of civil protections for trans students, and a dearth of teacher training about LGBTQ+ youth. Trans students are forced to perform normative gender expressions to survive. In our study, 10 diverse trans adults shared their early childhood education experiences. They often found it easier to befriend other children who were rejected socially and utilized a variety of different strategies to cope with bullying (which sometimes resulted in disciplinary action). Those interviewed recalled many negative interactions with teachers, though caring/nurturing educators helped tremendously. They experienced isolation and lacked parental and peer support. Finally, they offered advice for supporting trans students.

Authors

• Ashley Lauren Sullivan, The Pennsylvania State University - Erie, The Behrend College

• Laurie Urraro, The Pennsylvania State University - Erie, The Behrend College