“In order to fully advocate for and discuss transgender and other gender nonconforming student populations, it is important to understand the terminology within the LGBTW community, as there are diverse linguistic and socio cultural connotations attached to the different terminologies within this communities. In fact, the concept of gender itself is far more complex than a simple binary of male vs. female identity” (Kurt, 2007, p.5).

This article of Kurt (2007) brings up some of conversations I have had recently, specifically in regards to separate ‘all gendered’ bathrooms. A lot of talk is circulating around the topic of what it means to be transgendered or how one identifies regardless of their biological sex, which one of my classmates also brought up. I also have realized that many people challenge the separate bathroom movement versus everyone simply just using the same bathroom. Basically, there are a lot of ethical and moral conflicts with it due to what we all have historically been taught of what a woman is and what a man is, and how each one should act. I chose the above quote, however, because I was part of a conversation in which one person said, “I respect those who do not identify with their biological sex, but HOW can one possibly deny it or not at all identified by it? I just don’t get it”. Although we all discussed it and shared real-life examples of why this can and does happen (which I find completely natural), I wish I would have been able to say the following: “Gender is made up of three parts (at least) A- your biological sex, B- your outward expression of your gender, and C- your identity, meaning, how we feel about who are” (Kurt, 2017). We don’t need to always understand why, but we need to know that this is real and as much as it exists, it is legitimate.
Then there’s the bathroom conversation… HOW can we normalize that, and HOW can we defend it better? I agree that students (and people in general) should not feel like they are now being segregated due to their own unique gender identity, and that conversations of acceptance in schools need to be happening more and in an open and honest, respectable manner. All students deserve to feel equally protected and motivated to express themselves and who they believe themselves to be, rather than letting them ‘slip through the cracks’ and hinder their performance interpersonal relationships, academics, feeling of belonging, etc.