There’s a sentiment you thought you’d never read coming from me but when talking about the trans issue, my opinion doesn’t matter.
A little background. I have coached the SVHS girl’s golf team for 9 years and in that time I don’t know how many trans kids I’ve had. See, I also just completed my 25th year in the classroom where I have had trans kids and my message is simple, glad you’re being your authentic self, I will protect you and provide a safe learning environment just like I do for all students, your path will be difficult but you knew that already and I’d rather not talk about issues below the waist.
It’s a simple policy but it’s gotten me this far. And my message to all the other talking heads in the virtual world, your opinion doesn’t matter either. See, coaches have to follow California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) rules and if I don’t want to follow those rules, I’m sure there’s someone else who will.
And guess what, trans kids have been around forever as have gay kids and developmentally disabled kids and autistic kids and ADHD kids, and “at risk” kids and all the other, othered kids who we label and try to medicate and provide modifications for. What is the common trait? They’re kids first, labels second.
High school is an incredible, scary, fun, miserable, defining time, just like life. It’s when you try on lots of new clothes and hopefully move towards defining who you are and how you fit in the world. Some excel, some flounder, some decide they’re not happy with the body they were born with.
Think that’s a new thing? Listen to the Kink’s “Lola” or Lou Reed’s “Walk on the Wild Side” or Google Renee Richards or Hijra in India or Two-Spirit Indigenous people. Sorry haters, trans has been around for a long time and it isn’t going anywhere.
I had a student a few years ago who transitioned and was new to our school. I thought I was being the cool teacher and bought books and developed lessons about the issue then when I presented it to the student, They said, “No, I don’t really want to read that.” So, I gave the books to our counselor and moved on. Listen to the kids, always.
And the pronoun “They”? Whatever, I call students the name they want to be called anyway.
I used to make a joke years ago that I was going to recruit golfers from the boy’s golf team, have them put on skirts and dominate the league. I don’t make that joke anymore (actually, I kinda just did) out of fear that someone will take it seriously.
We need to have these discussions because there is a fairness issue as Gavin Newsom said, but we should also have discussions about othering all students and how we can support everyone.
I kinda like the new CIF double winners solution and if Justin Sienna has a trans girl this year who dominates the golf season because she can drive 350 yards, that will have to be looked at. But that’s an issue for the people who are in charge of making those decisions.
My job is to engage students and othering them does not do that.
Plus, my opinion doesn’t really matter.
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