Embodied and Interpersonal Experiences of Gender Diverse Youth

1. D. M. Maynard, MS/MA Educator/Author Maynard’s W.I.S.D.O.M., Inc. Embodied and Interpersonal Experiences of Gender Diverse Youth S.J. Langer, LCSW-R Private Practice Faculty, School of Visual Arts

2. Do no Harm • Ethical treatment, not opinion • Know school policy & guidelines

3. Where to start • *You are the front line and you must educate yourself, be prepared, & get continuous training • *Strategize which teacher and/or staff is open to learning how to support these students • *Do not assume that if someone identifies as LGBTQQIA+, that they are knowledgeable, the best ambassador, and/or the only choice • *Do not assume religious staff or those of certain cultures will not be an excellent voice or choice • *Gossip vs. confidentiality issues

4. Proper Training for ALL Those Involved

5. Things You Need To Know

6. Gender Trauma • The residual effect of living with an incongruent gender. • Free Energy Principle – dyshomeostasis • Dissociation • Hypervigilance

7. More than minority stress • Minority Stress Model – Ilan Meyer • Body distress not only social stress • Cortisol Levels – DuBois et al, 2017 • Increase in health risks connected to stress and stigma not sex hormones

8. Intersectionality • Trans youth of color have higher rates of suicide attempts, homelessness, sexual assault and school expulsions. • No difference in family acceptance rates. • James, Brown, & Wilson, 2017a ; James et al., 2016 ; James, Jackson, & Jim, 2017b; James & Magpantay, 2017 ; James & Salcedo, 2017

9. Resources

10. Gender Assessment • What pronoun do you prefer? • What name do you prefer? • How do you identify your gender? • Has that changed over time? • Are there aspects about your gender which you are thinking about? • Are there aspects of your gender expression you are thinking about?

11. This is a Must and Critical • Correct pronoun/s, gender marker, and name changes can save a student’s life! (Use of: They/Them) • Computer log in, attendance sheets, & sub plans must all contain the current pronoun/s, gender marker, and name change. • There needs to be consistent training for all newly hired staff and/or visitors: hand-out.

12. This is a Must and Critical • Discuss social media etiquette and preferences. for each student: ASK THEM! • Need to know policy & guidelines for: graduation, proms, clothing at religious, and/or private schools. • Next year’s teacher and related personnel must be informed every year (Just like IEP follow-ups). • If you don’t know: ASK, RESEARCH, and ACQUIRE CURRENT TRAINING-DO NOT ASSUME ANYTHING!

13. “I Am My Own Gender”: Resilience Strategies of Trans Youth • 19 trans youth participated in a phenomenological study of their resilience strategies for navigating stressors in their lives. The authors identified 5 supports and 6 threats to participants’ resilience. Singh, Meng, Hansen 2014

14. “I Am My Own Gender”: Resilience Strategies of Trans Youth • Resilience: • (a) ability to self-define and theorize one's gender • (b) proactive agency and access to supportive educational systems • (c) connection to a trans-affirming community • (d) reframing of mental health challenges • (e) navigation of relationships with family and friends. Singh, Meng, Hansen

15. “I Am My Own Gender”: Resilience Strategies of Trans Youth • 6 major threats to participants’ resilience were: • (a) experiences of adultism • Not believing and honoring youths’ experiences of themselves • (b) health care access challenges • (c) emotional and social isolation • (d) employment discrimination • (e) limited access to financial resources • (f) gender policing. Singh, Meng, Hansen

16. Resilience & Trans YouthPredictors of positive mental health outcomes

17. Persuading hearts and minds

18. Social Transition interventions • Clothing • Haircut/Wigs • Make-Up • Binding • Tucking • Movement • Name Change • Pronoun Change • Gender Marker Change • Living as Affirmed Gender • Voice

19. Medical Transition interventions Available to Youth • GnRH Hormone Blockers • Gender affirming hormone treatment (Testosterone or Spironolactone/Estradiol/Estrogen) • Top Surgery • Chest masculinizing Mastectomy 18 y/o and up • Facial Feminization Surgery • Tracheal Shave • Body Contouring/Filling • Breast implants, hips • Bottom Surgeries • Vaginoplasty, Orchiectomy • Hysterectomy/Oophorectomy, Metoidioplasty, Phalloplasty

20. Testosterone Treatment and MMPI–2 Improvement in Transgender Men: A Prospective Controlled Study • 163 participants in baseline and 3 month follow-up were administered the MMPI-2 • Transmen who had not yet started or were within a month of beginning T • Controls of cis-men and cis-women (2014) Colton L. Keo-Meier, Levi I. Herman, Sari L. Reisner, Seth T. Pardo, Carla Sharp, and Julia C. Babcock Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0037599

22. Classroom practices • *Survey Questionnaires for Parents & Students • (First day or send home prior to the first day) • *Lining-Up • *Graphing • *Non-Gendered Centers/Stations • *Party Invitations/Playdates After School: • Meet-the-Teacher Night/Day & at Parent Conferences • *Pink/Blue -”That’s so gay!” • *Seating & Grouping

23. Classroom practices • *Class Parties & Gifts: Holiday Times • *Reading Literature (Non-Gendered Characters) • *Specials: Music (Voice Parts & Grouping), • Media/Library & Art (Various Gendered Books), • & PE (Teams) • *Language Classes (Pronouns & Gender) • *Subject Word Problems • *Classroom Jobs

24. Williams Institute – Suicide & Pronouns The study showed a positive effect on kids who could use their chosen name even in one place (school, home, with friends, etc.), with a 29-percent decrease in suicidal thoughts, compared with peers who couldn’t use their chosen name.  Kids who could use their chosen name at work, school, home and with friends experienced 71 percent less symptoms of severe depression, 34 percent less reported thoughts of suicide, and a 65-percent reduction in suicidal attempts, compared with peers who could not use their chosen name, the study found.

25. Working with Parents & caregivers Three tasks: • gaining awareness of the origin of parents’ concerns • understanding where parent identities create challenges for affirming/supporting the child’s gender • psychoeducation and coaching • An Intersectional Approach to Therapy with Transgender Adolescents and Their Families Rachel Lynn Golden · Matthew Oransky Archives of Sexual Behavior 2018

26. Working with Parents & caregivers • What were the parents’ reactions to gender in uterine at birth? • How has culture/religion/race/socio-economic factors impacted family’s perception of gender? • What are parents’ mourning about the loss of their child’s gender? • What are they afraid will be the outcome of transition? (Medically, socially, violence, stigma, shame, loss of community, going to hell, etc.) • Focus on the types of support they can provide. • Find a compromise!

27. Trainings Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy- Psychotherapy Center for Gender & Sexuality (PCGS) Philadelphia Trans-Health Conference – July For Community (Free) and Professionals (training workshops for a fee) WPATH.ORG

28. Protect Trans Youth Thank you www.jkp.com S.J. Langer Slangerlcsw@gmail.com www.sjlanger.com @sj_langer D. M. Maynard dmmaynardworkbook@gmail.com www.maynardswisdom.com @DMMaynard1