title for transgender essay

102 Transgender Essay Topics & Research Paper Titles

Are you looking for the best transgender essay topics? On this page, you’ll find a perfect title for your essay or research paper about gender identity, LGBT rights, and other transgender-related issues. Read on to get inspired by research topics on transgender prepared by StudyCorgi!

🏆 Best Transgender Research Paper Topics

🎓 interesting transgender essay topics, 👍 good transgender research topics & essay examples, 🌶️ hot research topics about transgender, 📝 transgender argumentative essay topics, ✒️ more transgender topics for essay.

• Transgender Women in Sports
• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Activism
• The Issue of Transgender Discrimination
• Transgender People in the Olympic Games
• Transgender People and Healthcare Barriers
• Viviane Namaste and Julia Serano’ Views on Transgenders
• Transgender Offenders in the Criminal Justice System
• Transgender Women Athletes in Professional Sports The inclusivity and legal recognition suggest that transgender athletes are welcome to participate in competitive sport given they meet the established requirements.
• Transgender Issues in Cis- and Trans-Made Movies This paper discusses the implications of transgender and transsexual experience from the outside and from within, particularly how they are represented and how the public sees it.
• Challenges of Transgender Patients Transgender patients have to face a certain amount of resistance and discrimination in society regularly, this group of people has to deal with certain challenges in the health care arena.
• The Fight for $15 Movement vs. the Transgender Law Center For an examination of non-profit organizations, it will be convenient to use case studies. The Fight for $15 movement and the Transgender Law Center will be used as comparisons.
• Health Disparities of Transgender Population The problem is centered around the healthcare inequality experienced by members of the transgender community, where the barriers include financial factors and discrimination.
• Clinically and Culturally Competent Care for Transgender and Non-Binary People The analyzed review can be considered an essential step toward a better understanding of how to work with such groups.
• Transgender People in Prisons: Rights Violations There are many instances of how transgender rights are violated in jails: from misgendering from the staff and other prisoners to isolation and refusal to provide healthcare.
• Transgender People: Prejudice and Discrimination Transgender remains a stereotyped sexual identity, and these individuals face prejudice from critics, religious leaders, and the vast majority of society.
• Transgender Health Disparities and Solutions People who identify as transgender, intersex, gender non-conforming, or gender diverse have exacerbated health disparities compared to other people.
• Mental Healthcare Services for Transgender Individuals This research paper suggests a range of options to treat mental health and related illnesses among the non-binary populations.
• Transgender Prisoners and How They Are Treated According to international studies, transgender persons are a particularly defenseless population in the correctional structure, with their most necessities often being withheld.
• Media Coverage of Transgender Policy in Military This paper aims to provide an annotated bibliography for the ten articles related to the topic of media coverage of transgender policy in the military.
• Transgender Support Group Meeting and Its Importance The transgender support groups allow people to connect and talk about issues that they have faced in their lives.
• Transgender Movement: Overview and Importance Ultimately, policies, guidelines, or steps ensure that the social change that the transgender movement is yearning for can be realized.
• Transgender Health Care in the USA: Then and Now The change of physical appearance or function through clothing, medical, surgical, or other means often becomes part of the personal gender experience of a transgender person.
• Why We Shouldn’t Compare Transracial and Transgender Identities To compare transracial identity with transgender identity is to reduce both to a set of immutable rules, be it rules of biology or society – and this is a very wrong approach.
• Conflict Between Transgender Theory, Ethics, and Scientific Community This essay aims to give answers to questions of ethics within the transgender topic and research fraud based on scholarly articles and presentations by Dr. Q Van Meter.
• The Problem of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Youth Suicidality Recently, there was a sharp increase in cases of suicides committed by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer youth.
• Transgender Care: Challenges, Implications In a healthcare setting not putting effort into ensuring diverse patient groups are treated with professional finesse with no regard for their differences is a timely issue.
• Critical Thinking and Transgender Ethics Sexual orientation and preference is a debated and complex topic involving biological aspects, including hormones, which can alter and change people’s behavior and feelings.
• Trump Administration and Transgender Discrimination The paper reviews one of the recent issues that caught the public eye and media attention is the Trump administration’s treatment of transgender people’s healthcare rights.
• Gender Non-Conforming or Transgender Children Care The purpose of this paper is to discuss the challenges to be aware of when working with gender non-conforming or transgender children and adolescents.
• Transgender People’s Challenges Within Healthcare This paper aims to discuss the challenges in healthcare that the transgender community faces and how the challenges affect their overall health outcome.
• Transgender Care by Healthcare Professionals Transgender patients require healthcare professionals who are conversant with their experiences and who can treat them with utmost respect and dignity.
• Transgender Bias in News Coverage In the context of increasing LGBTQ activism and recognition, transgenderism faces the greatest controversy and public backlash.
• Transgender Children’s Issues in Society The topic of transgender children in society proves to be divisive and is widely discussed by parents, teachers, clinicians, and politicians.
• Transgender Community and Heterosexism in Language The term “transgender” became commonly used only by the end of the 20th century. Not all transgenders commenced using this and preferred to pass as a different gender.
• Healthcare System: Transgender Patients Discrimination According to the statistics, almost 1 million Americans identifies themselves as transgender, making it a numerous population subgroup that is likely to expand in the future.
• Transgender Patients Problem and the Consequences of Discrimination Transgender patients come across different forms of harassment and do not have the same access to services as other people do.
• Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Children This paper discusses the issues a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner should be aware of when interacting with transgender and gender non-conforming children and adolescents.
• Transgender Patients and Health Care Challenges One of the challenges encountered by transgender patients refers to the lack of adequate access to healthcare services.
• Transgender Care and Health Care Professionals Despite the adoption of policies aimed at limiting discrimination, transgender people still face daily challenges in the aspects of employment, education, and healthcare access.
• Transgender Healthcare Barriers in the United States This paper examines central barriers to high-quality health care and includes practices employed to address the issue and some recommendations.
• Transgender Patients: Challenges & Discrimination in Healthcare It is worth noting that the concept of transgenderism implies a state of internal imbalance between the real and desired gender of an individual.
• Healthcare Challenges of Transgender Patients Transgender individuals have health problems common for the whole population and frequently face challenges in healthcare settings related to inadequate healthcare.
• Transgender Patients and Challenges in Health Care The community remains predominantly marginalized, with policies and laws denying them recognition of their gender, making accessing health care very challenging.
• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Patients’ Therapy The current quality of managing the needs of the representatives of the LGBT community needs a significant improvement.
• Transgender Patients and Nursing Health Management There is a growing recognition today among health care providers and researchers that patients’ transgenderism may become a factor in their care.
• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender in Hospital The paper discusses the cultural competency concept since it appears to be of critical importance for the profound understanding of the problems of the LGBT community.
• Challenges to Transgender Patients Despite the recent attention to the issues of transgender people, the level of discrimination against them is still incredibly high.
• Discrimination Faced by Transgender Patients Contemporary hospitals are not designed for transgender people, therefore, they can have many troubles there ranging from the unfriendly environment of a hospital and doctors.
• Transgender-Associated Stigma in Healthcare Transgender individuals are people who assume a gender definition of identity that differs from gender assigned to them at birth.
• Transgender Disorders and Homosexuality There is a lot of evidence of both the genetic mechanisms’ and surroundings’ influence on people’s sexual preferences. However, the environment is more responsible for such choice.
• Transgender and Problems with Healthcare Services Transgender individuals find it difficult to approach physicians because it is difficult for them to reach needed treatment.
• Transgender People in Healthcare Facilities Gender nonconforming and transgender people face discrimination in almost every sphere of human activity. It has a negative impact on the access of these groups to primary care.
• Transgenders Discrimination from Healthcare Providers The transgender community reports that at the moment, it faces numerous barriers to care because of health workers` inability to consider their specific needs.
• Transgender, Its History and Development Transgender is not a new concept and people have discussed the issues associated with it since the 19th century.
• Problems of Transgender Patients in Health Care A number of transgender patients admit cases of discrimination from the health care workers. From 30% to 60% of the representatives of this group face biased attitude.
• Transgender Discrimination in Health Care This paper investigates the discrimination that transgender persons are subjected to in the health care setting in more detail.
• Transgender Community’s Treatment in Healthcare This paper discusses the transgender community and the discrimination that affects them every day, especially in healthcare, and how we can help stop it.
• Principles of Healthcare for Transgender Patients
• Characteristics of Interpersonal Relationships and the Transgender Community
• Improving Correctional Healthcare Providers’ Ability to Care For Transgender Patient
• Analyzing Transgender Communities Rights
• General Information About Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Rights Movement
• Transgender Equality and the Progression of the Employment Non-Discriminate
• Beyond Depression and Suicide: The Mental Health of Transgender College Students
• Violence Against Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, and Transgender
• Transgender Men and Women Have Been Around for Centuries
• Quality Healthcare for Transgender People
• Role of African American Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Men in Contemporary Society
• Public Bathroom Controversies Due to Transgender Issue in America
• Hate Crimes Against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender
• Empowering and Educating About the Transgender Sodality Through Social Media and Laws
• Transgender Youth Homelessness: Understanding Programmatic Barriers Through the Lens of Cisgenderism
• Policies and Best Practices for Transgender Hiring Organizations in India
• Transgender Rage: The Compton’s Cafeteria Riot of 1966
• The Pros and Cons of Transgender and Gender Nonconforming
• Proper Communication With the Transgender Community
• Gender Dysphoria and the Persecution of Transgender People
• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender U.S. Legal Questions
• Informal Mentoring for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Students
• Transgender Rights Under Bigotry and Ignorance
• Differences Between Gender Feminism and Transgender Activism
• Transgender Rights and Surviving Hate Crimes in the Case of Cece McDonald
• Should transgender adolescents have access to gender-affirming treatments?
• Is transgender representation in media crucial for promoting transgender rights?
• Transgender athletes in competitive sports: equality or unfair advantage?
• Is religious freedom incompatible with protecting transgender rights?
• Transgender parenting rights: why do they deserve equal protection and recognition?
• Transgender people in prisons: how should they be placed and protected?
• Should puberty blockers be banned?
• Should transgender people be disqualified from military service?
• Is it ethical for homeless shelters to discriminate against transgender individuals?
• Should non-binary gender be legally recognized?
• The importance of inclusive terminology for protecting transgender rights.
• Mental health challenges faced by transgender youth.
• The role of transgender activists in driving social change.
• How can religious beliefs help and hinder transgender rights promotion?
• Challenges faced by transgender parents.
• Ways to support transgender youth in schools.
• The relationship between transgender identity and body positivity.
• Comparing transgender rights in different countries.
• Transgender identity and aging: unique challenges.
• The impact of corporate policies on transgender workplace inclusion.

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StudyCorgi. (2021, December 21). 102 Transgender Essay Topics & Research Paper Titles. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/transgender-essay-topics/

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StudyCorgi . "102 Transgender Essay Topics & Research Paper Titles." December 21, 2021. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/transgender-essay-topics/.

StudyCorgi . 2021. "102 Transgender Essay Topics & Research Paper Titles." December 21, 2021. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/transgender-essay-topics/.

These essay examples and topics on Transgender were carefully selected by the StudyCorgi editorial team. They meet our highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, and fact accuracy. Please ensure you properly reference the materials if you’re using them to write your assignment.

This essay topic collection was updated on January 9, 2024 .

85 Transgender Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best transgender topic ideas & essay examples, ⭐ simple & easy transgender essay titles, 📌 most interesting transgender topics to write about, 👍 good research topics about transgender.

• Aspects of Equality for Transgender Athletes The authors of the article claim that transgender athletes deserve equal representation and the right to participate in competitions in the divisions of the gender they identify themselves by referring to social structures and justice.
• The Issue of Transgender in Sporting Activities Transgender women’s increased body strength and mass make it unfair for them to compete with cisgender women in the same sporting categories. The IOC sets the recommended testosterone level for transgender women to participate in […] We will write a custom essay specifically for you by our professional experts 808 writers online Learn More
• Transgender Women Should Be Allowed to Compete in Olympic Sports It is all due to the higher level of testosterone in their bodies and that some of them can pretend to be transgender to compete against women.
• Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for Transgenders The representatives of the EEOC are able to investigate each case of discrimination in different organizations using the law and the intentions of people to leave in an equal society.
• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Subculture The pioneers of such campaigns disagree with the ideas and behaviors associated with the LGBT Subculture. These celebrations “have also made it easier for different members of the subculture to network and exchange their views”.
• Xaniths as a Transgender in Omani Culture The Xaniths are the third gender within the Omani social system. The Xaniths represents the transsexuals and homosexuals within the Omani society.
• Transgender Bathroom Policies in Schools The topic of why transgender pupils cannot simply utilize private rooms designated for such gender identification, given that individuals who identify as boys and girls have their washrooms, is at the heart of the discussion […]
• Equality of Transgender and LGBTQ+ Populations The principles of the struggle for the transgender and LGBTQ+ populations should include respect for the choice and self-identification of a person.
• Transgender Student-Athlete Participation Policy The updated regulations place the decision to let transgender sportsmen take part in the competition in the hands of the national governing body or, in the absence of such, of a sport’s international federation.
• Health Disparities in the Transgender Community The purpose of the research study is to improve health disparities in the transgender community by eliminating financial barriers, discrimination, lack of cultural competence of providers, and socioeconomic and health system barriers that will increase […]
• The Transgender Teens Policy Issues Problem recognition involves recognizing that policies serving to protect the interests of transgender teens need proper enforcement or even proper formulation to ensure effectiveness in protecting and ensuring the best interests of the children.
• Transgender Women in Sports: Is the Threat Real? In this regard, it can be argued that the advantages of transgender women are a barrier to women’s sports. However, the topic of transgender people has received the most discussion in the last few years […]
• The Advantages of Transgender Women Are a Barrier to Women’s Sports The main counterargument of proponents of transpeople participation in women’s sports is that there is no proven link between biology and endurance.
• The Article “The Transgender Threat to Women’s Sports” by Abigail Shrier Abigail Shrier’s article The Transgender Threat to Women’s Sports provides a series of arguments and evidence that support the idea of excluding transgender people from women’s sports.
• Transgender Women Take Part in Sports Competitions The issues that support this statement are unequal muscular mass of men and women unchanged by transgender therapy; and unequal height and length of the body needed in game sports and jumping.
• Transgender Participation in Sports Among the successes in resolving the subject of transgenderism in society, medicine, psychology and sports, scientists include the exclusion of transgender issues from the sections of psychiatric diseases, and their inclusion in the section of […]
• Transgender Teenagers and Obstacles They Face Transgender teens are one of the most vulnerable groups of people due to the enormous amount of discrimination and everyday challenges they face.
• Aspects of Identity: Transgender Status, Gender Identity In many countries in Europe and the rest of the world, the whites always obtain more benefits at the expense of the people of color and other races.
• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Families’ Issues In tendency for this, it is essential to analyze issues faced by such families in the community and thus provide recommendations on approaches to adopt during counseling sessions of LGBTQ families.
• Considering Social Acceptability of Transgender and Transracial Identities This essay will examine two articles providing different views on transgender and transracial identities and argue that considerations used to support the transgender community are not transferable to the issue of transracial.
• Transgender Athletes in Female Sports Teams Thus, there are two contrasting views: to allow transgender people to compete in the women’s competition or organize separate competitions for them.
• Anti-Transgender and Anti-LGBQ Violence Crisis in the US The vicious circle of minority stress that leads to marginalization and the marginalization that contributes to the stigma has to be broken.
• LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) in Canada, Japan and China With a perfect understanding of the LGBTQ issue in Canada, my team and I started to compare LGBTQ in Canada, China, and Japan.
• Why LGBTQ+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer) Is Becoming Popular In the context of the continuity of experience, morality, and moral values, it is appropriate to emphasize one of the most apparent global trends, namely the gradual recognition of the inalienable rights of the LGBTQ+ […]
• Harassment of Young Adults Who Are Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning According to the professional code of ethics, it is the duty of a social worker to help people in need and with problems.
• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Ideation, Correlations With ‘Suicidality’ In addition, experience of verbal ill-treatment and physical assault intensified feeling suicidal for both heterosexual and gay or bisexual men, not just for homosexual men alone as contained in many research findings, and that social […]
• Transgender in Jewish Religion Transsexual people identify as or desire to live and be accepted as a member of the gender opposite to that assigned at birth.
• Ethical Issues of the Transgender Rights One of the most significant burdens transgender people experience is the recognition of their identity. Therefore, to increase the chances for transgender adults’ health care, it is important to pay thorough attention to any signs […]
• Growing Up Transgender: Malisa’s Story on NBC News It is essential to develop a better understanding of the concept of gender in relation to children and their development to ensure the protection of the interests of all people and, thus, improve their lives.
• Transgender Bathroom Rights and Legal Reforms One of the themes that deserve discussion is the possibility of creating transgender baths and the rights that can be given to this category of the population.
• Health Care for Transgender Individuals However, the medicalization of transsexualism made it more difficult to receive the treatment as individuals have to prove that they have such problems, and it is not just a temperate state of their mind that […]
• Racism in Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Transgenders Instead of supporting one another as members of a minority group, these people arrange internal arguments within the society of LGBT that leads to the increased feeling of depression and psychological pressure on behalf of […]
• Cancer Screening in Lesbians, Gays, Transgenders Moreover, one of the diseases that are the burden of American society as a whole and the LGBT population, in particular, is cancer.
• Transgender Issues in Modern Society The legalization of gay marriage in many countries did not lead to the eradication of homophobia, protection of women’s rights did not eliminate sexism and gender inequality present in many aspects of life, and the […]
• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender at Life Stages In general, all people are claimed to be equal in the USA, however, there is a high possibility to lose a job or fail to be applied to it if one is a representative of […]
• Transgender Bathroom Rights and Needed Policy In both articles, the subject of the study is the right of transgenders to access bathrooms according to the preferences of these people.
• Women in Sports: Policy for Transgender Players Drawing from this elucidation, the proposed policy statement on transgender participation in mixed leagues will not require transgender athletes to prove their gender identity through the testimony of professional experts and psychologists; on the contrary, […]
• Transgender People in the USA The statistics are impressive and, no matter how unpleasant it is to some of us, we have to face the reality that quite a large number of people in our society can be classified as […]
• Transgender Inclusivity in Higher Education The individuals and organizations opposing trans inclusion in higher education stress that one of the main purposes of all-female colleges is to ensure the safety of the female students.
• Transgender Students on Colleges: Needs and Challenges In order to accommodate all the involved groups of people, there is no attributed definition of transgender due to the diversity of the subject.
• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Sexuality in the Hispanic Culture Men are the breadwinners of the family, a duty that requires men to play the father figure role in the family.
• Transgender Issues in “The Crying Game” and “M. Butterfly” The acceptance of the phenomenon of transgender status in contrast to widely spread stereotypes on it is one of the central themes and moral messages of the 1992 movie The Crying Game and the 1993 […]
• Leslie Feinberg: Transgenders in “Stone Butch Blues” On one hand, traditionally, the transgenders have never assumed the authority held by men in the society and on the other hand, there is the issue that arises in a situation comprising of families composed […]
• Transgender People and the Rights Act of 1964
• Bathroom Discrimination Against the Transgender Community
• Unjust and Inhumane Transgender Discrimination
• Understanding Transgender People and the Discrimination They Face Today
• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights
• Treatment and Support for Transgender Children
• Transgender Individuals and Sex Reassignment Therapy
• Violence Against Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transgender
• Women, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights
• Transgender Sexuality and The Transgender Rights Movement
• Philosophy: Transgender and Radical Freedom
• Transgender People Face Harassment and Discrimination
• Transgender Sexuality and the Transgender Rights Movement
• Oppression and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Persons
• Understanding the Transgender Phenomenon
• Stigma and Discrimination That Transgender Individuals Experience
• Hate Crimes Against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender
• Discrimination Against Transgender Individuals Within Society
• Building Relationships With Transgender Individuals
• Domestic Violence and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Relationships
• Beyond Depression and Suicide: The Mental Health of Transgender College Students
• Transgender Rights and Representation in Sports
• Gender Dysphoria and the Persecution of Transgender People
• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Inclusion
• Critical Race Studies Program Panel Detention Conditions Facing Queer and Transgender Immigrants
• U.S. Politics and Society: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Political Identity
• The Health and Well Being of Transgender High School Students
• The Pros and Cons of Transgender and Gender Nonconforming
• Comparing Intersex and Transgender Females
• Capitalism and Its Impact on the Transgender Movement
• Transgender Surgery and the Separation Between Mind and Body
• Gender Differences Between Effeminate Boys and Transgender
• How Schools Can Support Transgender Students and Improve School Climate
• The Transgender Community For Hate Based Crimes of Violence
• Public Bathroom Controversies Due to Transgender Issue in America
• The First Transgender Woman to Speak at a Major Party Convention in America
• The Causes and Solutions to the Mental Health Issues of Transgender Youth
• Sexual Orientation, Sexual, And Transgender Orientation
• Researching and Working for Transgender Youth: Contexts, Problems and Solutions
• Transgender Orientation and The Transgender Community
• Why Transgender People Should Use the Public Restroom that Matches Their Gender Identity
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TOP 100 Gender Equality Essay Topics

Table of Contents

Need ideas for argumentative essay on gender inequality? We’ve got a bunch!

… But let’s start off with a brief intro.

What is gender equality?

Equality between the sexes is a huge part of basic human rights. It means that men and women have the same opportunities to fulfil their potential in all spheres of life.

Today, we still face inequality issues as there is a persistent gap in access to opportunities for men and women.

Women have less access to decision-making and higher education. They constantly face obstacles at the workplace and have greater safety risks. Maintaining equal rights for both sexes is critical for meeting a wide range of goals in global development.

Inequality between the sexes is an interesting area to study so high school, college, and university students are often assigned to write essays on gender topics.

In this article, we are going to discuss the key peculiarities of gender equality essay. Besides, we have created a list of the best essay topic ideas.

What is the specifics of gender equality essay?

Equality and inequality between the sexes are important historical and current social issues which impact the way students and their families live. They are common topics for college papers in psychology, sociology, gender studies.

When writing an essay on equality between the sexes, you need to argue for a strong point of view and support your argument with relevant evidence gathered from multiple sources.

But first, you’d need to choose a good topic which is neither too broad nor too narrow to research.

Research is crucial for the success of your essay because you should develop a strong argument based on an in-depth study of various scholarly sources.

Equality between sexes is a complex problem. You have to consider different aspects and controversial points of view on specific issues, show your ability to think critically, develop a strong thesis statement, and build a logical argument, which can make a great impression on your audience.

If you are looking for interesting gender equality essay topics, here you will find a great list of 100 topic ideas for writing essays and research papers on gender issues in contemporary society.

Should you find that some topics are too broad, feel free to narrow them down.

Powerful gender equality essay topics

Here are the top 25 hottest topics for your argumentative opinion paper on gender issues.

Whether you are searching for original creative ideas for gender equality in sports essay or need inspiration for gender equality in education essay, we’ve got you covered.

Use imagination and creativity to demonstrate your approach.

• Analyze gender-based violence in different countries
• Compare wage gap between the sexes in different countries
• Explain the purpose of gender mainstreaming
• Implications of sex differences in the human brain
• How can we teach boys and girls that they have equal rights?
• Discuss gender-neutral management practices
• Promotion of equal opportunities for men and women in sports
• What does it mean to be transgender?
• Discuss the empowerment of women
• Why is gender-blindness a problem for women?
• Why are girls at greater risk of sexual violence and exploitation?
• Women as victims of human trafficking
• Analyze the glass ceiling in management
• Impact of ideology in determining relations between sexes
• Obstacles that prevent girls from getting quality education in African countries
• Why are so few women in STEM?
• Major challenges women face at the workplace
• How do women in sport fight for equality?
• Women, sports, and media institutions
• Contribution of women in the development of the world economy
• Role of gender diversity in innovation and scientific discovery
• What can be done to make cities safer for women and girls?
• International trends in women’s empowerment
• Role of schools in teaching children behaviours considered appropriate for their sex
• Feminism on social relations uniting women and men as groups

Gender roles essay topics

We can measure the equality of men and women by looking at how both sexes are represented in a range of different roles. You don’t have to do extensive and tiresome research to come up with gender roles essay topics, as we have already done it for you.

Have a look at this short list of top-notch topic ideas .

• Are paternity and maternity leaves equally important for babies?
• Imagine women-dominated society and describe it
• Sex roles in contemporary western societies
• Compare theories of gender development
• Adoption of sex-role stereotyped behaviours
• What steps should be taken to achieve gender-parity in parenting?
• What is gender identity?
• Emotional differences between men and women
• Issues modern feminism faces
• Sexual orientation and gender identity
• Benefits of investing in girls’ education
• Patriarchal attitudes and stereotypes in family relationships
• Toys and games of girls and boys
• Roles of men and women in politics
• Compare career opportunities for both sexes in the military
• Women in the US military
• Academic careers and sex equity
• Should men play larger roles in childcare?
• Impact of an ageing population on women’s economic welfare
• Historical determinants of contemporary differences in sex roles
• Gender-related issues in gaming
• Culture and sex-role stereotypes in advertisements
• What are feminine traits?
• Sex role theory in sociology
• Causes of sex differences and similarities in behaviour

Gender inequality research paper topics

Examples of inequality can be found in the everyday life of different women in many countries across the globe. Our gender inequality research paper topics are devoted to different issues that display discrimination of women throughout the world.

Choose any topic you like, research it, brainstorm ideas, and create a detailed gender inequality essay outline before you start working on your first draft.

Start off with making a debatable thesis, then write an engaging introduction, convincing main body, and strong conclusion for gender inequality essay .

• Aspects of sex discrimination
• Main indications of inequality between the sexes
• Causes of sex discrimination
• Inferior role of women in the relationships
• Sex differences in education
• Can education solve issues of inequality between the sexes?
• Impact of discrimination on early childhood development
• Why do women have limited professional opportunities in sports?
• Gender discrimination in sports
• Lack of women having leadership roles
• Inequality between the sexes in work-family balance
• Top factors that impact inequality at a workplace
• What can governments do to close the gender gap at work?
• Sex discrimination in human resource processes and practices
• Gender inequality in work organizations
• Factors causing inequality between men and women in developing countries
• Work-home conflict as a symptom of inequality between men and women
• Why are mothers less wealthy than women without children?
• Forms of sex discrimination in a contemporary society
• Sex discrimination in the classroom
• Justification of inequality in American history
• Origins of sex discrimination
• Motherhood and segregation in labour markets
• Sex discrimination in marriage
• Can technology reduce sex discrimination?

Most controversial gender topics

Need a good controversial topic for gender stereotypes essay? Here are some popular debatable topics concerning various gender problems people face nowadays.

They are discussed in scientific studies, newspaper articles, and social media posts. If you choose any of them, you will need to perform in-depth research to prepare an impressive piece of writing.

• How do gender misconceptions impact behaviour?
• Most common outdated sex-role stereotypes
• How does gay marriage influence straight marriage?
• Explain the role of sexuality in sex-role stereotyping
• Role of media in breaking sex-role stereotypes
• Discuss the dual approach to equality between men and women
• Are women better than men or are they equal?
• Sex-role stereotypes at a workplace
• Racial variations in gender-related attitudes
• Role of feminism in creating the alternative culture for women
• Feminism and transgender theory
• Gender stereotypes in science and education
• Are sex roles important for society?
• Future of gender norms
• How can we make a better world for women?
• Are men the weaker sex?
• Beauty pageants and women’s empowerment
• Are women better communicators?
• What are the origins of sexual orientation?
• Should prostitution be legal?
• Pros and cons of being a feminist
• Advantages and disadvantages of being a woman
• Can movies defy gender stereotypes?
• Sexuality and politics

Feel free to use these powerful topic ideas for writing a good college-level gender equality essay or as a starting point for your study.

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Transgender Essays (Examples)

238+ documents containing “transgender” .

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Transgender employment discrimination.

Transgender Employment Discrimination There is a growing body of evidence that transgender individuals frequently experience some type of discrimination during the employment process in the United States today. Although there are only a few high-profile cases, there are a significant number of employment claims being asserted. In terms of numbers, the high was reached in 1994 when almost 92,000 discrimination charges were filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Since that time, the number of discrimination cases has ranged between 75,000 and 87,000 per year. Even more significant, the number of employment discrimination lawsuits filed in federal court almost tripled between 1990 and 2000. Although not as well documented, constitutional claims against public sector employers also have increased dramatically in recent years. These employment-related claims -- raising such important issues as privacy and equal protection rights -- have forced human resource management generalists to become minor constitutional scholars as they struggle….

Black's law dictionary. (1991). St. Paul, MN: West Publishing Co.

Condrey, S.E. (2005). Handbook of human resources management in government.

Christensen, J. (2008, December 2). Sex. gender. Employment discrimination: One woman's successful lawsuit against the Library of Congress could spell more legal victories for transgender employees across the country. The Advocate, 1020, 21.

Department of Health, Education and Welfare. "Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Handicap in Programs and Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance." 45 CFR §84.1 et seq.

Transgender Employee Performance Qualitative Comparison

The following dependent variables are proposed by the researcher based on information gathered from the previous research: marital status (Swan & Mazur, 2002), feelings, socioeconomic status (ACPA, 1995; Sanlo, 1998), self-esteem (Armino, 1993), and birth gender. eferences American College Personnel Association. (1995-Sept). Domestic partners project research. ichmond, VA: ACPA Standing Committee for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Awareness. Armino, J. (1993). acial identity as development theory: Considerations for designing leadership programs. Campus Activities Programming, 25(8):40-6. Eisner, E.W. (1991). The enlightened eye: Qualitative inquiry and the enhancement of educational practice. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company. Healy, M. & Perry, C. (2000). Comprehensive criteria to judge validity and reliability of qualitative research within the realism paradigm. Qualitative Market esearch, 3(3): 118. Landau, J. (2005). "Soft immutability" and "imputed gay identity" - ecent developments in the transgender and sexual-orientation based asylum law. Fordham Urban Law Journal, 32(2):237. Sanlo, .I. (1998). Working with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender college students: A handbook for….

American College Personnel Association. (1995-Sept). Domestic partners project research. Richmond, VA: ACPA Standing Committee for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Awareness.

Armino, J. (1993). Racial identity as development theory: Considerations for designing leadership programs. Campus Activities Programming, 25(8):40-6.

Eisner, E.W. (1991). The enlightened eye: Qualitative inquiry and the enhancement of educational practice. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.

Healy, M. & Perry, C. (2000). Comprehensive criteria to judge validity and reliability of qualitative research within the realism paradigm. Qualitative Market Research, 3(3): 118.

Transgender The Behaviors Acts and Transitions

Transgender- The Behaviors and Acts Leading up to a Transition Introduction Transgender, as a terminology, alludes to individuals whose sense of their gender is different from what would be anticipated based on the sex individualities that they are naturally born with. A transgender individual may identify as a trans woman, which means a person who has a self-concept that is female, with the endeavor to or has transitioned to living as a woman after being born with male genitalia. On the other hand, an individual who identifies as a trans man implies having a male self-concept despite being born with female genitalia. Furthermore, an individual who is non-binary does not identify stringently as a woman or a man (Sangganjanavanich, 2016). Starting as early as a child, a transgender individual may have continuous and perpetual feelings of gender dysphoria. This refers to a detachment between the individual's primary as well as secondary sexual characteristics.….

Transgender Depictions in South Park

Gender Norms in South Park In the first episode of South Park's 19th season last fall, the person of Caitlyn Jenner was satirized in a move that reinforced traditional gender norms. However, at the same time, the character of Caitlyn was embraced by Mr. Garrison -- the show's 4th grade elementary teacher, who (like Caitlyn in real life) had a sex change (twice -- from man to woman and then back from woman to man again) several seasons ago. While Mr. Garrison is often portrayed as a crotchety, no-nonsense anti-gay mouthpiece, his own homosexual tendencies are at the same time used for laughs. In this first episode of season 19, entitled "Stunning and Brave," a new principal comes to the town of South Park to take over South Park Elementary. His name is PC Principal and he is a young, PC warrior fresh from college. He is aggressive and well-trained in….

Promoting Tolerance of Transgender Children

Transgender Dealing with Transgender Children Many children who are transgender identify themselves as such at a young age. Thanks to increasing awareness of the issue in the media, parents of transgender children are becoming more supportive of their child's choice to live as the gender the child believes is correct, whether the child regards him or herself as a boy or a girl. But although awareness is increasing amongst the general public, there is still profound resistance in many quarters to the concept. In this instance, a first grade child is identifying as male, even though he was originally registered in the school as a girl and under a female name. The teacher must find a way to support the child while still tackling the resistance of other parents who might not view the child's self-image in as positive a fashion and children who have adopted their parents' attitudes. Further complicating the matter….

George, A. (2014). How teachers can support transgender students. The Guardian. Retrieved from:  https://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/teacher-blog/2014/oct/29/transgender-supporting-students-school-lgbt 

Oswald, M. (2016). How to support transgender students in the classroom. Edudemic. Retrieved From: http://www.edudemic.com/support-transgender-students-classroom/

Employment Law - Transgender Discrimination

In fact, the argument could easily be made that individuals with transgender tendencies who do not pursue gender reassignment procedures are more prone to chronic depression and to other natural consequences of their repressed feelings about their true identities that could potentially affect their ability to fulfill their vocational obligations optimally (O'Neil, et al. 2008). Conversely, the evidence strongly supports the conclusion that transgender individuals who undergo the sex reassignment transition are fully capable of leading happy fulfilled lives and of performing at work without any detrimental effects directly attributable to their transgenderism (Nuttbrock, et al. 2008). To the extent transgenderism is associated with psychological trauma and negative consequences that affect an employee's ability to perform at work, it is largely attributable to the negative attitudes, harassment, social exclusion, ridicule they often encounter from coworkers. Naturally, the same is true, perhaps even more so, to the extent transgenders' families reject….

American Civil Liberties Union (2006) Federal Court Rules Transgender Discrimination Lawsuit Against Library of Congress Can Proceed. Retrieved July 3, 2008, at  http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/transgender/24851prs20060331.html 

Friedman, L. (2005) a History of American Law 3rd ed. New York: Simon & Schuster.

Gerrig, R, Zimbardo, P. (2005) Psychology and Life. 17th Edition.

New York: Allyn & Bacon.

Discrimination Against Transgendered People Gender & Sexuality

Discrimination Against Transgendered People Gender & Sexuality In many wester societies and cultures, the gender and sexual spectrums are narrow. One can be male or female, not neither, not both, and not something in between. One can be masculine or feminine, not neither, not both, and not something in between. These are typically the mainstream beliefs regarding sexual and gender identity. The fact is, in more countries around the world, people are coming to terms with and gaining awareness about the fact that the gender and sexual spectrums are far more dynamic than we have been taught to believe. There are intersexed people, formally called hermaphrodites, who are born with female and male genitalia. There are transsexuals and homosexuals, and there are transgender people. There are even types of heterosexual people who exist that do not fall within the very narrow acceptable forms of gender and sexual identities. There are many people….

References:

Almeida, J., Johnson, R.M., Corliss, H.L., Molnar, B.E., & Azrael, D. (2009). Emotional Distress Among LGBT Youth: The Influence of Perceived Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation. Journal of Youth Adolescence, 38, 1001 -- 101.

Dietert, M., & Dentice, D. (2009) Gender Identity Issues and Workplace Discrimination: The Transgernder Experience. Journal of Workplace Rights, 14(1), 121 -- 140.

Storrow, R.F. (2002). Gender Typing in Stereo: The Transgender Dilemma in Employment Discrimination. Maine Law Review, 55(1), 118 -- 157.

Lesbian Gay Bisexual & Transgender

In their second survey, the authors found that the majority of students felt that POJECT 10 had been positive and beneficial - not merely for LGBT students, but for the overall educational environment. This resonates with one of the conclusions reached by Sedgwick (1993) when she offered her first class in gay and lesbian studies at Amherst College in 1986. While she initially designed the course for the five to six students she believed would show up, she was quite shocked when, on the first day of class, sixty-five students showed up, most of whom identified as straight. While Sedgwick is writing as a literary scholar, rather than a social scientist, her comments on pedagogy, as one of the most important proponents of queer theory since its emergence in the academy in the 1980s, are pertinent here. Sedgwick notes that it is fairly common in the United States for teachers….

Ball, a.F. (2000). "Empowering Pedagogies that Enhance the Learning of Multicultural

Students." Teachers College Record, Vol. 102, No. 6, 1006-1034.

Bandura, a. (1973). Aggression: A Social Learning Analysis. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). The Ecology of Human Development: Experiments by Nature and Design. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

How Does Transgenderism Relate to the Big Five Personality Theory

Big Five Personality Dimensions and Transgenderism The Big Five of Five-Factor personality theory which classifies the human character according to dimensions of openness, extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism is one of the most popular personality theories still in circulation today. Of course, the question immediately arises -- why these five? Why are these characteristics considered particularly important and of interest? The five factors have been determined to be cross-cultural in nature, at least according to its advocates, and relatively stable over the duration of an individual's lifespan (Acton 2006). They have a partly but not exclusively genetic dimension and have been useful in various ways to the survival of the species for many, many centuries. The factors are conceived of along a continuum, "with most people falling in between the extremes ... and knowing one's placement on the factors is useful for insight and improvement through therapy" (Acton 2006). Along with these….

Acton, S. (2006). Five-Factor Model. Great Ideas in Personality. Retrieved from:

 http://www.personalityresearch.org/bigfive.html 

Popkins, N. (1998). The Five-Factor Model: Emergence of a taxonomic model for personality psychology. Great Ideas in Personality. Retrieved from:  http://www.personalityresearch.org/papers/popkins.html 

Scutti, S. (2015). The big five personality traits: Take the test to know yourself and your future health. Medical Daily.  http://www.medicaldaily.com/big-five-personality-traits-take-test-know-yourself-and-your-future-health-328022

Sexes Uses Intersexuality as a

The topic of intersexuality naturally raises the issue of whether gender should be rigidly defined or whether gender should rather be viewed on a continuum. Thus, Gorman and Cole work to dispel the prevalent social myth that all individuals must be assigned a clear, unequivocal gender status. Examining the collective phenomena of intersexuality can also help people to contemplate gender roles and social norms in society. For example, Gorman and Cole chose to include a telling quote from Kelli. Although she now primarily cultivates a female identity, she claims that she might elect to be a "male carpenter" because she would be "taken more seriously," (58). The most important information contained in "Between the Sexes" therefore regards the perception of gender, gender identity, and gender flexibility. This information is far more significant and has more of an impact on readers than the scientific and biological reasons for intersexuality that the….

Works Cited

Gorman, Christine and Cole, Wendy. "Between the Sexes." Time.

Child Sexuality or Intersex Become Especially Difficult

child sexuality or intersex become especially difficult to discuss. These readings all ask us to question why those taboos are in place, while at the same time trying to show how important research in human sexuality can be. Sexuality is a major part of the human experience, and a fully understanding of psychology and sociology is not possible without open explorations into issues surrounding sexuality. Added to the complex issues surrounding human sexuality is gender. Gender is totally different from, but certainly related to, sexuality. On the one hand, one's concept of gender will have a strong bearing on one's perception of oneself as a sexual being, will impact issues related to self-awareness, self-esteem, and self-confidence. On the other hand, gender is only slightly implicated in things like sexual attraction. Both gender and sexual attraction are remarkably fluid, as Diamond points out. They may even be fluid across the….

Diamond, Milton. "A Critical Evaluation of the Ontogeny of Human Sexual Behavior." The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 40, No. 2, June 1965

Money, John. "Childhood: The Last Frontier in Sex Research."

Sex: Unknown. Nova [Film].

When the Supreme Court Affirmed the Rights of People Identifying as Transgender

Memo for the JudgeMargaret McCarthy makes a number of arguments against gender as a social construct (i.e., gender identity aka gender ideology) that are more than iblical or religious arguments. In reality, McCarthy\\\'s arguments stem from natural science and philosophy, making them difficult to ignore. For example, McCarthy argues that gender identity is based on a false understanding of the nature of the human person and that it leads inevitably to a denial of objective reality. These are not simply iblical or religious arguments, but rather arguments that have been supported by rational arguments and deductive reasoning. As such, they should be accepted as rational argumentation. Similarly, in the Amicus rief submitted in the Harris Funeral Home Case, the issue of how to define sex is at stake, as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has defined the term more loosely than may have been intended in Title VII of the….

BibliographyMcCarthy, Margaret. “Gender Ideology and the Humanum,” Communio 43 (Summer 2016), 275-300.

Welcoming Homosexual Lifestyles at Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Black Colleges Homosexuality In order to create more egalitarian, prosocial, and productive campus environments, it is necessary to understand attitudes toward homosexuality and homosexual students. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students experienced relatively high rates of substance abuse, depression, and stress related to discrimination, difficulties forming social relationships, and low self-esteem (Heck, Flentje & Cochran, 2011). As Kirby (2011) points out, "Having a negative self-concept plays a major role in youth suicides, in how well one does in school, and in how one interacts with society at large." Therefore, the need for a more supportive social environment on college campuses is a pressing one. Unfortunately, traditionally white universities and historically black universities in the United States have addressed the needs of the LGBT student community differently. Historically black colleges and institutions are defined as "institutions classified as higher education that were chartered prior to 1964 and created with the principal mission….

Burleson, Douglas A. "Sexual orientation and college choice: Considering campus climate." About Campus 14, no. 6 (January 2010): 9-14. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed October 14, 2013).

Eisen, V., & Hall, L. (Eds.). (1996). Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and education [Special issue]. Harvard Educational Review, 66(2).

Griffin, H. (2000). Their Own Received Them Not: African-American Lesbians and Gays in Black Churches. Theology & Sexuality: The Journal Of The Institute For The Study Of Christianity & Sexuality, 6(12), 1.

Heck, N.C., Flentje, A., & Cochran, B.N. (2011). Offsetting risks: High school gay-straight alliances and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth. School Psychology Quarterly, 26(2), 161-174. doi:10.1037/a0023226

Feature Story on Transwoman and Cause

Edit Geena Rocero is a model with a purpose. Rocero was born and raised in the Philippines, and recently returned to her homeland to help victims of Typhoon Haiyan. In the midst of a busy schedule, Rocero spends time in her first interview because she feels that sharing her life story is one of the first steps toward helping others. "e're all in this journey together," Rocero exclaims. Coincidentally, the interview falls on Transgender Day of Remembrance, which commemorates all transmen and transwomen who lost their lives because of targeted attacks. "Transwomen of color are the most marginalized," Rocero reminds us. "70% of hate crime in the LGBT community is committed against transwomen of color. I want this to change. I need this to change. I get so emotional about this and I'm reminded how privileged I am," she says with tears in her eyes. Rocero works as a model but recently,….

When she was a young girl, Rocero knew she was female. Her dream was to become a model. She borrowed her sister's clothes, wore her mom's lipstick, entered local beauty pageants, and eventually self-medicated with hormones. Her parents, especially her mom, supported Geena and helped her to enter beauty pageants. When she was 17, Rocero moved to the United States. She was able to work in the United States and save enough money for the gender reassignment surgery, which she had done at age 19. In fact, while on her upcoming trip to Thailand, Rocero is meeting her surgeon to "thank him for giving me a wonderful vagina."

After her sexual reassignment surgery, Geena pursued her dream of modeling. She moved to New York City in 2005 and while working as a bar hostess, met a photographer who helped her develop a portfolio. That same year, Rocero signed with her first modeling agency. Currently, Rocero is signed with NEXT Model Management. In addition to modeling, Geena has worked as a makeup artist with Benefit Cosmetics, a manager at Inc. Magazine, and a sales representative for First Go Green biodegradable products. Rocero has also worked with the Summit Series, an entrepreneurial organization, to learn how to collaborate with partners on achieving mutual goals. It was because of her broad working experience and her networking with Summit Series contacts that Rocero has been able to develop a plan for promoting her public policy initiatives around the world. Rocero's ultimate goal is to transform public policy at the trans-national level. Her vision is to serve as an ambassador for transgender issues with the United Nations.

Rocero knows she has led a privileged life because of supportive friends, supportive family members, and a supportive spiritual community in both her native Philippines and in the United States. Rocero wants to ensure that the underprivileged people of the world also have access to the support systems and resources needed to live a healthy life. Referring to brutal assaults on transwomen around the world, Geena states, "People are dying. I need to do something."

Sex Body and Identity

sexual relationships figure in the construction of a transgendered person? Sexual relationships or sexual preferences tend to be the elements that are usually accepted as defining factors in the sexual and social identity of an individual. This means that sexual relationships are often seen to be the determining factors that constitute the very psychological and social identity of the person. This view of sexuality presents a number of problems -- particularly with regard to the transgendered person. Firstly, as the following definitions of transgender will make clear, there are many variations and ambiguities to the term transgendered, which can be confusing. Secondly and more importantly, there is an ongoing debate which revolves around opposing views of what constitutes sexual identity. One point-of-view sees sexual relationships and identity as innate or "naturally" constituted. This view is opposed by the social construction theory which sees sexual identity as a "construction" engineered by….

Bibliography

Bockting, W.O. 1999. Accessed August 9, 2005. (SIECUS Report, 1999. 28(1), 3-7.)  http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3781/is_199910/ai_n8875386#continue 

Fausto-Sterling, Anne. Sexing the Body: Gender Politics and the Construction of Sexuality. New York: Basic Books, 2000.

Foucault: Sex, Power and the Politics of Identity." Interview by Bob Gallagher and Alexander Wilson. In Foucault Live: Collected Interviews 1961-1984, ed. Sylvere Lotringer. New York: Semiotext (e), pp. 382-390. Originally published in The Advocate, No. 400, August 7, 1984. Interview conducted in June, 1982.

Groenewald, D. The Man Question: Foucault and the Politics of Male Sexuality. August 9, 2005.  http://www.newcastle.edu.au/discipline/sociol-anthrop/staff/kibbymarj/foucault.html

Can you help me write my argumentative essay about sex education?

The key to writing a good argumentative essay is thoroughly understanding the pros and cons of the topic you are considering.  That is because you are asked to take a position in an argumentative essay and support that position, while also being ready to meet challenges that would come from people taking a different position.  Sex education is a surprisingly divisive topic given the evidence that supports sex education as being a positive for students.  Much of this division is based in religious and moral objections to sex education, and, while it....

Can you help with writing a persuasive essay on psychology?

Writing a persuasive essay is different from other types of academic writing.  Rather than simply presenting facts, you are trying to convince the reader to agree with your opinion or position on a topic.  The topic of psychology is extremely broad.  There are several different types of psychological theories , and each of these theories have several subtypes.  They also have different degrees of support among psychologists, so you could pick one of those theories or sub-theories and use it as the basis for a persuasive essay. 

To help you with writing your persuasive....

should schools have a dress code that is gender neutral

Title: Should Schools Have a Gender-Neutral Dress Code? Introduction: A school's dress code plays a significant role in maintaining a conducive learning environment and instilling discipline among students. However, the need to address gender disparities and promote inclusivity has sparked a discourse around the idea of implementing a gender-neutral dress code. In this essay, we will explore the benefits and potential challenges of adopting such a dress code policy. Body: I. Promoting Equality and Inclusivity A. A gender-neutral dress code eliminates gender-based dress expectations. 1. Students can freely express their individuality without conforming to traditional gender norms. 2. It reduces the stigma faced by....

Can you provide suggestions for structuring an essay outline related to trangender representation in the media

I. Introduction A. Background on transgender representation in the media B. Importance of accurate and positive representation II. Portrayal of transgender individuals in mainstream media A. Stereotypes and misrepresentation B. Impact on transgender community III. Trends in recent media representation A. Increased visibility of transgender characters and actors B. Positive examples of representation IV. Challenges and barriers to accurate representation A. Lack of transgender representation behind the camera B. Negative backlash and criticism V. Role of media in shaping societal perceptions of transgender individuals A. Influence on public attitudes and acceptance B. Responsibility of media outlets in....

Research Paper

Women's Issues - Sexuality

Transgender Employment Discrimination There is a growing body of evidence that transgender individuals frequently experience some type of discrimination during the employment process in the United States today. Although there…

The following dependent variables are proposed by the researcher based on information gathered from the previous research: marital status (Swan & Mazur, 2002), feelings, socioeconomic status (ACPA, 1995; Sanlo,…

Transgender- The Behaviors and Acts Leading up to a Transition Introduction Transgender, as a terminology, alludes to individuals whose sense of their gender is different from what would be anticipated based…

Gender Norms in South Park In the first episode of South Park's 19th season last fall, the person of Caitlyn Jenner was satirized in a move that reinforced traditional gender…

Education - Inclusion

Transgender Dealing with Transgender Children Many children who are transgender identify themselves as such at a young age. Thanks to increasing awareness of the issue in the media, parents of transgender…

In fact, the argument could easily be made that individuals with transgender tendencies who do not pursue gender reassignment procedures are more prone to chronic depression and to…

Discrimination Against Transgendered People Gender & Sexuality In many wester societies and cultures, the gender and sexual spectrums are narrow. One can be male or female, not neither, not both, and…

In their second survey, the authors found that the majority of students felt that POJECT 10 had been positive and beneficial - not merely for LGBT students, but…

Psychology - Personality

Big Five Personality Dimensions and Transgenderism The Big Five of Five-Factor personality theory which classifies the human character according to dimensions of openness, extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism is one…

Article Review

The topic of intersexuality naturally raises the issue of whether gender should be rigidly defined or whether gender should rather be viewed on a continuum. Thus, Gorman and…

child sexuality or intersex become especially difficult to discuss. These readings all ask us to question why those taboos are in place, while at the same time trying…

Gender / Sexuality

Memo for the JudgeMargaret McCarthy makes a number of arguments against gender as a social construct (i.e., gender identity aka gender ideology) that are more than iblical or religious…

Black Colleges Homosexuality In order to create more egalitarian, prosocial, and productive campus environments, it is necessary to understand attitudes toward homosexuality and homosexual students. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender…

Edit Geena Rocero is a model with a purpose. Rocero was born and raised in the Philippines, and recently returned to her homeland to help victims of Typhoon Haiyan.…

sexual relationships figure in the construction of a transgendered person? Sexual relationships or sexual preferences tend to be the elements that are usually accepted as defining factors in the…

Transgender Essay

Transgenders

DEFINITIONS According to Hagg and Fellows (2007:4), sex generally refers to anatomy and biology such as male or female, whereas gender refers to the qualities and behaviours society expects from a boy or girl, a man or woman. The definition of transgender refers to a person having no identification with, or no presentation as, the gender one was assigned at birth (Hagg and Fellows 2007:4). The definition of transsexual in Hagg and Fellows (2007:4) refers to a person who had undergone a sex change

Difference Between Transgender And Transgender

it is not. Sex is biological, the makeup of your chromosomes. Gender, however, can be relative. A person can be the female sex but identify as the male gender, and vice versa. This topic is where we see individuals identifying as transsexual and transgender. Susan Scutti (2014) explains the difference between the two. Scutti explains that transsexuals are people who transition from one sex to another. An individual can be born as a male and then become recognizably female (and vice versa) through the

Transgender Studies In Transgender Studies

In Susan Stryker’s “Transgender Studies,” the author outlines the genesis of the field and how it differs from other areas of research like Queer studies. Stryker asserts that, “transgender studies is concerned with anything that disrupts…the normative linkages we generally assume to exist between the biological specificity of the…body, [and] the social roles and statuses that a particular form of body is expected to occupy” (pg. 3). At first glance, such a declaration seems to coincide with the

Transgender Bedrooms And Transgender Bathrooms

Transgender Bathrooms Throughout the years, views of life have changed. Our laws have become more strict. Now they are trying to pass the transgender bathroom law.Why would this law need to pass? What people will it help? If the law does pass it isn’t going for very long, and it isn’t going to be a good thing. What do other people think about this law. If people really want the transgender bathroom law to pass, just maybe this will change that. Transgender bathrooms are dull and unsafe. What kind

Transgender Orientation : The Transgender Community Essay

This Way There are many children throughout the United States that identify themselves as transgender. According to Webster’s Dictionary, the definition of transgender is (n.d.) “of, relating to, or being a person (as a transsexual or transvestite) who identifies with or expresses a gender identity that differs from the one which corresponds to the person’s sex at birth” (sect. Definition of transgender). Basically, that definition translates to a person being born one gender, but identifying

Transgender Prisoners And Transgender Inmates Essay

Amongst the inmates mistreated, transgender prisoners are challenged in many ways with abuse, misconduct, and discrimination. Transgender individuals are people who do not identify themselves with the gender that was assigned at birth. The high-risk profile of being a transgender inmate in prison strikes for deep concern and something needs to be done. II. Purpose of paper Prison personnel have not been doing much to secure the safety and well-being of transgender inmates. Some even engage in the

The Adjective Transgender

The adjective transgender describes people whose gender identity does not correspond to the assigned biological sex that was given at birth, while the adjective cisgender refers to people who whose gender identity corresponds to the assigned biological sex that was given at birth. Due to the lack the lack of correspondence with the gender binary, misconceptions have caused legal problems. Transgender people are being emotionally harmed and put at physical risk due to restroom laws that restrict them

Transgender Policy

legalizing same-sex marriage in the United States, many other issues involving sexual and gender diversity have emerged and are now in the forefront of human resource issues. Among them are transgender employees and their rights within the workplace. Some of the Pros associated with incorporating a transgender policy consist of protecting the workers from a hostile working environment, creating a positive environment in which everyone is comfortable. By diversifying the workforce, it will provide

Transgender Concepts

An “Introduction to Transgender Terms and Concepts” is a reading that discusses the differences between Transvestites, Cross Dressers, Transsexuals, and Trans genders. It is also discussed in the reading how one actually thinks and acts leading them into the LGBT community. Transgender is a term for people whose gender identity, gender expression or behavior does not conform to that typically associated with the sex to which they were assigned at birth. Gender identity refers to a person’s internal

Transgender Prisoners

different issues transgender prisoners face in the United States. Transgender prisoners are often targeted and abused by both inmates and police officials due to being placed in the prisons of their biological sex. Transgenders are a misunderstood group of minorities in the United States. Transgenders do not receive the same health care as other prisoners and do not always receive their hormone therapy. Prisons over the U.S. are trying to find new ways to make better environments for transgender prisoners

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Laura Sackton

Laura Sackton is a queer book nerd and freelance writer, known on the internet for loving winter, despising summer, and going overboard with extravagant baking projects. In addition to her work at Book Riot, she reviews for BookPage and AudioFile, and writes a weekly newsletter, Books & Bakes , celebrating queer lit and tasty treats. You can catch her on Instagram shouting about the queer books she loves and sharing photos of the walks she takes in the hills of Western Mass (while listening to audiobooks, of course).

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I love essay collections, and I love queer books, so obviously I love queer essay collections. An essay collection can be so many things. It can be an opportunity to examine one particular subject in depth. Or it can be a wonderful messy mix of dozens of themes and ideas. The books on this list are a mix of both. Some hone in on an author’s own life, while others look outward, examining current events, history, and pop culture. Some are funny, some are very serious, and some are decidedly both.

In making this list, I used two criteria: 1) queer authors and 2) queer content. There are, of course, plenty of wonderful essay collections out there by queer authors that aren’t about queerness. But this list focuses on essays that explore queerness in all its messy glory. You’ll also find essays here about many other things: tornadoes, step-parenthood, the internet, tarot, activism, online dating, to name just a few. But taken together, the essays in each of these books add up to a queer whole.

I limited myself to living authors, and even so, there were so many amazing queer essay collections I wanted to include but couldn’t. This is just a drop in the bucket, but it’s a great place to start if you need more queer essays in your life — and who doesn’t?

Personal Queer Essay Collections

How to Write An Autobiographical Novel by Alexander Chee

It’s hard for me to put my finger on the thing that elevates an essay collection from a handful of individual pieces to a cohesive book. But Chee obviously knows what that thing is, because this book builds on itself. He writes about growing roses and working odd jobs and AIDS activism and drag and writing a novel, and each of these essays is singularly moving. But as a whole they paint a complex portrait of a slice of the writer’s life. They inform and converse with each other, and the result is a book you can revisit again and again, always finding something new.

I Hope We Choose Love by Kai Cheng Thom

In this collection of beautiful and thought-provoking essays, Kai Cheng Thom explores the messy, far-from-perfect realties of queer and trans communities and community movements. She writes about what many community organizers, activists, and artists don’t want to talk about: the hard stuff, the painful stuff, the bad times. It’s not all grim, but it’s very real. Thom addresses transphobia, racism, and exclusion, but she also writes about the particular joys she’s found in creating community and family with other queer and trans people of color. This is a must-read for anyone involved in social justice work, or immersed in queer community.

Here For It by R. Eric Thomas

If you enjoy books that blend humor and heartfelt wisdom, you’ll love this collection. R. Eric Thomas writes about coming of age as a writer on the internet, his changing relationship to Christianity, the messy intersections of his queer Black identity. It’s a lovey mix of grappling and quips. It’s full of pop culture references and witty asides, as well as moving, vulnerable personal stories.

The Rib Joint by Julia Koets

This slim memoir-in-essays is entirely personal. Although Koets does weave some history, pop culture, and religion into the work — everything from the history of organs to Sally Ride — her gaze is mostly focused inward. The essays are short and beautifully written; she often leaves the analysis to the reader, simply letting distinct and sometimes contradictory ideas and images sit next to each other on the page. She writes about her childhood in the South, the hidden and often invisible queer relationships she had as a teenager and young adult, secrets and closets, and the tensions and overlaps between religion and queerness.

I Can’t Date Jesus by Michael Arceneaux

This is another fantastic humorous essay collection. Arceneaux somehow manages to be laugh-out-loud funny while also delivering nuanced cultural critique and telling vulnerable stories from his life. He writes about growing up in Houston, family relationships, coming out, and so much more. The whole book wrestles with how to be a young Black queer person striving to make meaning in the world. His second collection, I Don’t Want to Die Poor , is equally wonderful.

Tomboyland by Melissa Faliveno

If you’re wondering, this is the book that contains an essay about tornadoes. It also contains a gorgeous essay about pantry moths (among other things). Those are just two of the many subjects Faliveno plumbs the depths of in this remarkable book. She writes about gender expression and how her relationship with gender has changed throughout her life, about queer desire and family, about Midwestern culture, about place and home, about bisexuality and bi erasure. Her far-ranging essays challenge mainstream ideas about what queer lives do and do not look like. She asks more questions than she answers, delving into the murky terrain of desire and identity.

Something That May Shock and Discredit You by Daniel M. Lavery

Is this book even an essay collection? It is, and it isn’t. Some of these pieces are deeply personal stories about Lavery’s experience with transition. Others are trans retellings of mythology, literature, and film. All of it is weird and smart and impossibly to classify. Lavery examines the idea of transition from every angle, creating new stories about trans history, trans identity, and transformation itself.

Brown White Black by Nishta J. Mehra

If there’s one thing I love most in an essay collection, it’s when an author allows contradictions and messy, fraught truths to live next to each other on the page. I love when an essayist asks more questions than they answer. That’s what Mehra does in this book. An Indian American woman married to a white woman and raising a Black son, she writes with openness and curiosity about her particular family. She explores how race, sexuality, gender, class, and religion impact her life and most intimate relationships, as well as American culture more broadly.

Blood, Marriage, Wine, & Glitter by S. Bear Bergman

This essay collection is an embodiment of queer joy, of what it means to become part of a queer family. Every essay captures some aspect of the complexity and joy that is queer family-making. Bergman writes about being a trans parent, about beloved friends, about the challenges of partnership, about intimacy in myriad forms. His tone is warm and open-hearted and joyful and celebratory.

Forty-Three Septembers by Jewelle Gómez

In these contemplative essays, Jewell Gómez explores the various pieces of her life as a Black lesbian, writing about family, aging, and her own history. Into these personal stories she weaves an analysis of history and current events. She writes about racism and homophobia, both within and outside of queer and Black communities, and about her life as an artist and poet, and how those identities, too, have shaped the way she sees the world.

Pass With Care by Cooper Lee Bombardier

Set mostly against the backdrop of queer culture in 1990s San Francisco, this memoir in essays is about trans identity, being an artist, masculinity, queer activism, and so much more. Bombardier brings particular places and times to life (San Francisco in the 1990s, but other places as well), but he also connects those times and experiences to the present in really interesting ways. He recognizes the importance of queer and trans history, while also exploring the possibilities of queer and trans futures.

Care Work by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha

This is a beautiful, rigorous collection of essays about disability justice centering disabled queer and trans people of color. From an exploration of the radical care collectives Piepzna-Samarasinha and other queer and trans BIPOC have organized to an essay where examines the problems with the “survivor industrial complex,” every one of these pieces is full of wisdom, anger, transformation, radical celebration. It challenged me on so many levels, in the best possible way. It’s a must read for anyone engaged in any kind of activist work.

I’m Afraid of Men by Vivek Shraya

I’m cheating a little bit here, because technically I’d classify this book as one essay, singular, rather than a collection of essays. But I’m including it anyway, because it is brilliant, and because I think it exemplifies just what a good essay can do, what a powerful form of writing it can be. By reflection on various experiences Shraya has had with men over the course of her life, she examines the connections and intersections between sexism, transmisogyny, toxic masculinity, and sexual violence. It’s a heavy read, but Shraya’s writing is anything but. It’s agile and graceful, flowing and jumping between disparate thoughts and ideas. This is a book-length essay you can read in one sitting, but it’ll leave you with enough to think about for many days afterward.

Gender Failure by Ivan E. Coyote and Rae Spoon

In this collaborative essay collection, trans writers and performers Ivan E. Coyote and Rae Spoon play with both gender and form. The book is a combination of personal essays, short vignettes, song lyrics, and images. Using these various kinds of storytelling, they both recount their own particular journeys around gender — how their genders have changed throughout their lives, the ways the gender binary has continually harmed them both, and the many communities, people, and experiences that have contributed to joyful self-expression and gender freedom.

The Groom Will Keep His Name by Matt Ortile

Matt Ortile uses his experiences as a gay Filipino immigrant as a lens in these witty, insightful, and moving essays. By telling his own stories — of dating, falling in love, struggling to “fit in” — he illuminates the intersections among so many issues facing America right now (and always). He writes about the model minority myth and many other myths he told himself about assimilation, sex, power, what it means to be an American. It’s a heartfelt collection of personal essays that engage meaningfully, and critically, with the wider world.

Wow, No Thank You by Samantha Irby

I’m not a big fan of humorous essays in this vein, heavy on pop culture references I do not understand and full of snark. But I absolutely love Irby’s books, which is about the highest praise I can give. I honestly think there is something in here for everyone. Irby is just so very much herself: she writes about whatever the hell she wants to, whether that’s aging or the weirdness of small town America or snacks (there is a lot to say about snacks). And whatever the subject, she’s always got something funny or insightful or new or just super relatable to say.

Queer Essay Anthologies

She Called Me Woman Edited by Azeenarh Mohammed, Chitra Nagarajan, and Aisha Salau

This anthology collects 30 first-person narratives by queer Nigerian women. The essays reflect a range of experiences, capturing the challenges that queer Nigerian women face, as well as the joyful lives and communities they’ve built. The essays explore sexuality, spirituality, relationships, money, love, societal expectations, gender expression, and so much more.

Untangling the Knot: Queer Voices on Marriage, Relationships & Identity by Carter Sickels

When gay marriage was legalized, I felt pretty ambivalent about it, even though I knew I was supposed to be excited. But I have never wanted or cared about marriage. Reading this book made me feel so seen. That’s not to say it’s anti-marriage — it isn’t! It’s a collection of personal essays from a diverse range of queer people about the families they’ve made. Some are traditional. Some are not. The essays are about marriages and friendships, parenthood and siblinghood, polyamorous relationships and monogamous ones. It’s a book that celebrates the different forms queer families take, never valuing any one kind of family or relationship over another.

Nonbinary: Memoirs of Gender and Identity Edited by Micah Rajunov and Scott Duane

This book collects essays from 30 nonbinary writers, and trans and gender-nonconforming writers whose genders fall outside the binary. The writers inhabit a diverse range of identity and experience in terms of race, age, class, sexuality. Some of the essays are explicitly about gender identity, others are about family and relationships, and still others are about activism and politics. As a whole, the book celebrates the expansiveness of trans experiences, and the many ways there are to inhabit a body.

Moving Truth(s): Queer and Transgender Desi Writings on Family Edited by Aparajeeta ‘Sasha’ Duttchoudhury and Rukie Hartman

This anthology brings together a collection of diverse essays by queer and trans Desi writers. The pieces explore family in all its shapes and iterations. Contributors write about community, friendship, culture, trauma, healing. It’s a wonderfully nuanced collection. Though there is a thread that runs through the whole book — queer and trans Desi identity — the range of viewpoints, styles and experiences represented makes it clear how expansive identity is.

Looking for more queer books? I made a list of 40 of my favorites . If you’re looking for more essay collections to add to your list, check out 10 Must-Read Essay Collections by Women , and The Best Essays from 2019 . And if you’re not in the mood for a whole book right now, why not try one of these free essays available online (including some great queer ones)?

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Let’s talk about transgender rights.

Unsure about how to talk with your students about transgender rights and related issues, such as gender identity, media representation, transphobia, and antitrans legislation? Here are some resources to start the conversation.

Boy or girl. He or she. At birth, we are assigned one of two genders. For many people, this binary is inaccurate and limiting. It simply doesn’t reflect who they are. Today, over 1.4 million people in the U.S. identify as transgender, and they’re pushing to be seen and accepted—but, more urgently, to live healthy and safe lives. 

Discrimination and violence against trans people is instigated and perpetuated every day, not only by lawmakers and law enforcement but also neighbors and classmates. Their rights to choose their bathroom and to access appropriate health care are consistently contested. And, just last month, the Trump administration’s ban on transgender recruits from joining the military went into effect.

Meanwhile, as equal employment rights are contested in federal court, twenty states, the District of Columbia, and 400-plus cities and counties already legally protect LGBTQ employees from discrimination in the workplace. In the face of injustice, transgender people continue to come out, demand their rights, and say, “We are still here.”

In this “Let’s Talk About” edition, we provide resources to help educate your students about what it means to be transgender and to get them talking about both the systemic injustices and the radical acts of resistance and advocacy.

How to Use This Collection

Suggested below are steps to a thoughtful and meaningful discussion with your students about transgender rights and their role in their personal lives and in society. Choose what is appropriate for your class.

• Have students complete a  pre-survey   (optional).
• Read the background information to set a baseline understanding of what it means to identify as transgender.
• Choose at least one YES! article and another site’s article for a robust compare-and- contrast activity.
• Use the discussion questions—or craft your own—to gauge your students’ understanding and opinions.
• Have students complete a  post-survey   (optional).
• Explore curriculum if you’d like to dive deeper.

Reading Materials

 background information (read this first).

9 Questions About Gender Identity and Being Transgender You Were Too Embarrassed to Ask (Vox)

YES! Articles

When You’re a Transgender Refugee in Trump’s America  

Austin Police Try to Get Past Trans Misgendering and “Deadnaming”

This Harry Potter Enthusiast Just Came Out As Trans On YouTube—And Thousands of People Are Watching

How to Fight the Latest Attempts to Erase “Transgender”

Why I Decided to Come Out to My Students as a Trans Man

 Outside Articles

Alison’s Story (Denver Post)

U.S. Supreme Court takes up major gay, transgender job discrimination cases (Reuters)

Conservative group hosts anti-transgender panel of feminists ‘from the left’ (NBC)

First Time I Saw Me (GLAAD)

Discussion Questions

1. Why is it hard for some people, particularly young people, to come out as transgender? How are these barriers to coming out different from (or similar to) those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or queer? What are some acts of discrimination and, even, dangers that trans people may face at home, in their communities, and in the U.S.?

2. Have you noticed transphobia—discrimination against transgender people ranging from misgendering to overt violence—in your school or community? How might you be an ally to trans and gender nonbinary people and help change transphobic beliefs?

3. On April 23, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear the cases of three LGBTQ individuals who claimed workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. These hearings come on the heels of President Trump’s ban on new transgender military recruits. How do these court decisions and federal policies impact transgender rights now and in the future?  

Supporting Trans and Gender Nonconforming (GNC) Students  (GLSEN)

Related Resources

Let’s Talk About Anti-Blackness

Let’s Talk About Fat-Shaming

Let’s Talk About Reproductive Justice

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Friday essay: transgenderism in film and literature

Research fellow in English Literature, Deakin University

Disclosure statement

Michelle Smith has previously received funding from the Australian Research Council.

Deakin University provides funding as a member of The Conversation AU.

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In Laurie Frankel’s new novel This is How it Always Is , an American family grapples with prejudice about transgender children. Youngest child of five boys, Claude, in addition to wanting to be “ a chef, a cat, a vet, a dinosaur, a train, a farmer” when he is older, tells his parents that he wants to “be a girl”.

The Walsh-Adams family readily embrace his difference, but the world beyond is less capable of processing the gender non-conformity of a five-year-old child. At kindergarten, Claude is permitted to wear dresses, but is castigated for using the boys’ bathroom. After his decision to become Poppy, a school friend’s parent threatens violence in the face of Poppy’s imagined queer contaminating effect upon his son.

Coupled with a transgender woman being shot on a local college campus after a sexual encounter, the family decides that Madison, Wisconsin is an inhospitable environment for Poppy and moves to more progressive Seattle. Nevertheless, they still find it easier to start again without explaining that Poppy is transgender.

Frankel’s novel was inspired by her own experience raising a transgender child. Western culture is currently facing the challenge of understanding transgenderism and the first generation of openly transgender children.

John Phillips, author of Transgender on Screen , suggests that “the crossing of genders will prove to be the most significant single cultural challenge” of our era “because of the redefinition of sexes and sexualities that necessarily accompanies it”. Practical issues such as preferred pronouns , bathroom usage , eligibility to participate in sports , and hormone treatment for young people remain contentious.

In attempting to reshape our understanding of sex and gender, it is helpful to look back at how we have represented – or, most commonly, omitted – transgender people in popular culture. The historical lack of understanding of transgender people is evident in a cultural tendency to depict them as objects of comedy, or, most often, as freakish or monstrous.

Sensational freaks and psycho killers

Ed Wood’s cult film Glen or Glenda (1953) was designed to shock and is primarily about a man who cross dresses. The film’s final section “Alan or Ann”, comprised largely of stock footage, is more specifically about a transgender (and potentially intersex ) character.

Alan was born a boy, but raised as a girl and then served as a man during World War II. While recovering from combat in hospital, Alan learns about gender reassignment surgery and becomes a “lovely young woman”. The “Alan or Ann” section of the film was reportedly added to meet distributor calls for a sensational “sex change” film, implicitly suggesting that transgender people were a freakish spectacle who would increase ticket sales.

While Wood was sympathetic to the practice of cross-dressing, categorising himself as a transvestite , most horror films and thrillers that followed situated transgender characters as villains. The list of transgender murderers is extensive and persistent from the 1960s to the 1990s.

Homicidal (1961) features a murderous woman, Emily, who wears a wig and prosthetic teeth to conceal that she is, in fact, Warren. Nevertheless, Warren was actually born a girl, but raised as a boy by her mother because his father desired a male child and would have harmed a girl. In keeping with the sensational representation of transgender killers, the film was screened with a “fright break” at its climax, in which audience members could leave the theatre and seek a refund if they were too scared.

Hammer Horror’s 1971 film Dr Jekyll and Sister Hyde makes the famous splintered personality tale more disturbing by motivating Jekyll to concoct an elixir of life serum with female hormones from murdered corpses. The serum transforms Jekyll into an evil woman, who eventually kills girls in order to obtain more hormones to maintain the transformation.

The 1983 slasher film Sleepaway Camp has an infamous final scene in which the serial killer is revealed. The character of “Angela” stands naked, smeared with blood, with her penis clearly visible to onlookers who scream, “Oh my God! She’s a boy!” Angela was originally a boy named Peter, but was forced by his mother to assume the role of his twin sister after her death.

Being forced into a particular gender role is clearly traumatic, as in the well publicised case of David Reimer who was raised as a girl after a failed circumcision. However, the implication of Sleepaway Camp and other films with serial killers who are arguably presented as transgender, such as Silence of the Lambs (1991) (and even Psycho [1960]), is that gender non-conformity is frightening and unnatural. As Phillips suggests, revelations of transgender murderers not only make the killings bizarre and monstrous but also “trade on the otherness of transgender to engender fear and loathing”.

Life in pink: transgender children

It is only recently that transgender children have begun to be overtly represented in literature and film. This is indicative of shift from demonising transgender people to greater attempts to understand them and represent them positively, as in mainstream films such as the award-winning Transamerica (2005).

One of the first representations of a transgender child was the Belgian film Ma Vie En Rose in 1997. It playfully blurs the line between fantasy and reality in order to show the thoughts of a seven-year-old boy, Ludovic, who wants to be a girl.

Despite its arthouse aesthetic and the fact that Ludovic, as reviewer Roger Ebert suggests , exhibited “no sexual awareness in his dressing up”, the film was given an “R” rating in the United States. The rating suggests that two decades ago there was still significant discomfort with the idea of a boy who might not “grow out of” his femininity. It also signals that young people should not be exposed to the reality of transgender children.

This sensitivity explains why there were only a handful of stories intended for children — usually fantasies — that included characters who might be understood as transgender until very recently.

The most notable of these is Princess Ozma, who appears in every book in L. Frank Baum’s Oz book series (1900-1920) apart from the first. Princess Ozma is born a girl, but transformed into a boy named Tip by the witch Mombi, in order to prevent her becoming the ruler of Oz. Tip has no recollection of being a girl when Mombi is compelled to revert him to his original form as the girl Ozma.

Children’s books have historically been willing to show boys and girls who “play” as the other gender (often categorised as “sissies” and “tomboys”), but the expectation is that these characters will mature into cisgender, heterosexual men and women.

It was not until the new millennium that a young adult novel featured a transgender protagonist. Julie Anne Peter’s Luna (2004) depicts a teenage boy, Liam, who progresses from only assuming his true self, “Luna”, at night to eventually making the decision to publicly transition.

Victoria Flanagan, in her study of cross-dressing in children’s literature , explains that contemporary Young Adult fiction has begun to recognise that “cross-dressing has implications that relate to sexuality and sexual/gender identity”. These ideas were previously cordoned off into the realm of adults only, as culture was largely uncomfortable with children reading and viewing stories about queer or gender non-conforming characters.

The next wave of representation

This is How it Always Is is symbolic of the next wave of representations of transgender people. In novels and films for adults, psycho killers who were forced into the “wrong” gender by a parent, or tragic figures such as trans man Brandon Teena, whose real-life rape and murder is dramatised in Boys Don’t Cry (1999), are being replaced by more positive depictions of transgender people.

We are beginning to see stories of young people who are being supported by friends or parents to live as the gender with which they identify – such as transgender boy Cole in The Fosters – and of teens learning to accept a parent’s transition, as in Australian film 52 Tuesdays .

The newfound ability for transgender children to begin their transition or at least delay puberty means there could be a transgender boy or girl in almost any school classroom. Rightfully, novels for young people are also beginning to represent transgender children.

Nevertheless, as with the continued challenges to depictions of gay and lesbian characters in fiction for young people, transgender characters are still rare and sometimes considered inappropriate.

Now it is not the threat of the freakish transgender monster, but the threat of disrupting long-held ideas about gender binaries that has the most potential to send transphobic people to the fright room

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Biden Administration Releases Revised Title IX Rules

The new regulations extended legal protections to L.G.B.T.Q. students and rolled back several policies set under the Trump administration.

By Zach Montague and Erica L. Green

Reporting from Washington

The Biden administration issued new rules on Friday cementing protections for L.G.B.T.Q. students under federal law and reversing a number of Trump-era policies that dictated how schools should respond to cases of alleged sexual misconduct in K-12 schools and college campuses.

The new rules, which take effect on Aug. 1, effectively broadened the scope of Title IX, the 1972 law prohibiting sex discrimination in educational programs that receive federal funding. They extend the law’s reach to prohibit discrimination and harassment based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and widen the range of sexual harassment complaints that schools will be responsible for investigating.

“These regulations make it crystal clear that everyone can access schools that are safe, welcoming and that respect their rights,” Miguel A. Cardona, the education secretary, said in a call with reporters.

The rules deliver on a key campaign promise for Mr. Biden, who declared he would put a “quick end” to the Trump-era Title IX rules and faced mounting pressure from Democrats and civil rights leaders to do so.

The release of the updated rules, after two delays, came as Mr. Biden is in the thick of his re-election bid and is trying to galvanize key electoral constituencies.

Through the new regulations, the administration moved to include students in its interpretation of Bostock v. Clayton County, the landmark 2020 Supreme Court case in which the court ruled that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects gay and transgender workers from workplace discrimination. The Trump administration held that transgender students were not protected under federal laws, including after the Bostock ruling .

In a statement, Betsy DeVos, who served as Mr. Trump’s education secretary, criticized what she called a “radical rewrite” of the law, asserting that it was an “endeavor born entirely of progressive politics, not sound policy.”

Ms. DeVos said the inclusion of transgender students in the law gutted decades of protections and opportunities for women. She added that the Biden administration also “seeks to U-turn to the bad old days where sexual misconduct was sent to campus kangaroo courts, not resolved in a way that actually sought justice.”

While the regulations released on Friday contained considerably stronger protections for L.G.B.T.Q. students, the administration steered clear of the lightning-rod issue of whether transgender students should be able to play on school sports teams corresponding to their gender identity.

The administration stressed that while, writ large, exclusion based on gender identity violated Title IX, the new regulations did not extend to single-sex living facilities or sports teams. The Education Department is pursuing a second rule dealing with sex-related eligibility for male and female sports teams. The rule-making process has drawn more than 150,000 comments.

Under the revisions announced on Friday, instances where transgender students are subjected to a “hostile environment” through bullying or harassment, or face unequal treatment and exclusion in programs or facilities based on their gender identity, could trigger an investigation by the department’s Office for Civil Rights.

Instances where students are repeatedly referred to by a name or pronoun other than one they have chosen could also be considered harassment on a case-by-case basis.

“This is a bold and important statement that transgender and nonbinary students belong, in their schools and in their communities,” said Olivia Hunt, the policy director for the National Center for Transgender Equality.

The regulations appeared certain to draw to legal challenges from conservative groups.

May Mailman, the director of the Independent Women’s Law Center, said in a statement that the group planned to sue the administration. She said it was clear that the statute barring discrimination on the basis of “sex” means “binary and biological.”

“The unlawful omnibus regulation reimagines Title IX to permit the invasion of women’s spaces and the reduction of women’s rights in the name of elevating protections for ‘gender identity,’ which is contrary to the text and purpose of Title IX,” she said.

The existing rules, which took effect under Mr. Trump in 2020, were the first time that sexual assault provisions were codified under Title IX. They bolstered due process rights of accused students, relieved schools of some legal liabilities and laid out rigid parameters for how schools should conduct impartial investigations.

They were a sharp departure from the Obama administration’s interpretation of the law, which came in the form of unenforceable guidance documents directing schools to ramp up investigations into sexual assault complaints under the threat of losing federal funding. Scores of students who had been accused of sexual assault went on to win court cases against their colleges for violating their due process rights under the guidelines.

The Biden administration’s rules struck a balance between the Obama and Trump administration’s goals. Taken together, the regulation largely provides more flexibility for how schools conduct investigations, which advocates and schools have long lobbied for.

Catherine E. Lhamon, the head of the department’s Office for Civil Rights who also held the job under President Barack Obama, called the new rules the “most comprehensive coverage under Title IX since the regulations were first promulgated in 1975.”

They replaced a narrower definition of sex-based harassment adopted under the Trump administration with one that would include a wider range of conduct. And they reversed a requirement that schools investigate only incidents alleged to have occurred on their campuses or in their programs.

Still, some key provisions in the Trump-era rules were preserved, including one allowing informal resolutions and another prohibiting penalties against students until after an investigation.

Among the most anticipated changes was the undoing of a provision that required in-person, or so-called live hearings, in which students accused of sexual misconduct, or their lawyers, could confront and question accusers in a courtroom-like setting.

The new rules allow in-person hearings, but do not mandate them. They also require a process through which a decision maker could assess a party or witness’s credibility, including posing questions from the opposing party.

“The new regulations put an end to unfair and traumatic grievance procedures that favor harassers,” Kel O’Hara, a senior attorney at Equal Rights Advocates. “No longer will student survivors be subjected to processes that prioritize the interests of their perpetrators over their own well being and safety.”

The new rules also allow room for schools to use a “preponderance of evidence” standard, a lower burden of proof than the DeVos-era rules encouraged, through which administrators need only to determine whether it was more likely than not that sexual misconduct had occurred.

The renewed push for that standard drew criticism from legal groups who said the rule stripped away hard-won protections against flawed findings.

“When you are dealing with accusations of really one of the most heinous crimes that a person can commit — sexual assault — it’s not enough to say, ‘50 percent and a feather,’ before you brand someone guilty of this repulsive crime,” said Will Creeley, the legal director of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.

The changes concluded a three-year process in which the department received 240,000 public comments. The rules also strengthen protections for pregnant students, requiring accommodations such as a bigger desk or ensuring access to elevators and prohibiting exclusion from activities based on additional needs.

Title IX was designed to end discrimination based on sex in educational programs or activities at all institutions receiving federal financial assistance, beginning with sports programs and other spaces previously dominated by male students.

The effects of the original law have been pronounced. Far beyond the impact on school programs like sports teams, many educators credit Title IX with setting the stage for academic parity today. Female college students routinely outnumber male students on campus and have become more likely than men of the same age to graduate with a four-year degree.

But since its inception, Title IX has also become a powerful vehicle through which past administrations have sought to steer schools to respond to the dynamic and diverse nature of schools and universities.

While civil rights groups were disappointed that some ambiguity remains for the L.G.B.T.Q. students and their families, the new rules were widely praised for taking a stand at a time when education debates are reminiscent to the backlash after the Supreme Court ordered schools to integrate.

More than 20 states have passed laws that broadly prohibit anyone assigned male at birth from playing on girls’ and women’s sports teams or participating in scholastic athletic programs, while 10 states have laws barring transgender people from using bathrooms based on their gender identity.

“Some adults are showing up and saying, ‘I’m going to make school harder for children,” said Liz King, senior program director of the education equity program at the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. “It’s an incredibly important rule, at an incredibly important moment.”

Schools will have to cram over the summer to implement the rules, which will require a retraining staff and overhauling procedures they implemented only four years ago.

Ted Mitchell, the president of the American Council on Education, which represents more than 1,700 colleges and universities, said in a statement that while the group welcomed the changes in the new rule, the timeline “disregards the difficulties inherent in making these changes on our nation’s campuses in such a short period of time.”

“After years of constant churn in Title IX guidance and regulations,” Mr. Mitchell said, “we hope for the sake of students and institutions that there will be more stability and consistency in the requirements going forward.”

Zach Montague is based in Washington. He covers breaking news and developments around the district. More about Zach Montague

Erica L. Green is a White House correspondent, covering President Biden and his administration. More about Erica L. Green

Writing about Gender and Sexuality

View in pdf format.

As our language evolves alongside our understanding of gender and sexuality, it is important for writers to make informed choices about their language and to take responsibility for those choices. Accurate terminology and phrasing are important in writing about people respectfully and in crafting effective arguments that your audience can trust. This handout includes writing practices and language tips to help writers discuss various identities respectfully and without perpetuating stereotypes.

The following resources explain important terms you might use when discussing gender and/or sexuality:

• GLAAD Media Reference Guide: GLAAD Media Reference Guide - 10th Edition
• National Center for Transgender Equality: Understanding Transgender People: The Basics
• Grammarly: 33 LGBTQIA+ Terms You Should Know
• APA Style: Gender - APA Style

Best Practices

Know the difference between “sex” and “gender”.

“Sex” and “gender” are not synonyms! “Sex” refers to the classification of a person as male, female, or intersex based on biological characteristics. “Gender” refers to a range of social and cultural identities characterized by varying expressions of masculinity and femininity. These differences impact the language you should use. For example, use “women” instead of “females” when referring to the social group, as the word “females” does not include all women.

Use gender-neutral terms to reference general categories of people

Some terms, like “fireman” or “stewardess,” are unnecessarily gendered, exclusive, and stereotypical. Additionally, terms that assume masculinity as the default, such as “mankind,” reinforce problematic hierarchies of gender. Replace terms like these with non-gendered alternatives, such as “humankind” instead of “mankind,” “firefighter” instead of “fireman,” and “flight attendant” instead of “stewardess.” (1)

Only note gender or sexuality when necessary and relevant

Mentioning someone’s gender or sexuality when it is not relevant is reductive and distracting. Make sure you indicate gender or sexuality only when discussing that particular identity. For example, only use “women firefighters” if you are specifically discussing women in that profession.

Don’t use adjectives as nouns

Using adjectives as nouns is not only grammatically incorrect, it is often demeaning to the people you are describing. For example, use “transgender people” or “gay people,” not “transgenders” or “gays.”

Avoid language that implies a gender binary

Discussing gender as a binary of men and women is both inaccurate and exclusive. Replace this with inclusive language. For example:

• Say “all genders” instead of “both genders” when applicable.
• Use “another gender” or “another sex” instead of “opposite sex.”
• Use gender-neutral pronouns instead of “he or she” or variations such as “s/he.”

Using Gender-Neutral Pronouns

Singular pronouns: when to use “they/them/theirs”.

To reference a specific individual, always use their identified pronouns. Formal styles of academic writing widely support the use of “they/them/theirs” to refer to non-binary and gender non-conforming individuals.

To reference a generic or hypothetical person, “they” is widely used informally but is not encouraged in formal writing. For example, using the sentence “The participant followed their instructions.” to refer to a generic participant can be confusing, as your reader might think you are referring to a specific individual. To maintain inclusivity and gender neutrality without using “they/them/theirs” as generic singular pronouns, try the following strategies from the APA (2) :

• Rephrase to eliminate gender pronouns: “The participant followed the provided instructions.”
• Use plural nouns with plural pronouns: “ Participants followed their instructions.”
• Replace a possessive pronoun with an article: “The participant followed the instructions.”
• Omit the pronoun: “The participant followed instructions .”

For further reading on the grammar of the “singular they,” see the following resources:

• APA Style: The Use of Singular “They” in APA Style
• Grammarly: Singular They: Why to Use They as a Singular Pronoun

Pronoun use to avoid

Although the following options for generic singular pronouns were used in the past, they are currently not encouraged in formal writing, as they can be confusing, misleading, and inaccurate:

• Use of “he/him/his” as the default generic pronoun
• Alternating use of “he/him/his” and “she/her/hers” pronouns
• Use of “s/he,” “(s)he,” or other variations

Writing about Transgender People

When writing about transgender people, use the following tips to guide you:

• Use the individual’s current name and pronouns at all times, even when referring to their past, when they may have gone by a different name or pronoun. For example, if you are writing about a transgender woman named Jane, you might write “Before her transition, Jane felt…”.
• Use the phrase “transgender woman” or “transgender man” if you must indicate that they are transgender. Do not use language that refers to the individual as anything other than their identified gender.
• Use “transgender” instead of “transsexual” unless the individual identifies with that term, as “transgender” is more inclusive.

Writing about LGBTQ+ People

Be careful of the language you use to discuss LGBTQ+ people, as it may be linked to misleading, harmful, and homophobic rhetoric. Use the following tips to guide you:

• Use “sexual orientation,” not “sexual preference.”
• Use “identified pronouns” or simply “pronouns,” not “preferred pronouns.”
• Use “identities,” not “lifestyles.”
• Use “gay” or “lesbian” instead of “homosexual,” which has derogative connotations.
• Use umbrella terms like “the LGBTQ+ community” instead of “sexual minorities.”

Umbrella Terms

Use the standard umbrella terms of LGBT, LGBTQ+, and LGBTQIA+, as well as phrases like “the LGBTQ+ community,” when you cannot be more specific about the group of people you are referring to. Remember that the experiences and identities of people in the LGBTQ+ community vary widely, so work to avoid over-generalizing.

The term “queer” can apply to individuals and also can be used as an umbrella term (i.e. “the queer community”). Although many LGBTQ+ people have reclaimed it, the word has been used as a derogatory slur in the past and should be used with caution. Only use “queer” when referring to disciplines like “queer studies” and to groups or individuals who self-identify with this term, or if you identify with it yourself.

Writing with Outdated/Problematic Sources

When working with outdated sources, consider paraphrasing quotes or acknowledging that the authors’ language reflects the terminology of their time. Note that this does not apply to intentionally harmful and derogatory language, no matter how commonly it was used at the time.

When analyzing or referencing a source that uses harmful language (slurs, violent rhetoric, etc.), either:

• Explain that the author or character uses harmful language without stating it verbatim. For example: “The author uses a homophobic slur when discussing [context of the quote], indicating that [analysis].”
• Acknowledge its offensive nature in your analysis if you must quote the harmful language verbatim.

Do not change the quote or omit harmful language without acknowledging it. If you must use outdated and problematic sources, it is best to acknowledge any harmful language or rhetoric and discuss how it impacts the use and meaning of the text in your analysis.

Note that if you do need to use dated terminology to discuss the subjects in a historical context, continue to use contemporary language in your own discussion and analysis.

If you are still unsure of what language to use, consult your professor, classmates, Writing Center tutors, or current academic readings in the discipline for more guidance.

As we have noted, language is complex and constantly evolving. We will update this resource to reflect changes in language use and guidelines. We also welcome suggestions for revisions to this handout. Please contact the Writing Center with any questions or suggestions.

By Emily Brewer ’21. Adapted from prior Writing Center resources “Writing about Gender and Sexuality” and “Avoiding Sexist Language.”

Thank you to the following people who contributed to earlier versions of this resource: M. E. Ficarra ’15, Olivia Valcarce ’15, Sharon Williams, Jennifer Klein ’93, Krista Hesdorfer ’14, Amit Taneja, Allen Harrison, and Professors Joyce Barry, Benjamin DiCicco-Bloom, Cara Jones, and Yvonne Zylan.

(1) Hamilton, Mykol, Nancy Henley and Barrie Thorne. “Womanspeak and Manspeak: Sex Differences and Sexism in Communication, Verbal and Nonverbal.” Beyond Sex Roles edition 2, Alice G. Sargent (ed.) New York: West Publishing Company, 1984. Pages 168-185.

(2) American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Gender . American Psychological Association. https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/bias-free-language/gender.

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Jennifer Ambrose

Writing Center Director

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I’m Transgender. Here’s How Playing Sports Saved My Life

By Shane Diamond

It would not be an exaggeration to say that sports saved my life.

I grew up in a small town in the American Southwest known as an offbeat refuge for artists and skiers. Locally, the area had a reputation for heroin overdoses, drunk driving fatalities, and high school drop-outs. But after school and on the weekends, my friends and I all played youth sports like soccer and basketball together. Athletics kept us occupied, supervised, and generally out of trouble. We also learned lifelong lessons about accountability, hard work, and time management.

When soccer season ended and the boys started playing ice hockey, I was one of the only girls who was eager to join them; I wanted to do what my friends did. Throughout my youth and into high school, I was often the only girl on the ice, and one of only a handful statewide, but I was welcomed and accepted by both my team and the league. Looking back, it makes sense that I was “one of the boys” because I was a boy, but we didn’t have language or resources to support transgender youth in the early ’90s the way we do today.

After high school, I played varsity women’s ice hockey at Bowdoin College in Maine. I can’t tell you what our record was during my four years of playing college hockey, which team won the league championship, or how many goals I scored, but I can say with absolute assurance that my hockey teammates are still some of my best friends. And that didn’t change after I came out as transgender in 2016 and started transitioning.

We’ve supported each other during marriage and divorce, while caring for ill parents and starting families, and through experiences of racism and discrimination. During the pandemic, we have remained connected online and debated whether or not we’re going to wear pants with elastic waists forever. We share a bond that can only be forged through long hours at the rink and grueling lifting schedules at the gym. We all remember the collective joy of celebrating a win and the shared grief after a loss.

As a kid who didn’t quite fit in, I always found safety and stability among my teammates. When the weight of the outside world felt like it was too heavy for a teenager struggling with identity, I knew that for an hour each day, I could leave it all outside the rink and just play hockey. Then in my 30s, while fighting for sobriety and battling depression, outreach from my college teammates saved my life: They made overt gestures, like flying to Maine when I was approaching rock bottom just so we could lie in a hotel bed, eat Thai food, and watch trashy reality TV. They messaged me on the daily group text where we offer support and accountability.

Only a person who has spent years working out with you can call you up and say, “I love you but you’re being an idiot,” with the sort of bluntness that you know comes from a place of love.

I’m not alone in my experiences. For transgender youth, having access to sports is quite literally life-saving; according to a study recently published by the Center for American Progress, the mere existence of transgender-insluive sports policies lowers the risk of poor mental health and suicidality for trans youth. Even if trans youth don’t participate in sports, the fact that they are able to reduces their risk of depression and attempted suicide. As a community, we need the mental health benefits that sport can offer. The largest survey of transgender people, the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey conducted by the National Center for Transgender Equality, reports that transgender people are nine times more likely to attempt suicide over our lifetime than our cisgender peers. And almost 75% of transgender people who attempt suicide are under the age of 18. Even without harmful and invasive laws, it is dangerous to be a young trans person .

But lawmakers in 31 states are preying on this already vulnerable population by trying to pass laws to ban trans kids from playing sports . Politicians are targeting young children who are already coping with trauma after a year of wearing masks and only seeing their classmates on Zoom. They are going after teenagers who, like each of us, miss spending time with their friends without being afraid for the future. They are harming college students who are preparing to enter an economy grappling with unemployment and low wages.

It’s important to note that the majority of these attacks are not coming from cisgender athletes. They overwhelmingly welcome their transgender teammates. Earlier this month, over 550 current student athletes from over 85 U.S. colleges and universities recently — and for the second time — sent a letter to the NCAA in support of transgender student athletes. They know that trans athletes just want to be included. I played hockey as a kid because that’s what my friends were doing and I didn’t want to be left out. These laws and policies don’t just leave out trans kids, they intentionally exclude us.

Transgender athletes are not a new trend: the NCAA has allowed transgender athletes to participate since 2011 and the International Olympic Committee since 2004. But trans kids are still facing pushback. In 2018, transgender Texas wrestler Mack Beggs was forced to compete against girls despite wishing he could wrestle with other boys. The story of his fight to participate and show up as himself, along with the stories of Connecticut runner Andraya Yearwood and New Hampshire skier Sarah Huckman, are featured in the documentary film Changing the Game , for which I am the Impact Change Coordinator. Their stories are powerful examples of what happens when we let kids be themselves, participate fully as students, athletes, friends, and family members. Trans athletes aren’t asking for special treatment, nor do we want to be stigmatized for our transness. We simply want the opportunity to play.

Because of the wave of anti-transgender legislation sweeping the country, trans youth are hearing consistently false and harmful messages about themselves: that our inherent identities are deceptive and unfair, that there’s not enough room for us, that we don’t belong. But I am living proof that there is no better lifeline for trans kids than ensuring they are able to play sports with their peers. We owe it to kids, transgender and cisgender alike, to make sure they have the same opportunities to participate in, fall in love with, and be saved by sports the way so many of us have.

Quispe López

James Factora

Abby Monteil

Call your local schools’ athletic directors and demand that athletic policies allow trans youth to participate as themselves, contact legislators in these 31 states — many of whom have never met a trans person — and tell them why this matters to you and your family. Every young person deserves the chance to learn and grow through the transformative power of sports. Many of these bills and laws will likely make their way to the Supreme Court and hopefully be ruled unconstitutional, but the damage being caused to trans kids in the process will have lasting effects.

When I say that I don’t know where I’d be without sports, I mean it quite literally; without the support networks that have lasted well beyond my time on the ice, I would likely have joined too many of my transgender siblings who felt isolated and excluded enough to end their lives. Trans youth need our support now, loud and proud and in unison, before it’s too late to fight for them.

Shane Diamond is a media and communications maverick. Previously the communications manager at TLDEF, he is now the impact campaign coordinator for the film Changing the Game, a transgender advocate, and former college athlete.

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By Jules Gill-Peterson

By Rachel Crandall-Crocker

By Wren Sanders

By James Factora

Updated Biden administration rules will soon affect students across US: What to know

Students and school employees across America will be impacted in the fall by new changes to a rule that affects all federally-funded schools.

Practically, it's a sweeping update to how schools will have to handle sex discrimination and abuse cases. Politically, it's a part of a power struggle between the Trump and Biden administrations.

What's new? The Biden administration released a new set of rules this week overhauling the Trump administration's Title IX rules – which gave more rights to alleged perpetrators of sexual assault and harassment. The new rules also stipulate further protections for LGBTQ+ students as well as parenting and pregnant students.

What is Title IX? Title IX is a civil rights law that bans sex discrimination against students, employees and others at public schools, colleges and universities that receive federal funding.

What were some of the old rules? For cases of sexual assault, they stipulated that schools only had to investigate claims that met a certain threshold of sex discrimination and were made through a formal reporting process. It also raised the bar of proof for sexual misconduct on college campuses. They prohibited investigations of cases that occurred off campus.

Why does the change matter? Critics argued the Trump-era rules prevented people accused of sexual harassment, assault or discrimination from facing repercussions. Supporters contended the rules rightly strengthened due-process protections for accused students or faculty members.

Biden's new Title IX rules will affect people on the nation's school campuses starting in August.

What happened this week?

The Biden administration's new set of guidance overhauls Trump-era rules that in part narrowed which and how schools could investigate sex discrimination cases. President Joe Biden in his 2020 presidential campaign vowed to overturn the changes made under Education Secretary Betsy DeVos.

The new rules expand the definition of sexual assault and harassment. That means schools could investigate more cases of discrimination, abuse or harassment filed by people on school campuses under the scope of the law.

College student survivors will no longer be required to attend live hearings or go through cross examinations. And people will be given the right to "prompt and equitable grievance procedures," the rule reads.

LGBTQ+ students will be guaranteed protection under the law if they are discriminated against for their gender identity or sexual orientation.

Pregnant and parenting students who might receive unwanted sexual attention, shame or punishment at schools will also be granted more protections from sex discrimination in the admissions process and on campus.

“These final regulations build on the legacy of Title IX by clarifying that all our nation’s students can access schools that are safe, welcoming, and respect their rights," said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona.

Who is impacted by the changes to Title IX?

The rule changes have a wide range of effects on students, among the most notable examples:

• Sexual assault survivors : The new rules will have sweeping effects on survivors of sexual misconduct and those accused of crimes. Among the changes: The definition of sexual assault will be expanded in K-12 schools and colleges.
• LGBTQ+ students : Biden's Title IX update stipulates protections from sex discrimination based gender identity for the first time.
• Pregnant and parenting students : The new regulations extend the definition of "sex-based harassment" to include pregnant people on campuses.

Ruling on transgender student participation in sports remains unsettled

The Biden administration did not rule on whether transgender and nonbinary students can participate on the sports teams that align with their gender.

The administration released a proposed rule in April 2023 that said schools and colleges largely could not ban nonbinary and transgender students from sports teams in the new Title IX rules.

Contact Kayla Jimenez at [email protected] .  Follow her on X at @kaylajjimenez.

Republican-Led States Sue to Block New Title IX Rule

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Two separate groups of Republican-led states on Monday filed lawsuits challenging the U.S. Department of Education’s final regulation on Title IX, focusing on the new rule’s protections for students’ gender identity.

The regulation is “a naked attempt to strong-arm our schools into molding our children in the current federal government’s preferred image of how a child should think, act, and speak,” says the lawsuit filed by Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Montana. “The Final Rule is an affront to the dignity of families and school administrators everywhere, and it is nowhere close to legal.”

Meanwhile, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina, joined by groups including Parents Defending Education, filed a suit calling the regulation “onerous” and saying it would increase costs and burdens on states.

Another lawsuit was filed separately by Texas, with that state’s Republican attorney general, Ken Paxton, calling the new rule “plainly illegal, undemocratic, and divorced from reality.”

The new rule, announced on April 19 (and published in the Federal Register on April 29 ), is the latest interpretation of Title IX, the 1972 federal statute that bars sex discrimination in federally funded educational programs. The regulation includes major sections on sexual harassment and assault, and pregnancy discrimination, among others, but it is the codification of protections for LGBTQ+ students that has prompted the most discussion.

Education officials in at least five states have advised schools to ignore the new regulation, as Education Week reported last week . And given the ferocity of the debate over transgender rights, and the willingness of Republican-led states and other parties to sue over Biden administration policies, it was all but inevitable that the new Title IX rule would face a legal challenge.

The regulation says a school would violate the law if it “denies a transgender student access to a sex-separate facility or activity consistent with that student’s gender identity.” However, the Education Department is still weighing a separate regulation that addresses how schools and colleges may deal with gender identity in athletics.

One case filed before a potentially sympathetic judge

The Louisiana-led lawsuit is backed by the Washington-based Defense of Freedom Institute and led by that state’s attorney general and its state education department. The suit contends that the new regulation flips the longstanding understanding of “sex” under Title IX to include discrimination based on sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, pregnancy or relation conditions, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

“These other grounds are not interchangeable with sex,” the lawsuit says. “A [federal funding] recipient that treats a person differently based on some of these grounds does not always discriminate against that person based on sex.”

The suit contends the rule would bar schools from requiring documentation of a diagnosis of gender dysphoria and “would compel students and teachers to use whatever pronouns a person demands.”

The suit also says that notwithstanding the pending separate regulation on transgender students’ participation in athletics, the broader Title IX rule would effectively require the states to permit transgender females to participate in female sports. That would interfere with state laws passed in Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Montana that define sex as “biological sex,” the suit says. Some 25 states have similar laws.

“These schools now have to change the way they behave and the way they speak, and whether they can have private spaces for little girls or women,” Louisiana Attorney General Elizabeth B. Murrill, a Republican, said in a statement. “It is enormously invasive, and it is much more than a suggestion; it is a mandate that well exceeds their statutory authority.”

The suit says the Education Department violated the Administrative Procedure Act and the spending clause in Article I of the U.S. Constitution, under which Congress attaches conditions to the receipt of federal funds. It asks a federal court to vacate the new regulation, and in the short term, to delay its Aug. 1 effective date.

The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court in Monroe, La., where it is likely to be assigned to Judge Terry A. Doughty, an appointee of President Donald Trump who has issued several rulings against the Biden administration, including blocking a rule on COVID-19 vaccinations, ordering the resumption of oil and gas leases on federal lands, and siding with Republican state attorneys general on claims that the Biden administration coerced social media platforms to suppress content about COVID-19 and claims of voter fraud in the 2020 election.

The Alabama led-suit, filed in U.S. district court for the northern division, criticizes the regulation’s harassment and assault procedures in addition to its language on sexual orientation and gender identity. The suit criticizes the Education Department’s reliance on a 2020 U.S. Supreme Court decision that found the main federal job discrimination law to cover gender identity and sexual orientation.

In Bostock v. Clayton County , the court ruled that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 encompassed those two characteristics as included in its protections against sex discrimination. The Education Department relies on Bostock in finding that Title IX protects individuals on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation.

“Title IX was enacted to create educational and athletic opportunities for women and girls, yet the Department’s understanding of Bostock would do the opposite: eliminate educational opportunities for women and girls, particularly in those areas where biological sex is most relevant,” the Alabama suit says.

The Texas suit was filed in the U.S. District Court in Amarillo, where another Trump appointee, Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk, has ruled frequently against the Biden administration, including a 2022 ruling that blocked administration guidance following Bostock that was meant to require employers to protect LGBTQ+ workers on matters such as pronouns, dress, and restrooms.

The Education Department said through a spokesman that it could not comment on pending litigation, but “the Department crafted the final Title IX regulations following a rigorous process to give complete effect to the Title IX statutory guarantee that no person experiences sex discrimination in federally-funded education.”

“As a condition of receiving federal funds, all federally-funded schools are obligated to comply with these final regulations and we look forward to working with school communities all across the country to ensure the Title IX guarantee of nondiscrimination in school is every student’s experience,” the statement added.

Last week, Education Week reported that education leaders in at least five states had urged schools to ignore the new regulation . The five states included four that have now sued—Florida, Louisiana, Montana, and South Carolina.

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Writing Strong Titles

by acburton | Apr 25, 2024 | Resources for Students , Writing Resources

You’ve finished your paper, and all that’s left is your title. What do you name the essay you’ve just worked tirelessly on, for days, sometimes even weeks to put together? Should it be long or something shorter? Should you prioritize grasping your readers attention or encapsulating the major themes of your essay? These are all questions that the Writing Center is here to help with!

First Things First: Why Do We Need Titles?

Titles serve as the first point of contact between readers and your written work. They serve to inform readers about what your work will be about and clarify how it is relevant to others’ work or research. All of these things work to engage readers, compelling their curiosity and interest!

What Approaches Can I Take to Create Effective and Engaging Titles?

1. Hook Your Reader

Students often start with this consideration when working to formulate the title of their paper. To ‘hook your reader’, think about what you find most interesting about your own research and something new or enticing that you will be sharing. Convey this to your reader.

2. Keep it Concise, but Make it Informative

An essential aspect that works alongside ‘hooking’ your reader is making sure that your title is concise. While “one-part” titles can prioritize being creative or descriptive (check out our example below!), “two-part” titles, those that may use a colon to present two parallel ideas, can run the risk of being too long to grasp and hold your reader’s attention. A good rule of thumb is to aim to keep your “two-part” titles no longer than two lines. Whichever you choose, either “one part” or “two part”, you’ll want to be sure that your title serves as one method for your reader to predict what your paper will be about. While you don’t want to give everything away, your title shouldn’t be too far off from what your paper will demonstrate.

3. Consider Your Audience

Much like you did when writing the work that you are now striving to title, consider your audience. The words and phrases you choose to incorporate should be reflective of the discipline you are writing for and should not include terminology that, whoever may be reading it, won’t be able to grasp. Contemplate if using more general language would be more effective for your reader (especially if your work may be attractive to readers outside of your discipline) or if more precise or specific language is more appropriate for your goal (e.g., an academic publication or journal).

4. Incorporate Keywords

One of the simplest ways to get started on your title is by incorporating keywords. Think about it; what does your work focus on? What terms are being used often? How are they being used (e.g., in comparison or in contrast to other terms)? Incorporating keywords into your title not only serves to provide you a great place to start, but can also help get your work to a wider audience! Take the time to think about how you might get your work to show up in search engines when curious readers want to know more about a subject.

5. Reflect the Tone of Your Writing

Depending on the genre or discipline, your title should aim to follow the style, tone, or slant of the work it precedes. For example, if you are writing non-scholarly work for the Humanities, you may find that a more lighthearted, fun, or inventive title may work for the topic at hand. In contrast, STEM papers may focus on using specific language, or a tone that lets the reader know that their work is contemplative, veracious, or, in other words, no laughing matter. Take note, again, of your audience and what it is that you want your reader to feel or take away as they navigate your writing.

Below, you’ll see how these considerations work alongside your decision to create those one or two-part titles discussed earlier.

For a Compelling, Thoughtful Title, You Might Try…

A “one-part” title that prioritizes either..

• Example: “ RENT’ s Tango With Your Emotions”
• Example: “An Analysis of Modernism in Larson’s Melodramatic Musical”

STEM papers or reports traditionally have a descriptive title. Creative projects, like short stories, often have creative titles.

A “two-part” title:

• Creative Introductory Clause: Descriptive, Specific Topic
• Example: “RENT’s Tango With Your Emotions: An Analysis of Modernism in Larson’s Melodramatic Musical”

Although seen much more often in STEM writing, scholarly work in the Humanities, Arts, or Social Sciences may have a two-part title.

How Do We Format Essay Titles?

Formal titles follow Title Case Formatting ; this type of formatting includes capitalizing the first word, the last word, and every significant word in between. For example:

• T ransgressive T ekken : P layer E xpression and P articipatory C ulture in the K orean B ackdash

Helpful Hint!

To write stronger titles, avoid starting with a question. While this may draw your reader in, it may also leave them feeling disinterested in reading further to find the answer. Similarly, avoid exaggerating your work through your title. Be honest with your reader on what to expect going forward. Visit us at the Writing Center for help brainstorming a fantastic title or polishing up an existing one!

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Conservative states challenge federal rule on treatment of transgender students

FILE - Protesters hold signs outside the doors of the legislative chamber in the Nebraska Capitol in response to a bill that would have restricted students to bathrooms, locker rooms and sports teams that correspond with the gender they were assigned at birth, April 5, 2024, in Lincoln, Neb. In a lawsuit filed Monday, April 29, four Republican state attorneys general are challenging a federal regulation that seeks to protect the rights of transgender students in the nation’s schools by banning blanket policies that bar transgender students from school bathrooms aligning with their gender, among other provisions. (AP Photo/Margery Beck, File)

FILE - Transgender-rights advocates gather near the Kentucky House chamber, March 2, 2023, in Frankfort, Ky. In a lawsuit filed Monday, April 29, 2024, four Republican state attorneys general are challenging a federal regulation that seeks to protect the rights of transgender students in the nation’s schools by banning blanket policies that bar transgender students from school bathrooms aligning with their gender, among other provisions. (AP Photo/Bruce Schreiner, File)

FILE - Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, center, signs a bill that prevents transgender girls and women from competing on female sports teams, March 30, 2022, in Oklahoma City. In a lawsuit filed Monday, April 29, 2024, four Republican state attorneys general are challenging a federal regulation that seeks to protect the rights of transgender students in the nation’s schools by banning blanket policies that bar transgender students from school bathrooms aligning with their gender, among other provisions. (AP Photo/Sean Murphy, File)

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Several Republican state attorneys general are challenging a federal regulation that seeks to protect the rights of transgender students in the nation’s schools by banning blanket policies that bar transgender students from school bathrooms aligning with their gender, among other provisions.

The officials argue the new policies would hurt women and girls, trample free speech rights and create burdens for the states, which are among those with laws adopted in recent years that conflict with the new regulations.

“This is federal government overreach, but it’s of a degree and dimension like no other,” Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said in a news conference Monday.

One lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in Monroe, Louisiana on Monday, the same day the Education Department regulations on how to enforce Title IX were officially finalized. The top state government lawyers for Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi and Montana want the court to delay the date they take effect, which is scheduled for Aug. 1.

Alabama, Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, along with four advocacy organizations filed a suit in federal court in Tuscaloosa, Alabama on Monday, and Texas filed a similar suit in federal court in Amarillo.

The attorney general’s office in Indiana said that state was joining a lawsuit to be filed in Tennessee on Tuesday. Tennessee’s attorney general’s office said they are leading a multi-state suit to be filed, but did not confirm details.

Top government officials from South Dakota said in a news release that the state “looks forward to joining efforts to enjoin this Rule.”

Filing in multiple federal courts gives the states a better chance that one of them will put the rule on hold nationally.

“The Final Rule drives a dagger through the heart of Title IX’s mandate,” states contend in the Louisiana court filing. “The central feature of the Final Rule is the Department’s extraordinary move to transform Title IX’s prohibition of discrimination based on ‘sex’ to include discrimination based on ‘gender identity,’” which the lawyers call “a wildly ambiguous term.”

The regulation, left unchallenged, could invalidate several state laws adopted in recent years — and it could preempt some under consideration by state lawmakers, including in Louisiana. The regulation applies to all schools that receive federal funding.

The states say the rule prohibits single-sex bathrooms and locker rooms, “compels school officials both to use pronouns associated with a student’s claimed ‘gender identity’ and to force students to do so as well,” and that it “cannot help but sound the death knell for female sports.”

Even without the regulation, whether transgender girls can be kept out of girls sports is an unsettled legal question. Last week, a federal appeals court ruled in a 2-1 decision that West Virginia cannot bar one teenage transgender athlete from her school’s girls track and field and cross country teams. The state government said it was appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The federal rule opposes sweeping policies to allow transgender people from using the school bathrooms that align with their gender. At least 11 states, including Alabama, have such laws in their books already.

The lawsuit says that even though the regulation does not address sports participation specifically, it would apply there, too. In the last few years, at least 25 states have adopted laws keeping transgender girls out of girls sports competitions — all in the name of preserving girls sports.

President Joe Biden’s administration previously planned to announce a policy forbidding schools from enacting outright bans on transgender girls in girls sports, but it has backed off that plan and did not include it as part of the regulation.

Still, advocates on both sides of the issue say that the new rule seems to bar at least complete bans of those sports laws.

The regulation is also murky when it comes to laws intended to protect students and/or teachers from discipline if they misgender transgender or binary students by using the wrong pronouns for them; at least four states have such laws. The regulation says that using the wrong pronoun “can constitute discrimination on the basis of sex under Title IX in certain circumstances.” But it also spells out that a “stray remark” doesn’t constitute harassment.

A handful of states — including Texas on Monday — have told local school districts not to change their policies against sex discrimination in light of the new regulation.

It’s no surprise that the conservative states would challenge the regulation.

Attorneys general often sue over federal administrative actions, especially those from presidents of the opposite party. And the battle over the rights of transgender kids has become a huge political issue over the last few years and remains one in this presidential election year .

Mulvihill reported from Cherry Hill, New Jersey and Cline from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Associated Press reporters Jeff Amy in Atlanta; Jack Dura in Bismarck, North Dakota; Kimberlee Kruesi in Nashville, Tennessee; and Isabella Volmert in Indianapolis contributed to this article.