REFLECTION:
The text I chose off the Trevor Project website "Understanding Gender Identities & Pronouns", that alongside "Guidance for Rhode Island Schools on Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Students" made me reflect on how important it is for schools to create safe and respectful environments for all students, especially those whose gender identities don’t fit into traditional expectations. These documents don’t just give definitions or policy, they speak to the real need for affirmation, visibility, and safety for transgender and gender nonconforming students. That really matters to me, not just because I’m going into education, but because I use both he/him and they/them pronouns myself.
It wasn’t always easy for me to explain or feel confident in using both sets of pronouns. Even now, I sometimes wonder how people will respond or if they’ll take me seriously. Seeing that schools in Rhode Island are being encouraged, actually guided, to respect students’ pronouns, names, and identities is hopeful. It shows progress. And when I read the Trevor Project’s breakdown of gender identity and pronouns, I felt really seen. It’s a reminder that identities like mine aren’t too complicated, confusing, or something to be brushed aside. They’re valid, and they deserve respect.
What stood out to me in the RIDE guidance was how clear it is that respecting a student’s identity isn’t optional, it’s a responsibility. From using correct pronouns to protecting students' privacy and ensuring access to facilities that align with their gender identity, the guidance emphasizes how much these things affect a student’s ability to feel safe and thrive in school. As a future educator, that’s a huge takeaway for me. I want my classroom to be a space where students feel understood and supported, no matter how they identify.
These texts made me think about how easy it can be to make someone feel respected, by just using the right name or pronoun, and how damaging it can be when we don’t. I’ve felt both. So going forward, I want to be the kind of teacher who never assumes, who models inclusive language, and who makes it clear that every student has the right to be exactly who they are.
https://www.thetrevorproject.org/resources/article/understanding-gender-identities-and-pronouns/
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