Trans Children in Today's Schools

by Aidan Key Narrated by Adi Cabral

Overview

Supporting transgender children in school means far more than deciding which bathroom they use or on which sports team they play



The purpose of this book is to move beyond the unproductive and polarizing debates that occur over which bathroom/locker room transgender children should use or on which sports team they should participate. Aidan Key masterfully cuts through the misinformation and distractions to get at the only issues that truly matter-ensuring our children, all of our children-can count on a safe and welcoming learning environment.



Trans Children in Today's Schools provides an understanding of the internal and external variables that a trans child navigates as they explore their gender identity and the challenges experienced by these children and their families. Key explores the barriers encountered by schools as they attempt to create gender-inclusive environments, including the resistance of a misinformed society whose only framework of gender is one rigidly set in an only-male/only-female context. Listeners will come away with manageable, step-by-step pathways to support and include trans youth in our schools and communities. The book places these ideas-and the youth who embody them-in context within a society whose understanding and expectations of gender norms are at the brink of a paradigm shift.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"Aidan Key has written about the trans experience with profound compassion, not only for trans kids, but also for the families and schools that struggle to accept and support them. Detractors have often accused the movement for trans rights of being somehow immoral, but this book is written with such generosity of spirit and such irrefutable logic that it would be hard to take against it even if you were uncomfortable with or outraged about trans kids. And if you were already sympathetic to their experiences, this book would show you how to turn that sympathy into authentic support. Key's invaluable words should calm down the hysteria around a phenomenon that he reveals as a beautiful, rich component of human diversity." — Andrew Solomon, Professor of Clinical Psychology, Columbia University and author, Far from the Tree

"Trans Children in Today's Schools is an urgently necessary guidebook to the ins and outs of teaching, parenting, understanding, and supporting trans kids as well as their classmates, families, communities, and schools. Thankfully, in contrast to that urgency, Aidan Key writes with his trademark balance of knowledge, experience, confidence, and calm. This book serves as an introduction and a guide but mostly as an even keel. Via lived and witnessed experience, hundreds of stories from a wide range of families, professional expertise, well-documented research, and the unwavering assurance that trans children — and by extension all children — can thrive, Trans Children in Today's Schools is practical and informative on its way to reassuring, inspiring, and empowering." — Laurie Frankel, New York Times bestselling author of This Is How It Always Is

"In Trans Children in Today's Schools, Aidan Key brilliantly does what many think is impossible - he breaks down the ever-changing and politically-charged world of gender and children in a manner that is simultaneously accessible and profound. In easy to understand prose, Trans Children in Today's Schools explains how to forge through difficult conversations regarding gender diversity to ensure that all children, not just trans kids, feel at home in our classrooms. Whether you are a parent, teacher, principal, or none of the above, Aidan Key provides the answers to those questions you've always wondered about, but never knew who to ask." — Dr. Kristina Olson, Professor of Psychology, Princeton University

"This book is a priceless and long overdue resource for any educator looking to better understand the experience of transgender and gender diverse youth in schools. Key's clarity, depth of knowledge and attuned insight make this text comprehensive in scope and accessible in practice - a must read for all!" — Benjamin Davis, ATR-BC, LCAT, Director, Full Spectrum Creative Arts Therapy, co-author of Gender: What Everyone Needs to Know

"Every student needs a safe, affirming learning space to fully experience the transformational power of education. Achieving this space requires us to recognize the needs of trans students and commit to their inclusion. As we consider our educational future, we can greatly benefit from Aidan Key's compassionate approach and resolute commitment to trans and nonbinary student inclusion. His words show us how to achieve this future - a future where each and every student feels seen, heard, and affirmed. This is needed now more than ever. Trans Children in Today's Schools is a must-read for those committed to the catalyzing change needed to achieve authentically inclusive learning spaces." — Dr. Michelle C Reid, AASA National Superintendent of the Year 2021

Kirkus Reviews

★ 2023-04-24
A comprehensive look at gender-diverse youth in the classroom.

As the transgender student population continues to become more widely visible, navigation tools have become critical for educators and parents alike, notes Key, a veteran gender diversity educator. While written with parents of trans+ children in mind, the book is primarily directed at teachers, administrators, and school staff who directly impact students’ lives on a daily basis. Key shows readers what is involved when a child considers a gender transition process, and he confronts the challenges of gender inclusion, which may be a new topic for some readers. Particularly striking are the stories from parents of trans+ students who are managing the stages of their own apprehension alongside those of their child. Key incorporates learning points on gender vernacular and fighting community stigmatization. Personal anecdotes and timely discussions from school educators complement instructive illustrations and Q&A sections that answer sensitive questions regarding sports participation, bathroom choices, and changing areas. In an encouraging, consistently positive manner, Key addresses the overt political and/or cultural resistance that proliferates within heated debates and public forum discussions, and he asserts that accurate information is the best way to educate and collaborate. He stresses the importance of delivering practical, real-world discussion tools and assistance to parents and educators of trans+ children, who often find themselves without resources, advice, answers, or support to fortify what can often be an overwhelmingly complex experience. Key’s checklists of suggestions successfully bridge the gap between trans+ kids, adults, and school educators with strategically supportive approaches and behaviors. Authoritative yet written in pleasant, straightforward language, this book is an invaluable resource for understanding what it clearly means (and doesn’t mean) to be transgender while ensuring that every student has access to an optimal learning environment free from discrimination.

Essential guidance on proactively navigating the challenges of gender-diverse student bodies.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940160558516
Publisher:	HighBridge Company
Publication date:	03/05/2024
Edition description:	Unabridged

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