In this episode, Sophia and Marcus talk to Dr. Michael Paff about how they can best utilize their roles in the schools to support students in the LGBTQ+ community. They learn about best practices for working with LGBTQ+ students, navigating politics in the schools, and how to advocate for these marginalized students. Stay tuned to hear Sophia, Marcus, and newcomer Bre summarize an important guidance document from the New York State Department of Education.

Extra Resources:

Gender Born, Gender Made: Raising Healthy Gender-Nonconforming Children by Diane Ehrensaft

The Transgender Child by Rachel Pepper and Stephanie Brill

The Transgender Teen by Stephanie Brill and Lisa Kenney

References

Planned Parenthood (n.d.). What’s intersex. https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/gender-identity/sex-gender-identity/whats-intersex#:~:text=Intersex%20is%20a%20general%20term,male%E2%80%9D%20or%20%E2%80%9Cfemale%E2%80%9D.

The New York State Department of Education (2023, June). Creating a safe, supportive, and affirming school environment for transgender and gender expansive students: 2023 legal update and best practices. https://www.nysed.gov/sites/default/files/programs/student-support-services/creating-a-safe-supportive-and-affirming-school-environment-for-transgender-and-gender-expansive-students.pdf