Are schools a safe and welcoming learning community for all Florida students?
Youth learn best in environments where they are mentally, emotionally, and physically safe; when their basic needs are met. YES Institute is committed that school districts and school communities become equipped with tools and resources to keep their students safe – particularly when reactions and bullying with gender and orientation topics are at the source of students feeling unsafe.
Invited by school leaders to conduct a two-hour faculty training, YES Institute guided teachers and counselors to delve deep into their own lived experiences. Teachers began to make connections to the way they interact in their classrooms today. One of the teachers shared that their only experience and knowledge of gay and transgender people are from what they saw on television and social media. Those messages are what has led them to interact with the students they perceive as “different”. Other teachers shared that they have personal experiences with not fitting social norms or gender stereotypes for women.
YES Institute was also invited to hear from various students in another South Florida county. Over 75 high school students had the opportunity to share their experiences with their school district and community partners. YES Institute was invited as a resource organization to this summit.
Youth bravely poured their hearts out and shared the following with the adults in the listening session. On topics of mental health and bullying, students shared the following:
“We need more mental health counselors not based on grade levels, rather on the issues we’re facing.”
“Teachers ignore transphobia until it becomes violent. What we really need is more consequences at the beginning stages of bullying.”
“Teachers need to be aware of bullying and hold the bullies accountable. We need to tackle the root of the problems, such as internalized homophobia.”
“We need to normalize therapy.”
“It’s really hard for the femme boys with a weave at my school, they’re constantly scared and being severely bullied.”
“When I told one of the teachers that I was being bullied for being gay, she said, ‘Well have you tried being straight?’”
“There’s so much body shaming. We need body positivity. The school should require all skirts to be the same length and not pick on Black and Brown girls or feminine boys more.”
“As a transgender female, I’ve been beaten. I’ve been harassed, and using male bathrooms has been incredibly dangerous for me, especially when I’m changing into my girl clothes.”
“I have teachers calling me ‘you’ to not use my pronoun because they’re scared of having their teacher’s license revoked.
“People at the top stigmatize us in the laws and even if [the policies] are altered, socially people’s reaction to us is still an issue.”
“There’s so much adult apathy and no follow through that we don’t speak up anymore. What’s the point?”
“As queer youth, we are treated as subhuman. We’re demonized and we just want to exist as who we are.”
Our mission is to prevent suicide and ensure the healthy development of all youth, through powerful communication and education on gender and orientation. Our vision is a community in which all youth develop as healthy individuals free of suicide, violence, and discrimination.
If you would like to explore how YES Institute can design a powerful educational presentation for your organization, workplace, school, or faith community, please reach us at [email protected] or 305-663-7195.
Join us for our upcoming Deciphering Gender & Orientation Course on Saturday, May 18, from 9am-1pm. Register here.
If you are a parent and need support in working toward resolving bullying incidents your child is experiencing, please also reach out to us at [email protected] or 305-663-7195.