Howard Miles (UCU NEC) I had a letter published this morning in The Independent Education supplement in response to an article in last week’s paper (see: ‘Lonely road: Why school is hell for transgender pupils’). You may have seen it. Unfortunately, but typically, my letter was substantially (very substantially!) edited. I reproduce the original letter below. My intention was to flag up the role that LGBT activists and groups in the unions can play, but I’m not at all sure you would realise that from what appeared in The Independent.
Dear Editor,
Thank you so much for the thoughtful and thought-provoking article by Rachel Pugh about transgender pupils in (last week’s) Independent Education. The situation for transgender adults like myself can sometimes be difficult, frustrating, unfair and even dangerous. We face the potential for the same sort of bigoted attitudes and behaviour, the discrimination and harassment, which all LGBT people face whether at work or in society at large. Yet the situation for young trans people can be so much worse, as the article so graphically illustrated, partly because their access to help and medical intervention is much more restricted and because in schools and colleges staff are often completely ignorant of the issues or lack the confidence to challenge homophobia and transphobia even when it is happening right in front of them.
I am a college lecturer and a transgender activist on the national executive of my union, the University and College Union. My heart bleeds for those young people who want to live their lives as authentically and honestly as they can yet find themselves harassed and intimidated to the point of suicide. I have been relatively lucky, having had the support and comradeship of friends, union colleagues and family members, difficult and trying as things have been at times. Often, as your article pointed out, young trans people have no-one, or are relying on parents who themselves are struggling.
LGBT activists in the trade unions, along with other organisations, have long promoted greater rights and protection for LGBT people. The Gender Recognition Act, which gave legal recognition to Trans people a few years ago, was a huge step forward, as is the Civil Partnership legislation, but both of these exclude under-18s. How disgraceful it is that the public sector duty to promote equality excludes trans people. What could possibly justify such blatant discrimination? Why are LGBT pupils and students in general left so exposed?
If we want to save young lives and minimise emotional damage it is urgent that we find ways to encourage schools and colleges to support and protect transgender pupils. The only Trans students I have known of in further education colleges did not last very long on their courses. The work done by Press for Change in association with others such as Unison has been invaluable in producing material for use with schools and colleges. Surveys (Schools Out, for example) have indicated that a majority of teachers who witness homophobic and transphobic bullying often do little or nothing about it not necessarily because they are homophobic or transphobic themselves but because they don’t know how to respond.
The teaching unions have a major role to play in promoting a robust equality agenda in schools and colleges to make sure that LGBT issues are flagged up (such as through LGBT History Month each February), that clear and effective pastoral care systems are in place, and that LGBT diversity and equality concerns are embedded in the curriculum.
Yours, etc. Howard Miles UCU NEC
Independent - 'Why school is hell for transgender pupils’ (24/04/08)
Resources - Press For Change - Campaign Group (click here)
Resources - Mermaids - Transgender Support Group (click here)
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