A major issue in schools today is the understanding and acceptance of the many cultural identifiers that we all hold. Incorporating transgender restrooms in schools is a highly controversial topic that has been on the rise as more and more individuals demand equality. Until recently, public school restrooms were clearly separated and labeled for male or female students. These individuals requested a safe place to use the restroom in public schools, demanding gender-neutral restrooms. There are many things to take into consideration before a decision can be made; the historical background of these cultural identifiers, the arguments for and against the issue, injustices towards both parties, and the potential solutions.
Cultural Identifiers
…show more content…
My placement on the cultural competence continuum in regards to this topic is currently at cultural blindness. By no means am I discriminatory towards transgender individuals, however, I feel strongly about the safety of all students who would be put in potentially dangerous situations in transgender restrooms. Furthermore, my worries about safety include that of transgender students as well. There will certainly be instances of bullying, either verbally or physically. For example, a group of students ambushing a transgender student in the restroom to try to maintain photos of him or her. It is hard for me to change my mind on my stance on this issue because I do not believe allowing students to use whichever restroom they please to be a viable solution. There are too many risks. As a future educator, I am committed to reach the goal of cultural proficiency to benefit my students and peers around me. I would love to continue to grow and learn about different cultures and use that knowledge to handle controversial issues that will arise at school. The more we know, the more we can be aware of issues and situations and make appropriate responses to resolve cultural and controversial issues. If we can all learn to respect other people’s opinions/ideas/sexual orientation/culture/ etc., our world would be very