Creating Gender Inclusive Environments for Children
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(SheKnows, 2017)
Introduction
Gender development is often associated with puberty and adolescents. However, at the age of 2 or 3, children can label themselves as either “boy” or “girl”, even though it might not match their assigned sex (Canadian Pediatric Society, 2018). By the age of 4 or 5, most children have a stable gender identity (Canadian Pediatric Society, 2018). They become aware of the gender stereotypes assigned to each gender and go through a stage of strongly expressing their gender (Canadian Pediatric Society, 2018). This is often evident through their clothing, hairstyle, games and toys they choose to play with, friendships and their preferred name. However, it is important to remember, gender identity is very different from gender expression.
LGBTQ issues have been heavily underrepresented in early childhood education. It is important to remember that educators are there to support children’s healthy development and not make them feel ashamed of their differences. Gender dysphoria, internal stress due to the incongruence of an individual’s assigned gender and their gender identity, can occur in children as young as 4 and 5 years old (Ristori & Steensma, 2016, p. 13). An inclusive environment supports children in their environments and provides them with resources and the opportunity to reach their full potential as they are developing their identities. Most psychological stress associated with transgender identities is often attributed to family and society’s opinions on gender non-conformity rather than to the individual’s identity itself (Boskey, 2014, p. 448). “Therefore, encouraging tolerance through education about gender diversity could have profound effects on young people’s emotional health” (Boskey, 2014, p. 448).
IDENTITY ≠ EXPRESSION ≠ SEX
GENDER ≠ SEXUAL ORIENTATION
(Genderbread Person, 2017).
The Genderbread Person is a “teaching tool for breaking the big concept of gender down into bite-sized, digestible pieces” (Genderbread Person, 2017). This tool helps start a conversation that helps individuals understand the social construction of gender.
TERMINOLOGY
Assigned (anatomical) sex: Biological characterization of male and female. Attributes that determine this are genes, chromosomes, hormones and anatomy (Genderbread Person, 2017)
Gender: Attitudes, feelings and behaviours that society has associated with an individual’s anatomical sex (Genderbread Person, 2017).
Gender Expression: How an individual expresses their gender to others through their behaviour, clothing, interest and gender pronoun and/or name (Canadian Pediatric Society, 2018).
Gender Identity: An individual’s perception of oneself as male or female (Feldman & Landry, 2015, p. 170)
Sexual Orientation: The gender of the people who an individual is sexually/romantically attracted to. Gender identity does not define an individual’s sexual orientation (Canadian Pediatric Society, 2018).
Transgender: When an individual’s gender identity is not the same as their assigned (anatomical) sex (Canadian Pediatric Society, 2018).
Gender Dysphoria: Internal distress due to the conflict of a person’s assigned sex at birth differs from their gender identity (Canadian Pediatric Society, 2018)