Provide safe spaces, changing rooms and school trips
Suggestion for implementing the strategy ‘Address immediate environmental, physical and social needs’
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Understand threats to wellbeing
Understand threats to wellbeing
- have experienced verbal slurs relating to gender identity
- are worried about threats of physical harm or harassment
- feel uncomfortable getting changed in front of others
- are unable to access a space aligned to their gender identity
- “hold on” or have to travel longer distances to get to assigned safe spaces
- need to change in spaces with peers who have caused harassment.
Source: Why transgender students need safe bathrooms (opens in a new tab/window)
Ask about experiences in PE and sport
Ask about experiences in PE and sport
LGBTIQA+ students can find sports and physical education classes particularly stressful.
Document findings and discuss with students ways to create more inclusive environments.
Many students:
- have negative experiences in physical education classes
- identify physical education classes as likely locations for homophobia and transphobia to be expressed
- experience verbal slurs
- experience incidents of physical abuse
- experience feelings of rejection due to their sexuality and gender identity
- are worried about discrimination from coaches
- are unable to access gender-neutral shower, toilets, and changing areas
- feel uncomfortable with gender-specific uniforms
- feel uncomfortable playing in a gender-specific sports team.
Source: Out on the fields: Findings and statistics (opens in a new tab/window)
Provide safe spaces and access to support
Provide safe spaces and access to support
- library, staffroom, or identified classroom
- gender-neutral bathrooms and changing areas
- school medical centre
- peer support, such as queer-straight alliance groups or rainbow diversity groups
- supportive adults who are informed and knowledgeable
- school youth worker, counsellor, or nurse
- pastoral care staff
- supportive allies.
Make changing rooms safe
Make changing rooms safe
All students should have the option of changing in:
- the facility that aligns with their gender,
- a single stall or cubicle within a larger changing room,
- a separate space or bathroom nearby.
Students may choose to use gender-neutral facilities for many reasons beyond gender. It can help to normalise these facilities, reducing the likelihood that students will be teased or singled out when using them.
Inclusively design school trips
Inclusively design school trips
Ask students about the support they might need on trips outside school.
Discuss preferred sleeping arrangements and changing room needs or situations that could be unsafe or embarrassing.
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Useful resources
Useful resources
Safe space kit: Guide to being an ally to LGBT students
Read time: 61 min
Resource kit designed to help schools become a safe space for LGBT students. Developed by the US Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network.
Publisher: Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network
Out on the fields
Read time: 6 min
Report on homophobia in sport based on data from the US, UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Publisher: Out on the Fields 2015
Next steps
More suggestions for implementing the strategy “Address immediate environmental, physical and social needs”:
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Current page Provide safe spaces and changing rooms and school trips
Return to the guide “Supporting LGBTIQA+ students”
How to use this site
Guide to Index of the guide: LGBTIQA+ students
Understand:
Strategies for action:
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Build knowledge of sex, gender, and sexuality diversityShow suggestions for Build knowledge of sex, gender, and sexuality diversity
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Design inclusive school-wide systems and processesShow suggestions for Design inclusive school-wide systems and processes
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Address immediate environmental, physical and social needsShow suggestions for Address immediate environmental, physical and social needs
- Respond to bullying
- Address equitable uniform options
- Provide accessible, gender-neutral toilets
- Provide safe spaces and changing rooms and school trips
- Provide access to youth-friendly health care services
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Develop an inclusive classroom and curriculumShow suggestions for Develop an inclusive classroom and curriculum
