Virginia restricting transgender rights

Padimin Jagrup, Phoenix writer

CONTEXT: Transgender students in Virginia schools are facing the prospect of new policies that will make it more difficult for these students. The new policies, proposed in September but not yet approved, have some Virginia students fearing for their privacy and safety.

 

What I’m going to be talking about is the new law in Virginia for schools, Virginia attempt to restrict rights for transgender students. The administration of Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin this weekend sharply restricted the rights of transgender students, sending schools into turmoil and drawing strong denunciations from Democratic legislators and some educators, but earning applause from Republicans and parents’ rights advocates. Under the policy, the Virginia Department of Education is mandating that families submit legal documentation to earn their children the right to change their name and gender on official school records. The policies say teachers and other school personnel can refer to a student by a different name or pronoun only if parents request the switch in writing. 

Virginia wants to restrict rights for transgender students. Don’t they understand that transgender people are humans? Don’t they understand that all people should be treated with respect? 

The guidelines, released in September, place Virginia at the heart of a national battle over how transgender children should be treated at school, as well as if and how much parents should be told about gender transitions that begin there. 

Gov. Glenn Youngkin expects all of the state’s 133 school districts to adopt his policy which will require transgender students to access school facilities and programs matching the sex they were assigned at birth. The policies also make it difficult for students to change their name and gender at school. 

I don’t know any transgender students, but I have friends who go by different pronouns. I respect their choices, and they respect mine to keep my gender-assigned pronoun.

The best solution would be not to restrict transgender students’ rights.  Let the students live their lives, make sure they have a great school year.

-30-