The New York State Education Department (NYSED) has released a new guidance report encouraging schools to keep the gender identity of students a secret from their families, while insisting that a child’s preferred gender identity be readily accepted.
“School personnel’s acceptance of a student’s asserted gender identity should require no more than a statement from the student expressing their preference. Schools do not need to require permission, letters from professionals, or other proof of gender identity,” the NYSED report (pdf) said. It went on to state that some transgender and gender expansive (TGE) students may have kept their gender identity hidden from their families due to “safety concerns or a lack of acceptance.” Schools must keep in mind that some TGE students “do not want or cannot have their parents/guardians know about their transgender status.”…