Beech Acres Parenting Center affirms the worth and dignity of all children. We believe that discrimination based on gender identity or expression is damaging to the health of children, families, and society. As the fight for inclusion moves from public restrooms  to school locker rooms, Beech Acres unequivocally and emphatically stands in solidarity with transgender youth, and all transgender individuals. 

We recognize that transgender youth do not always receive the support, affirmation, and safety they need and deserve. Transgender children are more likely to experience victimization and violence which significantly and negatively impact their mental and emotional health¹: 

• 43% of transgender youth have been bullied on school property compared to 18% of cisgender youth
• 29% of trans youth have been threatened or injured with a weapon on school property compared to 7% of cisgender youth
• 29% of transgender youth have attempted suicide, compared to 7% of cisgender youth
• Among trans, nonbinary, or GNC students who reported that their school had policies to support students trans students, only 42.4% reported that their school’s policy addressed inclusive participation in athletics.

Beech Acres Parenting Center is committed to combatting discrimination, bigotry, hatred, and violence, against transgender individuals, especially those living at the intersections of multiple marginalized identities.  Moreover, we work to ensure that the adults in children’s lives are doing everything possible to support transgender youth. There are many ways to support transgender youth and their families, including the following:

• Support the Equality Act, which ensures protection in key areas of life where civil rights laws do not provide protections on the basis of sex. The bill was reintroduced in Congress in February of this year: https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/5

• Learn about the work of the Parents for Transgender Equality National Council and the resources they provide to support transgender children and their parents: https://www.hrc.org/resources/parents-for-transgender-equality-national-council

• Learn about Welcoming Schools, an initiative of the Human Rights Campaign, helps schools embrace family diversity end bullying, and avoid gender stereotyping: https://www.welcomingschools.org/

• Read to your children about transgender and LGBTQ+ children and families. See the Welcoming Schools Recommended Books: https://hrc-prod-requests.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/WS-Booklist-012121.pdf?mtime=20210121172249&focal=none

• Understand your school’s policy on trans participation in sports. Endorse policies that allow for inclusive participation in sports which encourages all students to have an equal opportunity in education, which includes extracurricular activities and sports, so they can reach their full potential and thrive. https://www.glsen.org/activity/gender-affirming-inclusive-athletics-participation

• Take the text message course Understanding and Supporting Transgender Youth, brought to you by the team at Beech Acres Parenting Center! In this course, you’ll be given a brief introduction to who and what the term “transgender” refers to. You’ll also learn ways to support transgender youth while they learn about and express their gender identity.

¹https://www.hrc.org/news/new-cdc-data-shows-lgbtq-youth-are-more-likely-to-be-bullied-than-straight-cisgender-youth