1 Discussing transgender topics within gay-straight alliances
Factors that could promote more frequent conversations
V. Paul Poteat, Jerel P. Calzo, Hirokazu Yoshikawa, sj Miller, Christopher J. Ceccolini, Sarah Rosenbach and Nina Mauceri
ABSTRACT
Background: Gay-straight alliances (GSAs) have potential to facilitate conversations on transgender and gender-diversity issues among members. We examined how frequently GSA members discussed transgender and gender-diversity topics within GSAs, whether GSAs varied from one another in the extent to which these conversations occurred, and identified factors that distinguished which members and GSAs discussed such topics more often than others.
Methods: Participants were 295 members of 33 high school GSAs in the state of Massachusetts who completed surveys that assessed their experiences within their GSA.
Results: On average, youth discussed transgender and gender-diversity issues with some regularity, but this varied significantly across GSAs and among youth within each GSA. Youth who had transgender friends, perceived a more respectful GSA climate, and accessed more information/resources and engaged in more advocacy within the GSA reported more frequently discussing transgender and gender-diversity issues. Also, GSAs with transgender members, whose members collectively perceived a more respectful climate, accessed more information/resources and did more advocacy, and who reported lower socializing or support discussed transgender and gender-diversity issues more frequently than other GSAs.
Conclusions: This information could inform GSA programming to facilitate more transgender and gender-diversity topic discussions and ensure that members feel encouraged to participate in them.
Many transgender youth face discrimination, hostile climates, and barriers to accessing care within schools as well as academic and mental health risks (Grossman & DāAugelli, 2006; Kosciw, Greytak, Giga, Villenas, & Danischewski, 2016; McGuire, Anderson, Toomey, & Russell, 2010; Miller, 2016). Their experiences of stressors can include but are not limited to peer victimization based on gender identity or expression, adults refusing to use and confirm their preferred gender pronouns, being prevented from using bathrooms of their gender identity, lack of representation in the curriculum and in enumerated antibullying policies, and facing hostility throughout their transitioning process (e.g., in how they dress or as they undergo hormonal therapy and medical procedures; Grossman & DāAugelli, 2006; Sausa, 2005; Toomey, Ryan, Diaz, Card, & Russell, 2010). Transgender youth who experience these various forms of discrimination report significantly greater health and academic concerns, such as depressive symptoms, suicidality, truancy, and risk of school dropout (Clark, Lucassen, Bullen, Denny, & Fleming, 2014; Miller, 2016; Toomey et al., 2010; Veale, Watson, Peter, & Saewyc, 2017). These findings underscore the need for approaches that could raise awareness of discrimination faced by transgender students and their knowledge around gender diversity in general. Such knowledge, in combination with other efforts, could promote safer schools for transgender students.
Participating in conversations focused on transgender issues is one such approach that we consider in this study. Indeed, research on intergroup dialogues in general has pointed to the importance of having conversations around issues of diversity in order to promote attitudes and behaviors in support of members of marginalized groups (Dessel & Rogge, 2008). Moreover, given the salience of peers as sources of support during adolescence (Brechwald & Prinstein, 2011), it could be particularly important for youthāand not simply adultsāto have these conversations.
GSAs as settings to discuss transgender issues
One key school-based setting in which youth are likely to have conversations around transgender issues are gay-straight alliances (or as some now refer to themselves, gender-sexuality alliances; GSAs). GSAs are extracurricular groups based in many schools that aim to provide opportunities for youth to receive support, socialize, access information or resources, and engage in advocacy around sexual orientation and gender-diversity issues (Griffin, Lee, Waugh, & Beyer, 2004; Poteat et al., 2015). Notably, they aim to be inclusive of sexual and gender minority youth (e.g., lesbian, gay, bisexual, or questioning youth or transgender youth; LGBTQ) as well as heterosexual and cisgender youth. Historically, GSAs have focused primarily on sexual orientation-related issues; however, issues of gender identity and expression have become more integrated into many of these groups (Miceli, 2005). GSAs are grounded within youth program models that highlight the importance of providing a safe space for peer interaction with opportunities for leadership roles and with adult guidance and role modeling (Eccles & Gootman, 2002). Indeed, students in schools with GSAs report greater wellbeing and lower victimization than students in schools without GSAs (Davis, Stafford, & Pullig, 2014; Heck et al., 2014; Toomey, Ryan, Diaz, & Russell, 2011; Walls, Kane, & Wisneski, 2010). Likewise, GSA members have reported a number of benefits tied to varying ways of being involved in the GSA such as a sense of empowerment and wellbeing (Poteat et al., 2015; Russell, Muraco, Subramaniam, & Laub, 2009).
Given their focus on sexual and gender-diversity issues, GSAs have strong potential to facilitate conversations around transgender issues among members. Still, we know little about the conversations that take place in GSAs regarding transgender topics. The purpose of this study is to investigate how frequently GSA members discuss transgender topics within GSAs, whether GSAs vary from one another in the extent to which these conversations occur, and factors that might distinguish which members and GSAs discuss such topics more often than other members or GSAs. These research questions address important foundational issues because these conversations could go on to have a major role in promoting youthsā knowledge and skills around advocating for transgender youth at school.
Individual factors related to discussing transgender issues
At a basic level, identifying the general frequency with which youth discuss transgender issues in their GSAs is important for several reasons. First, it could give a sense of the overall salience of gender-diversity issues among youth in this setting. Documenting the frequency of conversation could help to determine if there is a degree of silence around transgender issues in the group, which could perpetuate invisibility of transgender youth and issues in the group. More frequent conversations could signal that the space is affirming and members are dedicated to addressing these issues. Second, more frequent conversations offer more opportunities for both cisgender and transgender youth to reflect on and develop their understanding of these issues in an ongoing manner. Indeed, scholars have emphasized the need for multicultural dialogues and education to include multiple and ongoing conversations as opposed to single isolated events in order for them to be most effective (Murray-GarcĆa, Harrell, GarcĆa, Gizzi, & Simms-Mackey, 2014; Shipherd, 2015). Third, knowledge of how frequently transgender issues are discussed could also inform the kinds of programming that might be delivered. For instance, if transgender issues are rarely discussed, then programming may b...
