Savana Gill

At Odds with Gender Change Video Questions:

1 People use all sorts of negative terms for transgender. What is the word that Tracy hates the most? Explain why you think that she would dislike this word the most.

        The word that Tracy hates the most is alien or nonhuman. I think that she would dislike this word because it would make her feel as though she couldn’t express who she really is. It may make her feel as though no one likes her or wants to be her friend just because she is a transgender girl. I think that no matter what she is that people should still treat her the way that they would want to be treated.

               

2 Who is correct? The Catholic school system or the parents and children in this video? Explain.

        I have to say that I agree with both the Catholic school system and the parents and children. I believe with the Catholic school system because I agree that a child is born to the gender that they are meant to be. And like the superintendent said I believe that God chose us to be born the gender we was born with. But I also agree with the parents and children. You have to respect a child and love them for whatever they become. Kids have feeling just like adults. They shouldn’t have to worry about getting picked on because they are different. The parents need to support their kids. Although they may not agree with their child’s decisions they need to still love them because that is their kids.

Lady GaGa Questions:

3 Explain in your own words the meaning behind Lady GaGa's "Born This Way" song.  

          I think that the meaning behind this song is to tell people that it doesn’t matter what you are we are all the same. If we love our self then we are heading down a good path. I think that it also means do not be ashamed of who you are, God made you that way so live your life. 

 

4 At the end of the Lady GaGa video, she and her dancers raise their hands in the air. What does this mean?

          I think that it means that we are all the same. No matter what we are, there is no difference.  Everybody was made to be treated equal.

 

5 What do you think would have more of a NEGATIVE EFFECT on a child - having a transgender teacher or listening and viewing Lady GaGa's songs and videos? Explain.

          I think that both would have a negative effect. But I think that the lady gaga songs and videos would have a more negative effect. I believe this because of the way her videos are projected and some of the lyrics to her song. Some of her songs may not be appropriate for younger kids. I don’t think that the transgender teacher would have that much of an effect on a child just because they would be around the teacher a lot.

 

Transgender Questions to go with the Yosemite teacher video:

6 What are your general thoughts concerning Gender change?

          My Thoughts about gender change are very simple I would say. I do not believe that someone should change their gender to another. I think that the way you were born is the way you should stay. However, I will not judge a person or discriminate on them for being a transgender because I don’t like to be mean to anybody it is not who I am. 

 

7 If you were friends with the Yosemite teacher before the gender change, would you STILL be friends? If yes, why? If no, why not?

          I think that I would still be friends with the Yosemite teacher. It would maybe take me a little why to adjust to the new gender and name but I wouldn’t lose a friend just because they changed. They are the same person that they was before just in a different body.

 

 

8 If you were a classroom teacher, how would you explain this issue (Transgender) to your students?

            I think that I would explain it to the whole class at one time. Every student needs to know about it and be aware that is happening. My students would know no to pick on another student if he/she were transgender. They would know that I am there if they ever need to talk to me about it.

 

"No Dumb Questions" Video Questions:

9 What knowledge and understanding do you feel you have gained about people who are transgender? What questions do you still have?

          I feel like that I have gained the understanding that they are not any different than they were before.  They do not care what anybody says about what they are going to do. I have a couple of questions but one question I have is how do they know when and how they want to change gender?

 

10 If you have not had this experience, how would you react if a family member (uncle/aunt, brother/sister, mother/father, or child) revealed that they were transgender?

          I don’t think that I would have a big reaction to a family member revealing to be transgender. I think that it would take me a little while to adjust to the new gender than what I have known before. I would not be mean to them or judge them just because it was the decision that they wanted to make. They would still be the same person that they was before just as a different gender.

         

11 The filmmaker, Melissa Regan, says that she hopes that No Dumb Questions will show that it is okay and even imperative for adults and children to engage in age-appropriate dialogue about sexual orientation and gender differences. Do you think the filmmaker accomplished her goal? Why or why not?

          I do think that the film make accomplished her goal. I think this because the girls where brought into more of the conversation about the change. They knew what all was going to happen to their uncle. They knew that he was going to change parts as well as looks and name.

 

12 Why do you think these subjects are talked about infrequently or seen as taboo?

            I think that people do not believe in what the transgender people are doing. They think that it’s a horrible thing for someone to change gender. I have to say that I don’t agree with it but they don’t need to be treated harshly just because it was the choice that they made.

 

13 What are some of the behaviors or phrases in the film that you would like to try to use when talking to children about sexual orientation and gender identity?

            I would do what the parents did with the girls in the video. I would sit my kids down and explain the situation to them.  I would explain to them how the process would go and what all would be happening. My kids would know that if they had any question about anything, they could come to me.

 

14 What knowledge and understanding do you feel you have gained about people who are transgender? What questions do you still have?

          I feel like that I have gained the understanding that they are not any different than they were before.  They do not care what anybody says about what they are going to do. I have a couple of questions but one question I have is how do they know when and how they want to change gender?

 

"Why I Must Come Out" - Video Question

15 Why does Geena Rocero feel the need to "come out" in her talk? Explain.

          She said that her outsides are matching what her inside is. When she went to a beauty pageant is when her life changed. She now knew what she wanted to be.  When she got the phone call from her mom saying she could move to the US and be a transgender, she was so happy. She went and had the surgery. Now she could live her dream in New York and be a model which she did.

 

 

Summary: 

       In my response, I have to say that I still may have a few question about why they want to change.  Some of the things that they say I agree with and some of them I don’t. I agree that they shouldn’t be treated any different than somebody else. They also should not get harassed or physically assaulted just because they are transgender. Most people will not be friends with a transgender people because they are afraid that they may get pick on for being friends with a transgender person. If one of my family members or friends was to become a transgender I would not pick at them or call them names but I would try to comfort them from the harsh reality of life. 

            “The idea of possibility… the idea that I get to live my dreams out in public, hopefully will show to other folks that it’s possible,” Laverne Cox

Reference:

http://www.nyclu.org/files/releases/Dignity_for_All_Report.pdf

http://transequality.org/know-your-rights/schools

Research Question:

How can school systems not discriminate against transgender students?

 

Research Analysis

        Transgender kids cannot only be forced out of their homes but also out of the school systems. In an article on the New York Civil Liberties Union web site, it states that almost 75% of transgender students have been verbally harasses in school because of how they express their gender. They are often treat poorly compared to other students. Transgender students were often denied the access to the bathroom in the school with their gender identity which is stated in the article as well. Most of the transgender students do not have to support at home to help them against all the bulling and the discriminating. Transgender students will most likely have low grades in school or just don’t come to school from being picked on and calling names.

Transgender students have an equal right to get an education just as well as other students. They also have a right to dress the way of their gender identity and not have anything to be said just as long as they follow the school dress code. Although they are allowed to do this in the school, their homeless and unemployment rates are higher than any other person. Most of the transgender students will have depression later on in life if they don’t have it now. They may also have a suicidal behavior now or later years down the road. In the New York Civil Liberties Union article, 64% of transgender students attempted suicide due to physically assaulted and 68% reported having attempted suicide due to harassment.  Most of these were because of the teachers.

          A quote from Caitlin Jenner “Transgender youth are learning that they’re different, and they’re trying to figure out how to handle that on top of every other problem a teenager has. They’re getting bullied, they’re getting beaten up, they’re getting murdered, and they’re committing suicide.”