Loy Norrix seems to accommodate trans students much better than some other schools, but they could do better to support them.
According to the NIH,“Fifty-nine percent of LGBTQ students in America reported avoiding using gender specific bathrooms. Forty-four percent reported avoiding locker rooms due to feeling unsafe.”
There’s a lot of hate towards trans people inside and outside of schools. Students and staff want to make school a safe space for them.
Transgender sophomore Edward Aguilar is fine with himself and is happy where he is in his gender journey.
Aguilar has known he wanted to be a boy since he was a child.
“I alway kinda knew. I was considered a tomgirl,” said Aguilar.
Aguilar believes that Norrix somewhat helps transgender kids, but they could definitely do more.
“The school does an okay job with accommodating trans kids when needed. The non-gendered bathroom we have is pretty cool,” said Aguilar, “but it would be better if they had them in the wings for people to use easier.”
Schools are safe spaces for lots of trans kids.
“Being at school is so much better than home. I’m able to be called my name and preferred pronouns all the time. I love that I can feel like myself,” said Aguilar.
The Gender and Sexuality Alliance advisor John Kreider said he became the GSA advisor because the previous advisor was leaving. Kreider thinks this club is an important thing to continue for the students.
“The students need a safe space where they can be themselves,” said Kreider.
Last year, a student pulled Kreider aside after attending a couple of GSA meetings and told Kreider they said they’re glad they had the GSA because before they came to a few meetings, they didn’t understand the LGBTQ, and after attending, their perspective changed and it helped him understand the experience of others.
Kreider feels it’s important to support students’ gender identity or sexual orientation.“There’s so many people who say you can’t be this or that, you can’t be LGBTQ and say that if you are it’s weird and disgusting, which can be traumatic to queer people,” said Kreider. “It’s important we let everyone be themselves.”
Kreider says being the advisor of the GSA has helped him learn so much about students and himself. It feels like a safe space for him and others.
“When you walk into the library on a Tuesday after school it’s like, ‘okay I can inhale and breathe now,’” said Kreider.
Norrix has options for support here but there’s more they could do to accommodate trans students.
“The school should put gender-neutral bathrooms where the male and female ones are for more access,” Lewis said.
Math and Latin teacher Dyami Hernandez who graduated from Norrix in 2010 said that he believes the opinions of trans people have changed since he went here because of the fact there are more trans people at school.
“They are just people like the rest of us, and they’re just trying to live our same lives,” said Hernandez. “Their individual identities don’t condemn them as weird.”
Sophomore Angel Garcia echoes Hernandez’s ideas.
“They are just people,” said Garcia. “We are all people. It shouldn’t matter what gender you are but you as a person.”
Garcia thinks they’re not excluding anyone but, but they could do better on including everybody.
“We’re a lot better than most schools but we should have more gender neutral bathrooms available and openly gay/trans staff members,” said Garcia.