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Understanding School Climate for Trans and Gender-Expansive Persons

This chapter investigates why school music teachers should consider gender diversity—to honor all students, including trans and gender-expansive (TGE) youth. The question “How does the gender binary manifest in school music programs?” is addressed in an effort to raise teacher awareness and examine bias. Three theories are described as grounding principles for the book: (a) gender complexity, (b) gender affirmative model, and (c) transgender theory. The authors identity specific challenges faced by TGE youth in school learning environments. Readers gain a more complete image of TGE persons as individuals by acknowledging the resiliency of these young persons and understanding the challenges they face, rather than viewing them as only victims. This insight allows teachers to better understand how participation in school music programs can play a positive role in the development of these young persons.