Like every Saturday, the pupils of France benefit from a day without school. Simple moment of relaxation for some, real relief for others, as the atmosphere of a classroom can be deleterious. Years later, Margot *, a 28-year-old transgender woman, still remembers in a whisper: “Of course middle school and high school can be difficult for everyone, even for cisgender people. [des personnes en phase avec leur genre de naissance]. But when you’re trans, you have no allies: neither the teachers, totally incomprehensible to our concerns, nor the other students of course, monsters, nor even the law. “
Arnaud Alessandrin, gender sociologist, has studied the phenomenon at length: “During a school year, 88% of transgender students are attacked, harassed or victim of violence. “Until then, the reception of transgender or non-binary people at school remained a gray area,” of non-rights “in the words of Margot. Initially scheduled for May 17, on the occasion of the day against LGBTphobias, a circular from the Ministry of National Education on the reception of transgender students is (finally) published Thursday to set some rules.
End of the goodwill of teachers
“Until this circular, the respect and inclusion of trans people were subject to the goodwill of the head of the establishment and, more generally, of the supervising adults”, supports Arnaud Alessandrin, describing scenarios where a student could be accepted by a teacher from 8:30 am to 10:30 am before being mégenré [être désigné par le mauvais genre] and called under his old first name from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. by another teacher.
With this circular, those days are now over: if the child has the consent of both parents, “it is then a question of ensuring that the first name chosen [par l’enfant] be used by all members of the educational community ”, indicates the text. Another right finally granted, transgender children can dress as they wish. In December 2020, a Lille teenager committed suicide, a few days after posting a video in which her education advisor was seen criticizing her because she wanted to wear a skirt.
Rights and a framework, finally
For David *, a trans student in the final year, this circular is a relief: “Even with“ allied ”teachers, you never know. If they’re having a bad day, they can bug me. In second, my math teacher changed my gender according to my grades to “motivate me” to work well … And each time the school year started, there was suspense: who is going to be understanding, which teacher is going to be stupid? Now I know there is a frame. “
It was the sartorial freedom that caught Margot’s attention and smile. A major advance in the well-being of trans students, according to her: “I’m not saying that my college would have been wonderful with it, but still, not having to wonder every morning if I would not be ordered to change. outfit, yes that would have been a relief. Of course the other students would have continued to laugh at my heels, but I would have had the right with me. Maybe not seeing the teachers berating me for that would even have calmed them down a bit. “
What about the other students in all of this?
It is also the hope that this circular raises: to reduce a little harassment on the part of other students, by giving trans people their rights. Arnaud Alessandrin nods: “We couldn’t ask the students to be more respectful than the institution. It is up to the school to set an example, the students will follow. “
Gabrielle Richard, gender sociologist and author of the book “Hétéro, l’école? Advocacy for anti-oppressive sexuality education “(Les Éditions du remue-household):” It was high time that national education had a firm position on the subject, and position itself in support of its most vulnerable young people. . “For her, however, transphobic violence at school should not be summarized as that of other students:” Peer violence is only one part of what makes school particularly painful for many young trans people. We must also question the role of adults in the renewal of verbal and symbolic violence, the lack of representations or erroneous / stigmatizing representations in school content, the importance given to the binary gender. “
A flyer far from perfect or sufficient
By requiring the agreement of both parents for the change of first name in particular, the circular “favors trans like me, who have the support of their family,” supports David. However, when we have that, we may already be the least to be pitied and least vulnerable trans people. Gabrielle Richard: “This helps to establish that there are circumstances where it would be ‘correct’ to misguide someone, when it constitutes, in any case, in all the circumstances, violence. Asking for the support of both parents or legal guardians suggests that if this family support is not available then the school cannot engage in supporting the young person in question either. It is highly problematic. “
Long awaited and absolutely necessary according to the people concerned, the circular therefore shows obvious limits. While it was necessary and formalized some basic rights, no one expected it to solve all the problems trans people face in school. Gabrielle Richard drives one last nail: “If we take a step back to look at the educational institution, we see that it contributes to transmitting very strict gender norms, which shape the experience that young people have of school. . As it is conceived, structured, the school is violent towards trans youth. “
Margot concludes: “Sadly, I think school will always be hell for my trans siblings. It is inevitable. But there are some hells a little less worse than others. That’s all we can hope for. “