| Gender Binary: The idea that gender is strictly an either or option of male/man/masculine or female/woman/feminine based on sex assigned at birth, rather than a continuum or spectrum of gender identities and expressions. | It amazes me that there are still people in the world who see gender as this black and white aspect and not something that has multiple dimensions to it. Gender binary tries to put everyone into one category or the other, and it gives no wiggle room for the people who do not feel like they belong in either group. |
| “National Geographic assembled 15 individuals representing a broad spectrum of gender identities and expressions” | I never truly thought about all the different types of ways that someone may choose to identity themselves as. I feel like I was never taught in school about all the different groups, and if I was someone who felt like I didn’t identity with my gender at birth, I wouldn’t know where to turn or go because no one talks about anything other than cisgenders. What kind of programs could be set in place to teach students about different types of genders? |
| “All children need the opportunity to explore different gender roles and styles of play. Ensure your young child’s environment reflects diversity in gender roles and opportunities for everyone.” | I really agree with this statement, because it is important to make sure that children know that they are able to be whatever and whoever they choose to be. The should be raised in an environment that is loving and opening, and not feel like they need to hide who they are for others. |
| “Adolescents who are the best informed about sexuality are the most likely to postpone sex.” | This line stuck out to me the most and it really got me thinking about my friends and I. I still have never had the “sex talk” with my parents, and it is something that I do not talk to them about to this day because it’s “weird”. I now think that if it was something we talked about instead of hiding from, if I things would have turned out different for me and I would have waited longer. |
| “When children’s interests and abilities are different from what society expects, they’re often subjected to discrimination and bullying. It’s important to help them fulfill their own unique potential rather than force them into the mold of current of traditional gender behavior.” | A lot of the time, a child that is different from other children, gets picked on. This happens in schools by other classmates. What’s something teachers can do to make sure this doesn’t happen? How can we show other students that being different from someone else isn’t weird and doesn’t call for bullying? |
