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GENDER AND OUR EARLY LEARNERS Erica Schepp UW-Whitewater Early Childhood Conference April 7-8, 2017
GENDER AND OUR EARLY
LEARNERS Erica Schepp
UW-Whitewater Early Childhood Conference April 7-8, 2017
Learning outcomes
Explore gender identity development in young
children
Learn gender inclusive language and terminology
Explore expanded concepts of gender
Introduce recently published books
Practice having conversations around the topic of
gender with young children
Group Norms for our time together
today…
• Share what you are comfortable with, but also challenge your current
beliefs and thoughts
• Show respect for others and their views
• Give yourself and others permission to make mistakes, as we are all on
a journey towards acceptance and understanding in this session
• Don’t get hung up on terminology here
• Ask lots of questions!
Introductions
Share name, role in early childhoodeducation, and
preferred pronouns
Examples:
She/her/hers
He/him/his
They/them/theirs
Terminology
Sex
(Biological) Gender
physical attributes
such as external
genitalia, sex
chromosomes,
gonads, sex
hormones, and
internal reproductive
structures
interrelationship
between three
domains:
1. sex
2. gender
identity
3. gender
expression
More Terminology
Gender Identity – one’s internal sense of self as
boy, girl, both, or neither
Gender expression – how one demonstrates their
gender identity outwardly to others (based on
traditional gender norms)
And more terminology…
Cisgender
Gender creative
Gender Dysphoria / Euphoria
Gender fluid
Gender normative
MTF / FTM
Transgender
Genderbread Person Video Clip
Katie Couric and Sam Killerman explain the
Genderbread Person
Gender “norms” bombard us…even
before birth…
Gender
School
Religion
Family
Media
Follow the Child’s Lead…
National Geographic - Trans child age 9
Change is Coming…or is it?
2012 – APA removes Gender Identity Disorder (GID) from the DSM GLAAD report
2013 – California Law AB1266 SFSD support
2015 – Schools in Transition A guide for supporting students in K-12 schools
2017 Trump Administration Rescinds Obama Rule On Transgender Students' Bathroom Use NPR link
How else can we support Gender
Inclusivity?
Avoid addressing groups of children as “boys and girls”
Activity - list five other phrases you could use.
Avoid separating groups by gender
Use teachable moments to breakdown stereotypes or intolerant attitudes
Activity – How would you respond to these questions…
Provide materials that support gender inclusivity BEFORE a child or family comes to you for support
More
Provide various types of dress-up clothes for ALL children
Change forms to be more open-ended rather than just two check-boxes
Non-discrimination clauses that include transgender or gender identity (gender isn’t enough)
Gender neutral bathrooms
Honor a child’s preferred pronouns or identity in that moment.
Let’s Dig in to some Children’s Books
Find a group
Choose a book
Have a volunteer read it aloud
Fill out Book Web together
Share
Children’s Books…
About Chris by Nina Benedetto
Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman
Bellarino Nate by Kimberly Brubaker
Bobbi and Me by Jeanne Kipke
Do Princesses Wear Hiking Boots? By Carmela Lavigna Coyle
George by Alex Gino
I am Jazz by Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings
I Look Like a Girl by Sheila Hamanaka
It’s Okay to Be Different by Todd Parr
Jacob’s New Dress by Sarah and Ian Hoffman
Justin and the Best Biscuits in the World by Mildred Pitts Walter
Kate and the Beanstalk by Mary Pope Osborne
My Outrageous Friend, Charlie by Martha Alexander
My Princess Boy by Cheryl Kilodavis
Oliver Button is a Sissy by Tomie DePaola
"Pink is a Girl Color"...and other silly things people say by Stacy Drageset and Erik Drageset
Prinsesa: The Boy Who Dreamed of Being a Princess by Emmanuel Romero
Red: A Crayon’s Story by Michael Hall
Riding Freedom by Pam Muñoz Ryan
Roland Humphrey is Wearing a What? by Eileen Kiernan-Johnson
Sam the Fuzzy Caterpillar: A Story About Transgender Acceptance by Dorothy England
The Boy Who Cried Fabulous, by Leslea Newman
The Different Dragon by Jennifer Bryan
The Manny Files by Christian Burch
Tomboy Trouble by Sharon Dennis Wyeth
Tough Boris by Mem Fox
When Kayla was Kyle by Amy Fabrikant and Jennifer Levine
William’s Doll by Charlotte Zolotow
On-lineCommunities and Resources
Trans Youth Equality
Gender Spectrum
Welcoming Schools – HRC
GSAFE
PFLAG
Family Equality Council
Pediatric and Adolescent Transgender Health Clinic – Madison
Trans Kids Purple Rainbow
FoundationI Heart Singular They
My Son Wears Heals
A little music for inspiration
I Will Be a Rainbow
Thank you for coming!
Contact Info:
Erica Schepp
Director, UWW Children’s Center
