According to a study conducted by the National Center for Transgender Equality, 82% of transgender or gender non-binary youth reported that they feel unsafe at school. Of trans and non-gender conforming students, 44% of them had been abused physically (ex. punched, shoved, etc.) and 67% of them had been bullied online. If a trans or gender non-conforming student at your school is getting bullied, make an effort this week to offer them help. Let them know you’re there for them whenever they need you. You can say something like, “Hey, I just want to let you know that I don’t like seeing you get bullied and I’m on your side.” If you don’t know any transgender people in your community, you can check out books, films, YouTube channels, and transgender blogs to find out more about what it means to be transgender, so you can be an effective ally in the future.
Shanahan for Ojai 