Non binary vs gender fluid plus#

Teachers, administrators, staff, and other non-student individuals on campus also may identify as non-binary and/or transgender and this guide does not speak to such experiences directly. The end of this guide has links to several resources with glossaries of terms that may be beneficial to readers.įurther, this guide is focused specifically on non-binary students in university classrooms.

We note that these experiences also may be relevant for transgender students in many cases. To this end, throughout this guide, we focus on students with non-binary gender identities. It is important to recognize that the experiences and identities of transgender and/or non-binary individuals may overlap but are not the same. Similarly, some non-binary or gender non-conforming individuals identify as transgender, and some do not. Some transgender individuals identify as non-binary or gender non-conforming and some do not. Many of the points in this teaching guide are also applicable to transgender students. This teaching guide focuses on teaching beyond the gender binary in the university classroom, and thus attends to the experiences of non-binary students. Additionally, giving students the opportunity to self-identify the names and pronouns they use in the classroom benefits all students, including international students and students who use their middle name as their primary name. Research shows that making learning spaces accessible to non-majority students benefits all students by enhancing creativity and improving problem solving and decision-making (Levine and Stark 2015 Phillips 2014). Respecting gender identity and expression in the classroom affirms students who identify as non-binary, gender non-conforming, and/or transgender, and additionally creates a culture of inclusion and diversity in education that has indirect benefits to all.

This video provides another perspective on the complexities of being non-binary in the United States. This guide is intended to reflect the University’s commitment to diversity, as outlined in the non-discrimination policy, and to provide best practices for respecting gender identity and expression in the classroom. Students have voiced experiencing anxiety, stress, or isolation when their pronouns or identities are not honored in a classroom. From debates about the appropriate policy regarding student name changes to awareness campaigns about pronoun usage, university administrators, professors, and students collectively are struggling to find a more just and nuanced understanding. Increased awareness around the complexities of gender identity and expression has given rise to questions regarding best practices for promoting gender inclusivity on campuses across the country. One student shared, “Every day it’s scary to just be in class, not knowing what people are going to say” (Schmalz 2015). They described their anxiety about being “outed” by professors in their classes and being forced to “come out” every semester when they must talk with faculty about their names or pronouns. Several students expressed fear of instructors and staff misgendering them or committing other microaggressions.

Non binary vs gender fluid plus#

In an editorial that appeared in the Chronicle of Higher Education, Schmalz (2015) interviewed a dozen Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer plus (LGBTQ+) students, many of whom identified as gender fluid, genderqueer, gender non-conforming, transgender, and/or non-binary, and found these students experience a great amount of anxiety and frustration. In recent years, students on campuses across the country have become increasingly vocal in resisting binary thinking with respect to gender identity and expression. Resources for Basic Concepts and Definitions.Common Challenges to Gender-Inclusive Teaching and Some Evidence-Based Solutions.Updates made in collaboration with Roberta Nelson and Chris Purcell of the Vanderbilt Office for LGBTQI Life and Brielle Harbin, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Political Science at the United States Naval Academy 2 Retrieved from: īy Brielle Harbin, CFT Senior Graduate Teaching Fellow, 2015-2016 1 Updated by Leah Marion Roberts, Graduate Teaching Fellow, 2019-2020, to reflect current language, understandings, and recommendations related to moving beyond the gender binary. Teaching beyond the gender binary in the university classroom. Teaching Beyond the Gender Binary in the University ClassroomĬite this guide: Harbin, B.