Roselyn House School - Trans, Gender Identity and Gender Expression Guidance for Staff and Students

Trans Gender Identity and Gender Express[...]
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ROSELYN HOUSE SCHOOL AND THE RHISE SERVICE

Trans, Gender Identity and Gender Expression Guidance for Staff and Students

Commitment to trans equality

KS Education Limited is committed to equality of opportunity and values the diversity of its staff and students.

Roselyn House School and The RHISE Service commits to providing a safe and inclusive environment where all students and staff can achieve their potential. We do not tolerate discrimination, victimisation, or harassment on any basis, including a person’s gender identity, gender expression, trans status or history.

This document is for all staff, students and visitors and outlines our commitment to embed equality for trans students and staff across the school and provides practical guidance on trans matters. This guidance should be read alongside Roselyn House School and The RHISE Service’s Single Equality Policy and Safeguarding Policy.

Definitions

‘Trans’ is an umbrella term to describe people whose gender is different from, or does not sit comfortably with, the sex they were assigned at birth. Gender reassignment is the protected characteristic in the Equality Act 2010 that protects trans people from discrimination, victimisation, and harassment in employment from the moment they indicate their intention to transition.

Trans people may describe themselves using one or more of a wide variety of terms, including (but not limited to) transgender, transsexual, genderqueer (GQ), gender-fluid, non-binary, gender-variant, crossdresser, genderless, agender, nongender, third gender, bi-gender, trans man, trans woman, trans masculine, trans feminine and neutrois.

We do not tolerate discrimination, victimisation, or harassment on any basis, and this includes a person’s gender identity, gender expression, trans status or history. While not a gender identity, we offer our full support to intersex individuals, who may also find this guidance beneficial. Further definitions are available in the Glossary at the end of this document.

Legal Framework

Equality Act 2010

Gender Reassignment is one of the nine protected characteristics covered by the Equality Act 2010. The Act protects:

A person who has proposed, started, or completed a process to change their gender
Transgender people who are not under medical supervision
People who experience discrimination because they are perceived to be Transgender
People who experience discrimination by association on the grounds of gender reassignment; for example, the parents of a Transgender child because their child is transitioning

People who need time off work or study to transition.

The Act also makes it unlawful on the grounds of gender reassignment to:

treat someone who is Transgender differently to other employees, students, or other service users or to refuse a service to them based on their Transgender identity
subject someone to harassment; that is unwanted conduct that violates a person’s dignity and creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment

victimise someone because they have made a complaint or allegation or have given evidence against someone else in relation to a complaint of discrimination
discriminate against someone in some circumstances after the working relationship has ended

The Act recognises that gender reassignment is a personal process and not a medical one and offers protection accordingly. Employers can be held responsible for the actions of staff under the Act. Employees are also individually responsible for their own discriminatory actions.

Gender Recognition Act 2004

The Gender Recognition Act 2004 allows Transgender people who can satisfy the Act’s evidence requirements, to apply to the Gender Recognition Panel to seek full legal recognition of their acquired gender. If an applicant is successful, they will be issued with a full or interim Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC). A full GRC enables the person to obtain a new birth certificate which does not disclose the fact that they have changed gender. The Gender Recognition Act also makes the disclosure without permission by a third party of an individual’s Transgender status, a criminal act.

Other relevant legislation

Human Rights Act (1998)
Data Protection Act (2018)

Equality Act (2010)
The Education (No 2) Act 1986

Embedding and promoting trans equality within KS Education Limited

Roselyn House School and The RHISE Service undertakes the following practical steps, to ensure that trans staff and students are part of a supportive and inclusive work/study environment, and do not face discrimination on the grounds of their gender identity, gender expression, trans status or history.

Promoting Trans Equality

Roselyn House School and The RHISE Service will include gender identity issues in equality training and raise awareness of the importance of using correct names and pronouns. See Guidance/ Training on Pronouns
Welcomes trans student and staff groups and networks, will encourage celebration of trans calendar events and engagement with the LGBTQ+ Staff Network.
Commits to ensuring school’s publicity materials, literature and images reflect the diversity of our staff and students.

Roselyn House School and The RHISE Service will continue to promote trans equality through equality analysis of new and updated policies and practices.
Roselyn House School and The RHISE Service have Silver Stonewall Champions Award and are working towards Gold.

Harassment and Complaints

Discrimination, bullying, and harassment based on actual or perceived gender identity, gender expression and/or trans status/ history will not be tolerated by Roselyn House School and The RHISE Service.

The Bullying Policy sets out the expected behaviour of all members of the school and not to accept Bullying and Harassment. The policy outlines the range of options and support for staff and students. This is also supported by the Single Equality Policy and our Complaints and Representations Policy

KS Education Limited will act on complaints brought by trans people, or their representatives, where these commitments are not being honoured.

Dress Codes

Staff and students at Roselyn House School and The RHISE Service are encouraged to dress in a way that makes them safe and comfortable for work and study. Where they exist, such as for uniformed teams and health and safety purposes, dress codes at Roselyn House School and The RHISE Service are gender neutral.

Staff and students are provided with uniforms to wear which are gender neutral. They have the option to request a set of new uniform that are appropriate for their gender expression at no extra charge. New uniforms can be used to replace previous ones or can be used as additional garments for students with gender fluid identities and/or expression.

Facilities

All staff, students and visitors to Roselyn House School and The RHISE Centre can use the gender-neutral toilets that they are most comfortable with.

Teaching and Learning

Programme content will not rely on, or reinforce, stereotype or assumptions about trans people

Recruitment, Admissions, Retention and Success

Gender identity, gender expression, trans status or history will not be a barrier to staff recruitment, selection and promotion, or access to training.

Students will not be denied access to programmes, or progression to further study, or treated unfairly based upon their gender identity, gender expression, trans status or history

Healthcare and Absences

Staff will be supported to utilise flexible working, and if applicable, hybrid working, to manage routine appointments, where these cannot be arranged outside of typical working hours.
Where a person needs to take time off work or study for medical assistance because of their transition, they will not be treated less favourably than if the absence was due to another cause (such as sickness, injury, or parental leave)

For staff, KS Education Limited’s absence management policy and sickness pay provisions will apply.
Staff and students will be provided with support in obtaining adjustments, be they temporary or permanent, to their work or study during this period.
For staff, this support will be provided by Mrs R Smith (Business Manager) and Miss Damerall (Headteacher)
For students, this support will be provided by Mr Birkenhead (Deputy Head), Miss Willacy (Deputy Head) and Miss Damerall (Headteacher).

Human Resources, Registry Services, and IT

KS Education Limited recognises that trans people may not hold the full range of documents reflective of their affirmed name/gender. In circumstances where the school requires official confirmation of a person’s identity subject to legislative requirements, staff and students have the option to provide more than one type of official identification. - Suitable options include a statutory declaration of name change, deed poll, driving license, passport, or birth certificate.
Requests to change name and gender on records will be handled promptly and staff and students will be made aware of any implications of the changes.

References

Reference requests for current or former trans staff or students who have transitioned should make no reference to the individual’s former name, gender, or pronouns unless explicitly requested by the individual. If you are aware of a previous name used, or records are in an earlier name, check with the person requesting a reference how they would like you to manage this.

Sport

All Sport at Roselyn House School and The RHISE Service provide gender-neutral spaces and groups across all programmes including gyms, with no restrictions to participation based on gender identity, gender expression, trans status or history. Participants can use the gender-neutral facilities (such as toilets and changing rooms) or the gendered facilities that they are most comfortable with.

Competitive sport at Roselyn House School and The RHISE Service is under the remit of The UK’s Sports Councils who have published new guidance for transgender inclusion in domestic sport.

Guidance for Transgender Inclusion in Domestic Sport 2021.pdf (equalityinsport.org)

Data and Confidentiality

Trans people may be ‘out’ to some people and not to others, or they may only be ‘out’ in some circumstances and not in others, so confidentiality is vital to retaining and maintaining privacy.

It is the right of the individual to choose whether to disclose their gender identity or trans status to the school, and to whom.
It is recognised that there are differences between gender identity, gender expression and trans status/history and that not all trans people will require additional guidance or support. However, where disclosure has not occurred, the school may not be able to respond appropriately. Trans people are therefore encouraged to inform the school of their trans status where relevant when accessing services and support.
If a colleague or a student discloses to you that they have transitioned / are transitioning or intend to or are considering transitioning, it is the responsibility of all staff and students to treat this information confidentially.
No identifying information should be shared with any person at any time without the individual’s explicit consent. In line with our responsibility under the Gender Recognition Act 2004 and relevant data protection legislation, any disclosure made by a student or staff member will be treated with absolute confidentiality.
The individual’s explicit consent will be sought before any information about their transition or intent to transition is passed to anybody, both within and external and any implications of not providing consent will be explained.

To share information about an individual’s trans status, whether staff or student, without their permission is a form of harassment and, in several contexts may amount to a criminal offence.
We commit to monitor the gender identity and trans status/history of staff, students and those applying to study or work.
We maintain anonymity in our reporting and will not report on numbers of trans staff or students where there is any risk of identifying individuals.
We will work within our Safeguarding Policy and keep students safe at all times. If this means a disclosure of information where coercion/ abuse is taking place we will share information confidentially to relevant agencies and take direct advice from the LADO.

June 2023

S.Damerall

Glossary of LGBTQ+ terms

Stonewall

Abro (sexual and romantic)

A word used to describe people who have a fluid sexual and/or romantic orientation which changes over time, or the course of their life. They may use different terms to describe themselves over time.

Ace

An umbrella term used specifically to describe a lack of, varying, or occasional experiences of sexual attraction. This encompasses asexual people as well as those who identify as demisexual and grey-sexual. Ace people who experience romantic attraction or occasional sexual attraction might also use terms such as gay, bi, lesbian, straight and queer in conjunction with asexual to describe the direction of their romantic or sexual attraction.

Ace and aro/ace and aro spectrum

Umbrella terms used to describe the wide group of people who experience a lack of, varying, or occasional experiences of romantic and/or sexual attraction, including a lack of attraction. People who identify under these umbrella terms may describe themselves using one or more of a wide variety of terms, including, but not limited to, asexual, ace, aromantic, aro, demi, grey, and abro. People may also use terms such as gay, bi, lesbian, straight and queer in conjunction with ace and aro to explain the direction of romantic or sexual attraction if and when they experience it.

Allo (sexual and romantic)

Allo people experience sexual and romantic attraction, and do not identify as on the ace or aro spectrum. Allo is to ace and aro spectrum identities, as straight is to LGB+ spectrum identities. It is important to use words that equalise experience, otherwise the opposite to ace and aro becomes ‘normal’ which is stigmatising.

Aro

An umbrella term used specifically to describe a lack of, varying, or occasional experiences of romantic attraction. This encompasses aromantic people as well as those who identify as demiromantic and grey-romantic. Aro people who experience sexual attraction or occasional romantic attraction might also use terms such as gay, bi, lesbian, straight and queer in conjunction with asexual to describe the direction of their attraction.

Aromantic

A person who does not experience romantic attraction. Some aromantic people experience sexual attraction, while others do not. Aromantic people who experience sexual attraction or occasional romantic attraction might also use terms such as gay, bi, lesbian, straight and queer in conjunction with asexual to describe the direction of their attraction.

Asexual

A person who does not experience sexual attraction. Some asexual people experience romantic attraction, while others do not. Asexual people who experience romantic attraction might also use terms such as gay, bi, lesbian, straight and queer in conjunction with asexual to describe the direction of their romantic attraction.

Ally

A (typically) straight and/or cis person who supports members of the LGBT community.

Bi is an umbrella term used to describe a romantic and/or sexual orientation towards more than one gender.

Bi people may describe themselves using one or more of a wide variety of terms, including, but not limited to, bisexual, pan, queer, and some other non-monosexual and non-monoromantic identities.

Biphobia

The fear or dislike of someone who identifies as bi based on prejudice or negative attitudes, beliefs or views about bi people. Biphobic bullying may be targeted at people who are, or who are perceived to be, bi.

Butch

Butch is a term used in LBT culture to describe someone who expresses themselves in a typically masculine way.

There are other identities within the scope of butch, such as ‘soft butch’ and ‘stone butch’. You shouldn’t use these terms about someone unless you know they identify with them.

Cisgender or Cis

Someone whose gender identity is the same as the sex they were assigned at birth. Non-trans is also used by some people.

Coming out

When a person first tells someone/others about their orientation and/or gender identity.

Deadnaming

Calling someone by their birth name after they have changed their name. This term is often associated with trans people who have changed their name as part of their transition.

Demi (sexual and romantic)

An umbrella term used to describe people who may only feel sexually or romantically attracted to people with whom they have formed an emotional bond. People may also use terms such as gay, bi, lesbian, straight and queer in conjunction with demi to explain the direction of romantic or sexual attraction as they experience it.

Femme

Femme is a term used in LGBT culture to describe someone who expresses themselves in a typically feminine way.

There are other identities within the scope of femme, such as ‘low femme’, ‘high femme’, and ‘hard femme’. You shouldn’t use these terms about someone unless you know they identify with them.

Gay

Refers to a man who has a romantic and/or sexual orientation towards men. Also a generic term for lesbian and gay sexuality - some women define themselves as gay rather than lesbian. Some non-binary people may also identify with this term.

Gender

Often expressed in terms of masculinity and femininity, gender is largely culturally determined and is assumed from the sex assigned at birth.

Gender dysphoria

Used to describe when a person experiences discomfort or distress because there is a mismatch between their sex assigned at birth and their gender identity.

This is also the clinical diagnosis for someone who doesn’t feel comfortable with the sex they were assigned at birth.

Gender expression

How a person chooses to outwardly express their gender, within the context of societal expectations of gender. A person who does not conform to societal expectations of gender may not, however, identify as trans.

Gender identity

A person’s innate sense of their own gender, whether male, female or something else (see non-binary below), which may or may not correspond to the sex assigned at birth.

Gender reassignment

Another way of describing a person’s transition. To undergo gender reassignment usually means to undergo some sort of medical intervention, but it can also mean changing names, pronouns, dressing differently and living in their self-identified gender.

Gender reassignment is a characteristic that is protected by the Equality Act 2010, and it is further interpreted in the Equality Act 2010 approved code of practice. It is a term of much contention and is one that Stonewall's Trans Advisory Group feels should be reviewed.

Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC)

This enables trans people to be legally recognised in their affirmed gender and to be issued with a new birth certificate. Not all trans people will apply for a GRC and you currently have to be over 18 to apply.

You do not need a GRC to change your gender markers at work or to legally change your gender on other documents such as your passport.

Gillick competence

A term used in medical law to decide whether a child (under 16 years of age) is able to consent to their own medical treatment, without the need for parental permission or knowledge.

Grey (sexual and romantic)

Also known as grey-A, this is an umbrella term which describes people who experience attraction occasionally, rarely, or only under certain conditions. People may also use terms such as gay, bi, lesbian, straight and queer in conjunction with grey to explain the direction of romantic or sexual attraction as they experience it.

Heterosexual/straight

Refers to a man who has a romantic and/or sexual orientation towards women or to a woman who has a romantic and/or sexual orientation towards men.

Homosexual

This might be considered a more medical term used to describe someone who has a romantic and/or sexual orientation towards someone of the same gender. The term ‘gay’ is now more generally used.

Homophobia

The fear or dislike of someone, based on prejudice or negative attitudes, beliefs or views about lesbian, gay or bi people. Homophobic bullying may be targeted at people who are, or who are perceived to be, lesbian, gay or bi.

Intersex

A term used to describe a person who may have the biological attributes of both sexes or whose biological attributes do not fit with societal assumptions about what constitutes male or female.

Intersex people may identify as male, female or non-binary.

Stonewall works with intersex groups to provide its partners and stakeholders information and evidence about areas of disadvantage experienced by intersex people but does not, after discussions with members of the intersex community, include intersex issues as part of its current remit at this stage.

Lesbian

Refers to a woman who has a romantic and/or sexual orientation towards women. Some non-binary people may also identify with this term.

Lesbophobia

The fear or dislike of someone because they are or are perceived to be a lesbian.

LGBTQ+

The acronym for lesbian, gay, bi, trans, queer, questioning and ace.

Non-binary

An umbrella term for people whose gender identity doesn’t sit comfortably with ‘man’ or ‘woman’. Non-binary identities are varied and can include people who identify with some aspects of binary identities, while others reject them entirely.

Orientation

Orientation is an umbrella term describing a person's attraction to other people. This attraction may be sexual (sexual orientation) and/or romantic (romantic orientation). These terms refers to a person's sense of identity based on their attractions, or lack thereof.

Orientations include, but are not limited to, lesbian, gay, bi, ace and straight.

Outed

When a lesbian, gay, bi or trans person’s sexual orientation or gender identity is disclosed to someone else without their consent.

Person with a trans history

Someone who identifies as male or female or a man or woman, but was assigned the opposite sex at birth. This is increasingly used by people to acknowledge a trans past.

Pan

Refers to a person whose romantic and/or sexual attraction towards others is not limited by sex or gender.

Passing

If someone is regarded, at a glance, to be a cisgender man or cisgender woman.

Cisgender refers to someone whose gender identity matches the sex they were ‘assigned’ at birth. This might include physical gender cues (hair or clothing) and/or behaviour which is historically or culturally associated with a particular gender.

Platonic partnerships

People who are on the ace and/or aro spectrum may have platonic partnerships. These are relationships where there is a high level of mutual commitment which can include shared life decisions, shared living arrangements, and co-parenting of children. These partnerships can include more than two people. Like allosexual and alloromantic people, ace and aro spectrum people may be monogamous or polyamorous.

Pronoun

Words we use to refer to people’s gender in conversation - for example, ‘he’ or ‘she’. Some people may prefer others to refer to them in gender neutral language and use pronouns such as they/their and ze/zir.

Queer

Queer is a term used by those wanting to reject specific labels of romantic orientation, sexual orientation and/or gender identity. It can also be a way of rejecting the perceived norms of the LGBT community (racism, sizeism, ableism etc). Although some LGBT people view the word as a slur, it was reclaimed in the late 80s by the queer community who have embraced it.

Questioning

The process of exploring your own sexual orientation and/or gender identity.

Romantic orientation

A person’s romantic attraction to other people, or lack thereof. Along with sexual orientation, this forms a person’s orientation identity.

Stonewall uses the term ‘orientation’ as an umbrella term covering sexual and romantic orientations.

Sex

Assigned to a person on the basis of primary sex characteristics (genitalia) and reproductive functions. Sometimes the terms ‘sex’ and ‘gender’ are interchanged to mean ‘male’ or ‘female’.

Sexual orientation

A person’s sexual attraction to other people, or lack thereof. Along with romantic orientation, this forms a person’s orientation identity.

Stonewall uses the term ‘orientation’ as an umbrella term covering sexual and romantic orientations.

Spectrum

A term used to cover a variety of identities that have a root commonality or shared experience.

Trans

An umbrella term to describe people whose gender is not the same as, or does not sit comfortably with, the sex they were assigned at birth.

Trans people may describe themselves using one or more of a wide variety of terms, including (but not limited to) transgender, transsexual, gender-queer (GQ), gender-fluid, non-binary, gender-variant, crossdresser, genderless, agender, nongender, third gender, bi-gender, trans man, trans woman,trans masculine, trans feminine and neutrois.

Transgender man

A term used to describe someone who is assigned female at birth but identifies and lives as a man. This may be shortened to trans man, or FTM, an abbreviation for female-to-male.

Transgender woman

A term used to describe someone who is assigned male at birth but identifies and lives as a woman. This may be shortened to trans woman, or MTF, an abbreviation for male-to-female.

Transitioning

The steps a trans person may take to live in the gender with which they identify. Each person’s transition will involve different things. For some this involves medical intervention, such as hormone therapy and surgeries, but not all trans people want or are able to have this.

Transitioning also might involve things such as telling friends and family, dressing differently and changing official documents.

Transphobia

The fear or dislike of someone based on the fact they are trans, including denying their gender identity or refusing to accept it. Transphobia may be targeted at people who are, or who are perceived to be, trans.

Transsexual

This was used in the past as a more medical term (similarly to homosexual) to refer to someone whose gender is not the same as, or does not sit comfortably with, the sex they were assigned at birth.

This term is still used by some although many people prefer the term trans or transgender.

Undetectable

HIV medication (antiretroviral treatment, or ART) works by reducing the amount of the virus in the blood to undetectable levels. This means the levels of HIV are so low that the virus cannot be passed on. This is called having an undetectable viral load or being undetectable.

For more information, visit the Terrence Higgins Trust.

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