NZ Human Rights Commission - Accessible HTML Document


Trans People Fact Sheet: K. Workshop:


Young and Trans for trans youth, their families and people working with trans youth



Objectives

By the end of this workshop we hope that the participants will have a greater understanding of:

Approximate time: 90 – 120 minutes depending on size of the panel and number of questions asked.

The attached workshop outline is for 120 minutes. A panel of five or six trans youth is good if you have a two hour workshop. If you have less time, you will need to shorten the amount of time each panellist speaks or the number of panellists. If you have already held a Trans 101 workshop, do not repeat the two minute quiz.

Resources needed during workshop:

Resources to distribute at the end

It would be useful to have copies of these online resources, available from the Human Rights Commission (infoline@hrc.co.nz):

The Commission can also provide hard copies of:

Finding a panel

Approach trans youth groups and/or people in your area who work with trans youth, asking for volunteers. Contacts can be found on the HRC resource Links:Trans youth. Try to have a panel that includes people with a variety of gender identities, ages and ethnicities e.g. a young trans man (FtM), a young fa’afafine

and a young person who is genderqueer. If you have few local contacts and a travel budget for this workshop, consider inviting trans youth from outside your region to increase the diversity of presenters. Their participation could also strengthen networks between trans youth.

When approaching potential panellists it is useful to show them the workshop outline. Encourage panellists to mention the celebratory aspects of being trans as well as any barriers they face. Stress there are no right answers and a diversity of views is welcome. Ask panellists to suggest things workshop participants can do that would make a positive difference for trans youth.

Examples may include ways to make schools, youth groups and health services positive, inclusive and safe for trans youth.

This workshop includes a second panel about supporting trans youth. Ideally trans youth should be joined by one or two people who have provided support to trans youth. Possible examples include a teacher, school guidance counsellor, youth group leader or health professional. Ask trans groups and the panellists themselves to suggest possible support people to invite – see Links: Trans youth and Links: Trans groups and networks. When approaching trans people and others for this second panel, give them a copy of the 21 Ways to be an Ally to Trans Youth resource.


Workshop Structure:

Facilitator notes

5 mins

Welcome (Facilitator explains any ground rules and housekeeping notices)

15 mins

Brief introductions from the panel Panellists give their name and where they are from (If there is time, the facilitator asks workshop participants what they want from the workshop and writes these up on a whiteboard)

30 mins

Being Young and Trans panel (Facilitator gives questions to the panellists well in advance, explaining each question is optional. Decide whether each person will answer all four questions and then pass on to the next person – or whether you get answers to the first two questions from everyone and then do another round on the last two questions)

  • What are 4 or 5 words that describe who you are, including at least one that is about your gender identity (e.g. I am a student, dancer, squash player, dog lover and gender queer)
  • What it is like knowing you are akava’ine, fa’afafine, whakawahine, trans, gender queer or gender questioning when you are young?
  • Describe a good reaction you’ve had from someone when they’ve realised you are trans.
  • Describe another reaction that was hard for you.

(The facilitator writes up terms people use to describe their gender identity. An experienced facilitator may wish to cluster the terms under headings such as ‘trans men’, ‘trans women’, ‘third sex’ and ‘umbrella terms’.)

15 mins

Questions from the participants (Before the session, identify any questions panellists do not want to answer. For example, often trans people do not want to discuss what surgeries they have or have not undergone. During the workshop, the facilitator intervenes if questions are too personal.

If there is time, allow several panellists to answer the same question to show diverse views. Facilitator only adds to the answers at the end if some points are unclear. If necessary, explain any terms people have used to describe their gender identity or ask panellists to do this.)

5 mins

Quiz

(Facilitator gives each participant a copy of the quiz to complete individually. Also distribute blank strips of paper and pens for people to write down anyto write down any questions that they do not feel comfortable asking directly.)

5 mins

Quiz Answers

(Facilitator reads out the questions, asking participants to volunteer answers, then confirms the correct answers. If this process brings up further questions encourage the panellists to answer them. Collect up any anonymous questions that people have written down and let people know you will return to these after the next panel. While the panel is taking place, sort through any written questions).

25 mins

Supporting Trans Youth panel

  • Trans people each give an example of support they received from someone that really made a difference for them
  • Other panellists describe the support they provide to trans youth.

(It can help if the examples that panellists give show different types of support. Before the workshop, tThe facilitator may want to ask people to pick one of the points from the 21 Ways to be an Ally to Trans Youth resource and to give a related example from their own life. Another option is to choose beforehand who will talk about support from different places e.g. their school, a GP, a friend, their family etc.)

15 mins

Questions

To the panel from the audience (Facilitator also asks any anonymous written questions).

5 mins

Thank panel and participants

(Facilitator also directs people to any resources and handouts that can be picked up by workshop participants as they leave).



Two minute gender identity quiz

1. These are some Mäori terms to describe a trans woman: (tick as many as apply)

a) whakawahine

b) hinehi

c) hinehua

d) taniwha

e) tangata ira tane


2. Does an FtM person identify as male or female? (circle one)

Male

Female


3. The word ‘Queen’ is used by some trans women to describe who they are

a) True

b) False


4. A trans person taking steps to live in their gender identity is ...

a) transgendering

b) transitioning

c) being fabulous

d) transliterating


5. Someone who identifies as transsexual, has had all gender reassignment surgeries.

a) always true

b) sometimes true

c) never true


6. What term is often used to describe a fear of, or aversion to, trans people?

a) genocide

b) transrail

c) transphobia

d) transistor


7. Are trans people attracted to:

a) same-sex

b) opposite-sex

c) neither sex

d) both/all sexes

e) any of the above?


8. Cross-dressers wear the clothes of ‘the opposite sex’ but do not want to transition to live in that gender identity.

a) always true

b) sometimes true

c) never true


Two minute gender identity quiz - answers

The facilitators’ notes below provide some additional information in case there is discussion about the answers.

  1. Question 1: a, b, and c (whakawahine, hinehi and hinehua) (Tangata ira tane is a term for a trans man)Question

  2. Question 2: Male (FtM stands for ‘female to male’ and describes the direction of a trans person’s journey or transition. MtFstands for ‘male to female’).

  3. Question 3 a (True) (Some gay men also use the word ‘Queen’. The term ‘Drag Queen’ is used to describe people, typically men, who dress in female drag to perform female roles. Most Drag Queens do not identify as trans.)

  4. Question 4: b (transitioning) – and also c (being fabulous)

  5. Question 5: b (sometimes true)

  6. Question 6: c (transphobia)

  7. Question 7: e (any of the above)

  8. Question 8: b (sometimes true)