So as some of you might remember, I made a thread about going to come out at school earlier this month. I've come out informally to a lot of my peers and their reactions have been very supportive, so it encouraged me to talk to my counselor about using the right restroom and locker room, asking my teachers to use my preferred name and pronouns, etc. Except I probably will be shoved back into the closet by the administration. Since I'm still technically a minor, the school will have to consult my mom first, who is still convinced that I'm "going through a phase". My counselor also doesn't seem to have any idea what he's talking about. He says I can't ask my teachers to use my preferred name without parental permission because the gender-switch might be considered "sexual harassment", and that logic was just so nonsensical to me I couldn't think of a proper response to it in the moment. I mean, I at least somewhat understand the restroom situation requiring parental consent, but how in hell does a name switch constitute harrassment??? :eusa_doh: What should I do now? Do I just go ahead and ask my teachers to call me by the right name anyway? If I use the male variation of my birthname, Jesse, I don't think they can get me in trouble for that, but I'm already used to Jack as my preferred name. I'm probably going to start using the men's room anyway (who's going to report me?) but I get really dysphoric when my teachers and classmates call me by my birth name :bang: Do I have a right to bypass the school administrators completely and directly come out to my teachers? TL;DR - School isn't going to let me come out without parental consent from an unsupportive mother. What do?
Would those resources help if shown to your mother? The first one is for the british national healt service, a reputable source. http://www.gires.org.uk/assets/DOH-Assets/pdf/doh-transgender-experiences.pdf They talk of it having biological causes. meaning its not just a whim ... What I do not like is on page 7 talking about stress... many have experience relief... This is an easy adaptable story to explain: http://www.gires.org.uk/assets/mums-adventure.pdf Another possibility would be to show them to your counselor. Would it help if you would look for a gender therapist, saying you want some counseling ? They might help with your mother. You might look up transgender helplines, if you want to talk to someone in person. (*hug*)
Hi, My mom is just like yours... It sucks. Lol. I'm so bad at talking to other people/ asking for help that I seriously just went right into the boy's locker room without any warning the principal understood me and made sure I didn't get fined or suspended <3 I now am supposed to use the "girl's" bathroom for gym, tho I think we all know where I go instead <3 don't do it the way I did, tho. I atleast have a genderless name so people usually see me as the guy with a feminine name unless they knew me beforehand. Good luck to ya. If any of my teachers use female pronouns usually someone will stand up for me, altho I'm stealth for safety reasons. I don't think my mom would react well if I asked her if I could see a gender therapist.... (My excuse cuz I suck at asking for things or just talking to her in general) I hear it gets better tho ... hehe.
