The Diversity, Decolonization, and the French Curriculum Collective
The Diversity, Decolonization, and the German Curriculum Collective Steering Committee
The Black German Heritage and Research Association


The Diversity, Decolonization, and the French Curriculum Collective, the Diversity, Decolonization, and the German Curriculum Collective Steering Committee, and the Black German Heritage and Research Association are committed to fostering conversation about diversity, inclusion, equity, and social justice. The three collectives vehemently condemn the rising transphobia and acts of anti-trans violence in the United States and throughout the world as well as the more than 100 pieces of anti-trans legislation that are being heard in more than 30 states this legislative session, which are a part of the 195+ anti-LGBTQ+ bills currently being considered by states across the country. We further recognize that the number of coordinated legislative attacks against trans people is unprecedented while simultaneously understanding the long historical arch of oppression and violence in which these acts are situated (see for example Gill-Peterson, 2018; Knisely & Paiz, 2021; Malatino, 2020).

We maintain that there is an ethical imperative to uphold the rights and dignity of trans people in schools and, thus, in our broader communities and society. And we maintain that any call for diversity and inclusion (e.g., ACTFL, 2019) must include unequivocal support for trans rights and gender justice. These assertions are particularly poignant for us as scholars, educators, and students of language; our identities --who we are as groups and individuals-- are inseparable from the language we use and from the affordances and constraints we experience in our interactions with others (see Darvin & Norton, 2015; Knisely, 2021a, 2021b; Knisely & Paiz, 2021). To the same degree, our success as language learners and users is measured in and by our successful interactions with others (see for example work by Uju Anya). We believe that a person’s ability to thrive and to succeed should not depend upon the extent to which they do or do not conform to gender norms.

This legislation is needless and puts trans lives in danger. The bills have varied foci (e.g.,prohibiting or criminalizing the provision of health care to trans people, prohibiting teaching in schools about trans people and related topics, prohibiting mandatory professional development about LGBTQ+ people and history, mandating disclosure of a child’s sexual orientation or gender identity to parents without the child’s consent, prohibiting or criminalizing the participation of trans youth in school sports). However, the language is remarkably consistent across states, in keeping with the playbook set forth by the hate group the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) with the 2016-2018 anti-trans series of “bathroom bills.” Illustrative of how unnecessary these bills are, the majority of voters in the US believe that trans people should be able to live openly, freely, and have access to medical care. Further, more than 7 million professionals and 1,000 organizations who are experts in children’s health and welfare have called on states to oppose this onslaught of anti-trans bills (including the United Nations, Amnesty International, The American Medical Association, The American Academy of Pediatrics, and all other relevant major medical associations) alongside other professional organizations (e.g., The NCAA, The National Education Association, The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, The American Educational Research Association, The American Association of School Librarians, The American Civil Liberties Union) and educators (e.g, one open letter to President Biden has over 17,300 signatures as of April 1, 2021).

Current anti-trans bills are grounded in hatred and misinformation, running contrary to our purpose as educators. The Southern Transgender Alliance notes that current bills are “propelled by antiquated, hysterical anti-trans myths, misconceptions and outright bigotry” and that they will cause harm that is irreparable and permanent (see also Gill-Peterson, 2018). Our response as individuals and as organizations must be swift, unequivocal, and resounding: There is no place for transphobic hate in our schools, in our organizations, and in our societies. We know that this legislation has had and will have devastating effects.

Even when such legislation does not pass, we know from research that even the proposal of legislation like the more than 100 specifically anti-trans items currently under consideration in more than 30 states --which are a part of the 195+ anti-LGBTQ+ bills currently being considered by states across the country--  have devastating and direct effects on mental health and wellbeing for trans people. If we look at the existing research on LGBTQ+ populations, we can see that just the act of having legislation like this bill introduced can increase anxiety and depression (Levitt et al., 2009; Puckett et al., 2020) – so, it’s not just when they pass, but the act of having your rights put up for vote is in itself a social determinant of health in queer and trans communities. Beyond that, when this kind of bill is passed, it results in increased experiences of discrimination and harassment, as well as a normalization of perpetuating violence against transgender individuals. We also know, from research, that feeling like an individual belongs to their educational community is essential for academic success, which in turn becomes essential for the economies of each of our states and of our nation(s), as we need a well-educated workforce (Beck & Malley, 1998; Goodenow, 1993; Knisely 2016; Ricard, 2016). In the following bullet points, we elaborate on some important research findings (using the terms LGB, LGBTQ, etc. to match the samples that were recruited within each research study). Even though the studies vary in the populations that were recruited, the results can be generalized to broader LGBTQ+ communities. Here is a short summary of how bills like the 80 or more currently being heard in this legislative session impact trans and queer people:

--LGB students who are in schools with more progressive and protective climates for their rights have less suicidal thoughts (Hatzenbuehler, Birkett, Van Waagenen, & Meyer, 2014).
--LGB youth in places that have fewer anti-bullying policies are over twice as likely to have made a suicide attempt (Hatzenbuehler & Keyes, 2013).
--There is a 20% increase in the risk of attempting suicide for LGB youth living in more oppressive contexts (Hatzenbuehler, 2011).
--LGBTQ youth in schools that provide them with greater support report less victimization (Kosciw, Palmer, Kull, & Greytak, 2013).
--Transgender youth report feeling unsafe in schools more than students who are not transgender (McGuire, Anderson, Toome, & Russell, 2010; Taylor et al., 2011).
--Transgender people who live in areas with less structural stigma (including the political atmosphere – shaped by bills such as those currently being heard in this legislative session) report fewer suicide attempts (Perez-Brumer, Hatzenbuehler, Oldenburg, & Bockting, 2014).

The climate and atmosphere within schools directly influences the health and wellbeing of LGBTQ+ youth. The hateful and unnecessary bills being put forth in the current legislative session will put trans youth and adults at greater risk for these negative outcomes.

We call on all professional organizations and associations, educational institutions and leadership, and elected officials to condemn any and all bills that would heighten the disparities facing trans people, including the more than 100 anti-trans pieces of legislation being brought forth this session. We further call on our colleagues, organizations, associations, and institutions to vehemently condemn the hatred, anti-trans sentiment, gender misunderstanding, and scapegoating of trans youth of which these bills are a symptom as well as the racism with which anti-trans actions are so regularly intertwined.  

Our respective organizations and collectives pledge to take action in support of trans and nonbinary people and ask all organizations, associations, institutions, and individuals to join us in this pledge.

We specifically ask all professional organizations and associations, educational institutions and leadership, and elected officials to:

--release a statement condemning anti-trans sentiment and these violent pieces of legislation;
--release a statement pledging to keep organization and association meetings out of states that pass anti-trans ---laws, while also assuring continued accessibility for educators in these states, virtually or otherwise, so as to -----support and empower local resistance;
--conduct a thorough review of the organization, association, and/or institution’s practices and take direct and ----specific action to promote increased supports for trans people. We particularly encourage this to take place at the direction of trans people and/or experts in trans studies and that financial compensation be provided for this work;
--educate yourself and the members of your institution about trans, nonbinary, and broader LGTBQ+ communities, their histories and experiences;
--concretely support the work of trans and nonbinary associations and communities through donations;
--listen and respond to the needs of trans, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming students, scholars, and staff;
use your position to promote justice and to provide a safe, equitable, and inclusive environment for LGTBQ+ individuals while providing tools for effective change, whether it be new teaching materials, workshops, or mentoring programs.

We specifically ask all individuals to:
--publicly condemn anti-trans sentiment and these violent pieces of legislation;
--contact organizations, associations, institutions, and elected officials and ask them to condemn anti-trans sentiment and these violent pieces of legislation;
--educate yourself and those with whom you interact about trans, nonbinary, and broader LGTBQ+ communities, their histories and experiences;
--concretely support the work of trans and nonbinary associations and communities through donations to the extent that you are able;
--continuously seek out ways to take concrete action in solidarity with trans and nonbinary people and invite others into taking action with and alongside you.

By co-signing this statement, you pledge to join our respective organizations and collectives in taking action in a number of the above ways.

The Diversity, Decolonization, and the French Curriculum Collective
The Diversity, Decolonization, and the German Curriculum Collective Steering Committee
The Black German Heritage and Research Association

Citations:
ACTFL. (17 May 2019). Position Statement on Diversity and Inclusion in World Language Teaching and Learning. https://www.actfl.org/advocacy/actfl-position-statements/diversity-and-inclusion-world-language-teaching-learning.
Beck, M., & Malley, J. (1998). A pedagogy of belonging. Reclaiming Children and Youth, 7(3), 133.
Darvin, Ron, and Bonny Norton. (2015). Identity and a model of investment in applied linguistics. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 35, 36-56.
Gill-Peterson, J. (2018). Histories of the Transgender Child. University of Minnesota Press.
Goodenow, C. (1993). The psychological sense of school membership among adolescents: Scale development and educational correlates.Psychology in the Schools, 30(1), 79-90.
Hatzenbuehler, M. (2011). The social environment and suicide attempts in lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth. Pediatrics, 127, 896-903.
Hatzenbuehler, M., Birkett, M., Van Wagenan, A., & Meyer, I. H. (2014). Protective school climates and reduced risk for suicide ideation in sexual minority youths. American Journal of Public Health, 104, 279-286.
Hatzenbuehler, M., & Keyes, K. M. (2013). Inclusive anti-bullying policies and reduced risk of suicide attempts in lesbian and gay youth. Journal of Adolescent Health, 52, S21-6.
Hatzenbuehler, M., & McLaughlin, K. A. (2014). Structural stigma and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis reactivity in lesbian, gay, and bisexual young adults. Annals Behavioral Medicine, 47, 39-47.
Knisely, K. (2016). Language Learning and the Gendered Self: The Case of French and Masculinity in a US Context. Gender and Language 10(2), 216-239. doi: 10.1558/genl.v10i2.19810
Knisely, K. (2021a). A Starter Kit for Rethinking TGNC Representation and Inclusion in French L2 Classrooms. In E.N. Meyer & E. Hoft-March (Eds.) Teaching Diversity and Inclusion: Examples from a French-Speaking Classroom. Routledge.
Knisely, K. (2021b). Teaching trans: The Impetus for trans, non-binary, and gender non-conforming inclusivity in L2 classrooms. In K. Davidson, S. Johnson, & L. Randolph (Eds.) How We Take Action: Social Justice in K-16 Language Classrooms. Information Age.
Knisely, K. and Paiz, J.M. (2021) Bringing Trans, Non-binary, and Queer Understandings to Bear in Language Education. Critical Multilingualism Studies, 9.
Kosciw, J. G., Palmer, N. A., Kull, R. M., & Greytak, E. A. (2013). The effect of negative school climate on academic outcomes for LGBT youth and the role of in-school supports. Journal of School Violence, 12, 45-63.
Levitt, H. M., et al. (2009). Balancing dangers: GLBT experience in a time of anti-GLBT legislation. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 56, 67-81.
Malatino, H. (2020). Trans Care. University of Minnesota Press.
McGuire, J. K., Anderson, C. R., Toomey, R. B., & Russell, S. T. (2010). School climate for transgender youth: A mixed method investigation of student experiences and school responses. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 39, 1175-1188.
Perez-Brumer, A. G., Hatzenbuehler, M., Oldenburg, C., & Bockting, W. (2014). State-level structural stigma and suicide attempts among transgender individuals. Conference paper at the 142nd American Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Exposition.
Puckett, J. A., Maroney, M. R., Wadsworth, L. P., Mustanski, B., & Newcomb, M. E. (2020). Coping with discrimination: The insidious effects of gender minority stigma on depression and anxiety in transgender individuals. Journal of clinical psychology, 76(1), 176-194. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.22865
Ricard, N. C., & Pelletier, L. G. (2016). Dropping out of high school: The role of parent and teacher self-determination support, reciprocal friendships and academic motivation. Contemporary Educational Psychology.
Taylor, C. & Peter, T., avec McMinn, T.L., Elliott, T., Beldom, S., Ferry, A., Gross, Z., Paquin, S. et Schachter, K. (2011). Every class in every school: The first national climate survey on homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia in Canadian schools. Final report. Egale Canada Human Rights Trust.

Note: We wish to acknowledge and express gratitude to Drs. Harper Keenan, Z Nicolazzo, and Kevin Kumashiro, as well as Drs. Jae Puckett and Kris Knisely whose research and 2021 and 2017 letters, respectively, substantially informed the writing of this statement.

A formatted version of this letter including full links and citations can be found on the DDFC website at: https://ddfccollective.weebly.com/statements-of-supportcalls-for-action.html