2014 – DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION CLARIFIES TRANSGENDER STUDENT PROTECTION UNDER TITLE IX

Protection for Transgender students began under Title IX by the Department of Education in 2014. 

This protection added to the Equal Access Act of 1984 in public schools, which grants students the right to form gay-straight alliance clubs. Previously, schools restricted after school extracurricular activities  to avoid these clubs from being formed. “Now [students] have the freedom to express themselves if they want to,” Josselyn said. “They don’t feel as much of a need to hide themselves because they are protected in that way.”

Schools and students are still working to create safe and welcoming environments for transgender students today. “People who discriminate against people in the LGBTQ+ community will trample their rights and ignore those laws, so I think there needs to be more done to enforce the protections despite all that has been done,” senior Evie Josselyn said.