Educational institutions are increasingly facing questions about how to deal with students with gender incongruence. The significant increase in young people who identify with a gender other than the one they were born with has led to uncertainty among school leaders and teachers about what measures are most appropriate and what guidelines they should follow.  

It is crucial that the school’s approach is evidence-based and balances student well-being with a focus on long-term health perspectives. While some schools promote social and medical “transition” as the best interest of the child, research and organizations point to GENID Norway on the importance of a critical and cautious approach.  

Several schools are now experiencing students, often several at the same time, wanting to change their names and pronouns. This raises questions about the school's responsibility and the consequences such measures may have. The school's role in "social transition", that is, using the student's new pronoun and new name, can have long-term health consequences for the students, and it is therefore important to have a well-thought-out approach. The school should not take a position as "affirmative", but at least be neutral and safeguard the freedom of conscience of the employees and the integrity of the students. 

The school should base its decisions on its own values, as well as scientific knowledge and biology rather than ideology. It is important to create a safe and inclusive learning environment, but without affirming new gender identities outside of biological boundaries. 

GENID Norway has prepared specific advice for schools to handle gender identity issues responsibly. Here are some of their recommendations: 

1. Understanding social transition: Schools should be aware that social transitioning, which involves affirming a student's sense of belonging to a gender other than their biological gender, is not a neutral act. This practice can have significant psychological effects on the student and should therefore be carefully considered.  

2. Risk assessment: It is important to recognize that social transitioning can pose risks to the student's physical and mental health. Rather than alleviating gender dysphoria, it can prolong or intensify such feelings. Schools should therefore carefully consider whether to accommodate the student's wishes for social transition.

3. Preserving school neutrality: The school should maintain a neutral position on issues of gender identity. It is important to respect students' feelings, but at the same time avoid influencing them by treating temporary feelings as permanent realities.  

4. Involvement of parents: Any decision about social transition should be made in collaboration with the student's parents or guardians. Supporting a social transition without parental involvement can create complex challenges within the family and is not recommended.  

5. Facilitation of facilities: If social transition is supported by the student's relatives, the school can adapt the school day by providing facilities suitable for individual use, such as individual toilets and changing rooms.  

6. Support for body acceptance: Schools should promote the message that there are many ways to be a girl or a boy, while emphasizing the importance of accepting biological reality. The goal should be to help young people feel as comfortable as possible with the bodies they have. 

Practical tips: 

• The school should be neutral. It is important to take the student's feelings into account, but at the same time, one should not influence students by treating feelings that may be temporary as unshakable facts. 

• The school must consider how a student's social transition affects other students' perception of reality and gender-based considerations and rights. 

• If social transition is supported by the student's relatives, the school can adapt school life, for example by providing toilets and changing rooms furnished in ways suitable for individual use, and by reconsidering gender-segregated activities at school, except for activities where divisions are necessary. 

• The school should reinforce the message that there are many ways to be a girl or a boy, while biological reality is something we must deal with.  

Advice for schools - references