November is Transgender Awareness Month, a time to honor, celebrate, and advocate for our transgender and gender-diverse community.

Earlier this month, AAUW Naperville Area hosted an educational webinar, Appreciating, Affirming & Supporting the LGBTQIA+ Community. Our speaker, Emma Vosicky, Executive Director of GenderNexus, presented an informative and thought-provoking update which included the topics of both unwitting and intended discrimination and the importance of the language we use. Emma urged us to ask this question to evaluate if a policy, practice or system supports the LGBTQIA+ community; Will the Policy, Practice or System Advance the Gender Diverse Person’s Social, Emotional, Academic, and Employment Success?

This program was recorded if you would like to rewatch it or share it:   https://youtu.be/XeFT2ZaKVy0 

In a 2021 survey, 42% of LGBTQ youth seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year, including more than half of transgender and non-binary youth. Now more than ever, it is critical that we appreciate, affirm and support the LGBTQIA+ community. 

Here are some resources to help:

Learn about overall mental health in the LGBTQIA+ community. https://www.thetrevorproject.org/survey-2021/

Children’s lessons and books about LBGTQ+ history and pride.  https://welcomingschools.org/resources/lessons-and-books-lgbtq-history-pride 

Know how to respectfully use pronouns and acronyms, by reviewing the November program. https://naperville-il.aauw.net/files/2021/10/2021-11-AAUW-Naperville-GenderNexus-Presentation.pdf 

Learn more about challenges to the LGBTQIA+ community in school.
GLSEN – The 2019 National School Climate Survey: https://www.glsen.org/research/2019-national-school-climate-survey  

Be an ally by strengthening inclusion in Illinois schools: https://welcomingschools.org/resources/lgbtq 

Know and support LGBTQIA+ rights. https://www.aclu-in.org/en/know-your-rights/transgender-students