Starting at the age of 3, Lauren felt like a girl trapped in a boy’s body. At school, due to her gender nonconformity, her classmates began calling her names such as “man beast.” The harassment escalated to the point where students spit on her, parents insulted her, and on one occasion, peers tried tearing off her clothing to expose her genitals. According to her mother, Lauren’s life became nightmarish, and she tried to hurt herself. She felt safer in the girl’s bathroom, but her school refused her access. Lauren started skipping school and later refused to attend altogether. Unfortunately, Lauren’s experience as a transgender student is not unique.
According to a report issued by the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU), transgender and gender-nonconforming youth encounter significant obstacles at school. Approximately 75 percent of transgender students report being bullied with one-third suffering a physical assault. As a result, more than half experience chronic absenteeism and 15 percent drop out. Almost half of transgender youth will attempt suicide at least once. They will also disproportionately engage in drug use. Frequently, they face rejection from their families, substantially increasing their likelihood of experiencing homelessness that creates an additional barrier to completing their education. In fact, in New York, the average age of a transgender youth experiencing homelessness is only 13-and-a-half years old, approximately the age at which most students begin attending high school.
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