Our Issues Twin Cities
Episode 34 Transgender Athletes
TRANSGENDER TRANSGENDER
QUEER TRANSSEXUAL
IT'S A TOPIC THAT PROVOKES A
LOT OF CONTROVERSY RECENTLY
THE CONVERSATION OF TRANS
GENDER STUDENTS HAS FUELED 
A HEATED DEBATE IN THE TWIN
CITIES OVER THE STATUS OF
THEIR PARTICIPATION
IN HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS I'M RANA
KAMAL OUR ISSUES TWIN CITIES
STARTS NOW
AFTER THE MINNESOTA STATE HIGH
SCHOOL LEAGUE'S HEARING
MINNESOTA NOW JOINS 32 OTHER
STATES WHO ALREADY HAVE
TRANSGENDER POLICIES
IN PLACE FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT
ATHLETES
I THINK AND IT CAN'T BE
UNDERSTATED THE SUPPORT OF
STUDENTS
PARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS
WHO CAME TOGETHER TO SUPPORT
AND ADVOCATE AND REALLY SHINE A
LIGHT ON A COMMUNITY THAT'S
OFTEN MISUNDERSTOOD
MARGENALIZED AND OFTEN INVISIBLE
IN CONVERSATIONS
AND SO IT TOOK THOSE PEOPLE TO
COME TOGETHER AND REALLY SHARE
THE STORIES
REALLY STAND WITH OUR
TRANSGENDER STUDENTS
IN SUPPORT AND SHOW
THAT THEY CARE AND ARE VALUABLE
PART OF NOT ONLY OF
OUR SCHOOLS BUT ALSO OUR
COMMUNITIES AND OUR SOCIETY
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT REALLY
HELPED KIND OF TURN THE TIDE
ALSO I THINK THE LEADERSHIP ON
THE INSIDE AT THE MINNESOTA
STATE
HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE WAS ALSO
REALLY VALUABLE
USUALLY TAKES FOR ANY SYSTEMIC
CHANGE TWO GROUPS SO
THE GROUPS ON THE OUTSIDE THAT
ARE ADVOCATING FOR THE CHANGE
AND ALSO THE PEOPLE ON THE
INSIDE THAT ARE WILLING TO HELP
MAKE THAT CHANGE
SO I THINK LEADERSHIP FROM THE
INSIDE AND THE ADVOCACY AND
LEADERSHIP
THAT WE SAW FROM THE COMMUNITIES
STUDENTS AND FAMILIES
WERE YOU SURPRISED THAT THE
POLICY PASSED
I WAS REALLY HOPEFUL THAT THE
POLICY WOULD PASS I TEND TO
REMAIN
OPTIMISTIC MAYBE CAUTIOUSLY SO
CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC
AND WE'VE SEEN SUCH TREMENDOUS
PROGRESS IN SO MANY OTHER AREAS
THAT
I WAS REALLY HOPSFUL THAT IT
WOULD THAT DID START TO GET
CALLED INTO QUESTION
AS THE VOTE WAS TABLED BACK IN
NOVEMBER DECEMBER AND ONCE
THAT HAPPENED
IT WAS KIND OF LIKE OK NOW WE'VE
GOT THIS MONTH TO HAVE THIS
CONVERSATION AND WHERE'S IT
GOING TO LEAD US BUT I WAS REALY
HOPEFUL AND EXCITED TO SEE THAT
IT DID PASS
WHAT WAS THE REACTION OF THE
PEOPLE IN THE ROOM ONCE IT
WAS PASSED
I THINK THERE WAS A REALLY LARGE
SENSE OF PRIDE
THAT THE POLICY PASSED ALSO
THERE'S THAT INHERENT VALIDATION
THAT COMES WITH THA POLICY
PASSING BUT WE ALSO KNOW
THERE'S STILL
ROOM TO GO IN THAT POLICY IT
DOESN'T EXPLICITLY NAME
TRANSGENDER MALE STUDENTS
BECAUSE BIOLOGICAL FEMALES ARE
ABLE TO PLAY ON MALE SPORTS
SO THEY'RE NOT HAVING THAT
ENUMERATED I THINK IS A PIECE
TO GROW IT DOESN'T
EXPLICITLY TALK IN ANY WAY ABOUT
INTERSEX STUDENTS AND ATHLETES
AND SO THERE'S STILL ROOM TO GO
IN THAT POLICY BUT THEN THERE'S
ALSO STILL ROOM TO GO BROADER
INCLUSION IN SCHOOL COMMUNITIES
FOR TRANSGENDER STUDENTS WE
KNOW THAT TRANSGENDER
COMMUNITIES EXPIERIENCE SOME
OF THE HIGHEST AMOUNTS OF
VIOLENCE
SOME OF THE HIGHEST AMOUNTS OF
DISCRIMINATION
AND SO THERE'S STILL A LOT OF
OTHER PLACES TO ADVOCATE THIS IS
AN IMPORTANT STEP
IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO
CREATING THAT
THE POLICY WILL BE IMPLEMENTED
NEXT YEAR AND WHAT IT WILL DO IS
ALLOW STUDENTS TO BE ON THE
SPORTS TEAM THAT BEST
CORRESPONDS WITH THEIR 
GENDER IDENTITY AND SENSE OF
GENDER AND EXPRESSION AND
TO GET READY FOR THAT POLICY
THIS YEAR WE'RE GOING TO START
LOOKING AT MAKING SURE OUR OWN
POLICIES ARE
IN LINE WITH THE REVISIONS BUT
ALSO BEGIN OUR TRAININGS
FOR ATHLETIC DIRECTORS AND OUR
SCHOOL COMMUNITIES SO BY THE
TIME IT STARTS NEXT YEAR
WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO BE IN A
GOOD SPOT AND ALSO BE ABLE TO
PROVIDE SAFE SPACES
FOR EVERYBODY I THINK GOING BACK
AND ACKNOWLEDING THAT
TRANSGENDER PEOPLE EXPIERIENCE
A HIGH AMOUNT OF VIOLENCE HOW DO
WE MAKE SURE OUR TRANSGENDER
ATHLETES
ARE PROTECTED AND SAFE IN THOSE
ENVIRONMENTS AS WELL
THAT WILL REALLY BEGIN WITH
CONVERSATIONS AND THAT'LL
BE CONVERSSATIONS
ON THE ADMISISTRATIVE LEVEL BUT
ALSO CONVERSATIONS WITH STUDENTS
AND SO WE'LL SEE THOSE LEVELS OF
ADVOCACY BUT WE'LL ALSO SEE
ADVOCACY
FROM THE STUDENT BODY AS WELL I
THINK WE KNOW THAT STUDETNS
AND ESPECIALLY
AS I GET TO INTERACT WITH THIS
GENERATION OF STUDENTS HAVE
A REALLY STRONG SENSE
OF SOCIAL JUSTICE HAVE A REALLY
STRONG SENSE OF INCLUSION
AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO SEE
SOME REALLY POWERFUL STATEMENTS
FROM THE STUDENT BODY AND OFTEN
TIMES IN WORK OF DIVERSITY
AND INCLUSION AND CHANGE MAKING
IT'S THOSE YOUNG VOICES THAT
ARE REALLY
HELPING EDUCATE THOSE OLDER
VOICES AND SO I THINK ONCE AGAIN
IT'LL TAKE BOTH PARTIES
AS THIS HEARING ON POLICY CHANGE
FOR TRANSGENDER HIGH SCHOOL
STUDENTS HAS DRAWN MANY
SUPPORTERS IT HAS ALSO DRAWN A
STRONG AMOUNT OF
IMPASSIONED OPPOSITION
WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THOSE
THAT ARE OPPOSED TO THIS POLICY
I HOPE THAT THEY WILL KIND OF
TAKE A STEP BACK AND UNDERSTAND
THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS FROM
THE STANDPOINT OF THESE STUDENTS
EVERY STUDENT AND WHAT'S
INTERESSTING IS THAT AS FAR AS
I KNOW EVERBODY
SEEMS TO AGREE WITH THE CONCEPT
THESE STUDENTS HAVE AS MUCH
RIGHT
AND SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED AS
MUCH AS ANY OTHER STUDENT
TO TAKE PART IN SCHOOL
ACTIVITIES INCLUDING ATHLETICS
AND OTHER
PROGRAMS THAT THE HIGH SCHOOL
LEAGUE RUN WHAT I FIND ARE
OPPONENTS SAYING MORE IS WELL
THAT'S FINE
PROVIDED THAT THEY AREN'T
ACTUALLY APPEARING TO BE
TRANSGENDER
PROVIDED THAT WE DON'T PAY ANY
ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT THEY
ARE
TRANSGENDER SURE THEY CAN
PARTICIPATE AND OUR POSITION
IS NO
IT'S IMPORTANT TO THESE STUDENTS
TO THEIR MENTAL HEALTH
TO THEIR PHYSICAL HEALTH TO
THEIR SENSE OF SELF TO BE ABLE
TO PARTICIPATE IN SCHOOL
ACTIVITIES AS WHO THEY ARE
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THOSE
THAT ARE SAYING THIS POLICY
IS NOT FAIR TO 99 PERCENT OF THE
THAT ARE NOT TRANSGENDER
WHAT DO YOU SAY I GUESS YOU COUD
SAY CAN YOU GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF
SOMETHING
YOU'RE BEING DENIED THE 99
PERCENT AND I'M NOT SURE THAT
THEY ARE
I THINK THE BEST THING I HEARD
IS WELL MY KID MIGHT END UP
PLAYING ON A TEAM
WITH SOMEBODY'S WHOSE SEEMS
PHYSICALLY OR ANATOMICALLY
TO BE A PERSON OF THE OTHER SEX
THE LAW HAS ALLOWED THAT FOR
DECADES SO THIS ISN'T NEW SO I'M
NOT SURE
WHAT IT IS THAT IS LOST AND I
THINK IT IS A TACTIC THAT WE'VE
SEEN
SO MANY TIMES IF WE DO THIS FOR
THOSE PEOPLE OHH MY GOSH
ALL OF US WE WILL ALL SUFFER AND
WITHOUT REALLY A WAY OF
ARTICULATING
WHAT THAT ACTUALLY MEANS IN MY
EXPIERIENCE
IT'S THE TRANS KID WHO FEEL MOST
VUNERABLE THEY'RE THE ONE PERSON
IN THAT SPACE
IN THAT TEAM OR PLAYING FIELD OR
WHAT HAVE YOU THAT IS KIND OF
THE FOCUS AND AS I RECALL NO KID
WANTS TO BE THE FOCUS
AND THEY'RE THE ONE'S WHO FEEL
MOST AFRAID OF BEING
HARRASSED ATTACKED WHATEVER IT
IS BUT I HAVE A LOT OF
CONFIDENCE
FRANKLY IN THE STUDENTS WHAT I'M
HEARING IS A LOT OF SUPPORT
FOR SAYING YEAH WE GET IT THIS
PERSON IS TRANSGENDER
THEY BELONG ON THIS TEAM DO IT
AND I THINK A LOT OF THE HIGH
SCHOOL STUDENTS
SEE THIS AS AN ADULT PROBLEM AND
NOT A KID PROBLEM
COMING UP ON OUR ISSUES TWIN
CITIES I TALK TO A 
TRANSGENDER WOMAN WHO
SHARES HER COURAGEOUS
JOURNEY
AND A MOTHER OF A TRANSGENDER
SON
JACQUELINE CAME OUT AS A
TRANSGENDER WOMAN IN THE 1990s
IT WAS THEN SHE BEGAN TO
LIVE HER LIFE
TRANSGENDER PERSON WHEN MALE
WOULD NOT ACT LIKE YOU WOULD
EXPECT
A MALE OR IN THE PAST PEOPLE
EXPECTED A MALE TO ACT
OR A FEMALE TO ACT DIFFERENT
CHARACTERISTICS THEN WHAT'S
COME TO BE EXPECTED
FOR A MALE OR FEMALE IT'S VERY
BROAD SPECTRUM AND INCLUDES
ANYBODY WHO
FALLS OUTSIDE OF THE NORMAL
SPECTRUM THAT ARE GROUPS
INSIDE THE WHOLE UMBRELLA
YOU KNOW WHEN I WAS REAL LITTLE
I KNEW THERE WAS SOMETHING
DIFFERENT
THAT WAS BACK IN THE 70s SO THE
70s AND 80s THERE WASN'T TOO
MUCH INFORMATION AROUND
SO I JUST BURIED IT AND FIGURED
I WOULD GROW OUT OF IT AND I
JUST KEPT GOING ON
WHEN DID YOU COME OUT 
I CAME OUT AFTER I GOT OUT OF
THE NAVY IN 1995 AND I
TRANSITIONED FIRST TIME
IN 96
HOW WAS THAT THE FIRST TIME
WELL THE FIRST TIME I WAS REALLY
GUNG HO YOU KNOW TO BE YOURSELF
MOST PEOPLE ARE THERESELF EVERY
DAY OF THEIR LIVES
THEN SUDDENLY PRESENT TO THE
WORLD WHO YOU REALLY ARE
IS A BIG WONDERFUL THING FOR
YOURSELF
BUT THE REST OF THE WORLD
DOESN'T ALWAYS SEE IT THAT WAY
AND THAT'S WHEN PROBLEMS OCCUR
SO IT CAN BE CHALLENGING BUT YOU
KNOW IT WAS
WONDERFUL ALL IN ALL IT'S BEEN
GREAT I JUST LOVE BEING MYSELF
I'M SETTLED NOW
IT'S OVER I'M WHO I AM THIS IS
WHO I AM YOU REALLY IT'S NOT
LIKE YOU CHANGE
YOU JUST LET PEOPLE SEE WHO
YOU REALLY ARE AND IT MAKES
RELATIONSHIPS BETTER
WHAT HAVE BEEN THE CHALLENGES
FOR YOU AS YOU TRANSITIONED
OVER THE YEARS
WELL THE CHALLENGES A LOT OF
PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND
TRANSGENDER
SO THEY'RE AFRAID OF IT SO
THEY FIGHT IT
AND THEY KIND OF JUST BLOCK
YOU OUT
HAS THE COMMUNITY BEEN
SUPPORTIVEHAVE YOUR FAMILY AND
IMMEDIATE FAMILY BEEN SUPPORTIVE
MY FAMILY IS SUPPORTIVE MY
IMMEDIATE FAMILY SUPPORTIVE
COMMUNITY
COMMUNITY MINNESOTA'S A VERY
SUPPORTIVE STATE PROBABLY ONE
OF THE MORE
SUPPORTIVE STATES OUT OF ALL 50
AND THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN
96 AND NOW IT'S GOTTEN MUCH
BETTER SO OVER TIME MORE
PEOPLE ARE
UNDERSTANDING WE'RE JUST
PEOPLE JUST A BIT DIFFERENT
WHAT HAVE BEEN THE REWARDS
FOR YOU
YOU JUTS MEET SO MANY WONDERFUL
PEOPLE TRANSGENDERED AND NOT
AND THAT'S IT IT'S GRETA AND
THEN YOU HELP OTHER PEOPLE YOU
KNOW WHEN YOUR FIRST
STARTING OUT YOUR STRUGGLING
AND YOU HELP OTHER PEOPLE
AND THAT'S NICE TOO BECAUSE TO
BE THERE FOR THEM
HOW IMPORTANT IS THE ISSUE OF
TRANSGENDER STUDENT ATHLETES
HERE IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA
IT'S A BIG STEP FOR THESE KIDS
BECAUSE THEY'RE TRYING TO
BE THEMSELVES
AND HOW CAN THEY IF THEY CAN'T
COMPETE AS THEMSELVES SO FOR
THEM IT'S HUGE
AND ALSO HELPS OTHER KIDS LEARN
TO UNDERSTAND AND ACCEPT THEM
FOR WHO THEY ARE
ALISON A MOTHER OF TWO HOLDS
THIS POLICY NEAR AND DEAR TO
HER HEART
HER 11 YEAR OLD SON IS
TRANSGENDER
HE'S THE BRAVEST KID I KNOW HE
CAME OUT TO HIS ENTIRE SCHOOL
WHEN HE WAS 
IN 5TH GRADE VERY NON-CHALANTLY
I WAS WORRIED HE WASN'T
AND THAT'S THE NATURE OF THIS
ISSUE IS THAT ADULTS SEEM TO
GET WORKED UP
AND THE KIDS ARE LIKE WHATEVER
NO BIG DEAL
AND HE SAID IN FRONT OF HIS
ENTIRE CLASS YOU'VE ALL
KNOWN ME AS
GAVE HIS BIRTH NAME BUT IN
MY HEAD AND IN MY HEART
I'M A BOY I'D APPRECIATE IT IF
YOU CALLED ME GEORGE FROM NOW ON
THAT WAS IT IT WAS AMAZING AND
THEY WERE COMFORTABLE
AND THEY DO AND HE'S ACCEPTED
AT HIS SCHOOL FOR WHO HE IS
AND IT'S NOT A BIG DEAL
I UNDERSTAND HE TESTIFIED AT
THE BOARD MEETING LAST WEEK
HOW WAS THAT
WELL I WAS NERVOUS BECAUSE
I KNEW THERE WERE GOING
TO BE PEOPLE
THAT DIDN'T WANT TO HEAR WHAT
HE HAD TO SAY IN THE ROOM AND I
WAS SCARED FOR HIM HE WASN'T
SCARED AT ALL
AND HE HAD WRITTEN HIS TESTIMONY
OUT THE NIGHT BEFORE AND HE JUST
READ IT
AND I WAS SO PROUD BECAUSE HE
WAS REALLY REALLY STRONG
AND HE WAS READING ABOUT HOW
ABOUT HE'S JUST A REGULAR KID
AND THERE ARE HATE SIGNS AROUND
HIM HE DIDN'T CARE
HE WAS GOING TO SAY WHAT HE
HAD TO SAY AND YOU KNOW
I THINK IT TAKE A LOT OF
INTEGRITY FOR SOMEONE
TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT
A LOT OF BRAVERY MUCH BRAVER
THAN SOMEONE WHO HIDES BEHIND
AN ATTACK AD AGAINST A YOUNG
PERSON THE CHILD PROTECTION
LEAGUE
IS SUCH A FUNNY NAME FOR THIS
GROUP BECAUSE THEY'RE
ATTACKING CHILDREN AND THAT'S
NOT WHAT A PROTECTION LEAGUE
SHOULD DO
AND THEN THESE BRAVE CHILDREN
STAND UP AND JUST TALK MATTER
OF FACTLY
ABOUT THEMSELVES DESPITE THE
FACT THAT THERE ARE THESE
PEOPLE WHO
INTEND TO MARGINALIZE THEM
YOU MUST OF BEEN A PROUD
MAMA THEN
I DEFINITELY WAS I WAS TERRIFIED
AND THEN I WAS PROUD
I WAS TERRIFIED BECAUSE I JUST
DIDN'T KNOW HOW PEOPLE WOULD
REACT AND THEN I WAS PROUD
WHEN HE WAS SO STRONG
I REMEMBER GIVING HIM A HUG AND
HE'S LIKE MOM EVERYONE'S GIVING
ME HUGS
WHY'S THIS SUCH A BIG DEAL
WHAT WAS HIS REACTION WHEN
THE POLICY WAS PASSED
OF COURSE HE WAS SO HAPPY HE
TALKED A LOT ABOUT
HOW THIS WASN'T ABOUT BEING ON
THE ATHLETIC FIELD IT WAS ABOUT
ALL THESE THINGS THAT ALL OF
THE DIFFERENT WAYS 
THAT TRANSGENDER YOUTH ARE
SET ASIDE OR WORSE TOLD NO
YOU CAN'T
THAT THIS WAS AN AFFIRMING
YES YOU CAN PLAY AND THAT HE
WANTED TO KEEP WORKING
TOWARDS GETING EQUALITY IN ALL
THE OTHER DIFFERENT WAYS THAT
TRANSGENDER PEOPLE ARE WORKING
TOWARDS SO I THINK WE AHAVE A
LITTLE ACTIVIST ON OUR HANDS
SO WHAT DOES THE FUTURE LOOK
LIKE FOR TRANSGENDER HIGH
SCHOOL ATHLETES AND OTHER
TRANSGENDER PEOPLE
IT'S GONNA BE A FIGHT I'VE
ALREADY HEARD THAT NEWLY
CONTOLLED
MINNESOTA LEGISLATURE
CONTROLLED BY THE GOP
WANTS TO TAKE THIS
UP AS AN ISSUE AND THEY CAN DO
THAT IF THEY WANT TO DO THAT
AND WE CAN
STILL TALK AND TRY TO EXPLAIN TO
PEOPLE THAT TRANSGENDER
INDIVIDUALS ARE JUST LI8KE YOU
AND ME WE CAN DO THAT
BUT DESPITE THAT I DO THAT
EVENTUALLY THE MORE WE TALK
ABOUT TRANSGENDER INDIVIDUALS
THE MORE WE SHOW
TRANSGENDER INDIVIDUALS JUST
AS REGULAR PEOPLE
THAT THE FUTURE WILL BE BETTER
AND BETTER AND BETTER
AND BRIGHT
I HOPE YES AND BRIGHT
UP NEXT ON OUR ISSUES
TWIN CITIES
WE'VE BEEN FORTUNATE TO BE IN
THAT POSITION
BUT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US NOT
TO TAKE THAT FOR GRANTED EITHER
WHAT THIS NEW POLICY MEANS FOR
THE FUTURE OF TRANSGENDER
PEOPLE IN MINNESOTA
REGARDLESS OF THEIR GENDER
RELATED IDENTITY
TODAY ALL STUDENTS CAN
PARTICIPATE IN ATHLETIC
ACTIVITIES
BASED ON THE TEAM OF THEIR
GENDER CHOICE
BECAUSE OF THIS NEW POLICY
THE FUTURE OF MINNESOTA
CONTINUES TO PROGRESS
YOU KNOW I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT
TO A LOT OF PEOPLE
I TAKE A STEP BACK AND I SAY ITS
WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO OUTFRONT
MINNESOTA
IS THE ISSUE OF TRANSGENDER
YOUTH THROUGHOUT
MINNESOTA IN 2014 I CAN JUST
TELL YOU FROM MY PERSPECTIVE
FROM THE WORK I DO HERE AT
OUTFRONT WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS
INCREASE
IN THE NUMBER OF INQUIRIES FROM
PARENTS OF YOUNG TRANSGENDER
KIDS
SOME AS YOUNG AS ELEMENTARY
SCHOOLAGE WHO ARE WORKING TO
TRY
TO GET ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE TO
CORRECT IDENTITY DOCUMENTS
WHO'VE EXPIERIENCED PROBLEMS IN
SCHOOLS OR CAMPGROUNDS
AND SO AGAINST THAT BACKDROP
IT'S NOT SURPRISING
THAT AN ISSUE HAS ARISEN AROUND
THE QUESTION
OF TRANSGENDER ATHLETES IN HIGH
SCHOOLS AND IF OUR EXPIERIENCE
WITH THESE YOUNG KIDS AND THEIR
FAMILIES COMING FORWARD
WITH THESE ISSUES IS INDICATIVE
THERE WILL BE MORE TRANSGENDER
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND
ATHLETES IN THE FUTURE AND SO TO
THE EXTENT THE HIGH SCHOOL
LEAGUE IS TRYING TO TAKE A
POSITION AND TRY TO PLAN FOR
THAT WE THINK IT'S ABSOLUTELY
THE RIGHT THING TO DO AND IT IS
AN IMPORTANT STEP TO TAKE
WE'VE SEEN TEMENDOUS SUPPORT
TOO AND ONCE AGAIN
THERE'S REALLY BEEN AN INCREASE
IN FAMILY ADVOCACY
AND IT'S PLAYED SUCH AN
IMPORTANT ROLE IN CHANGING
SCHOOL CULTURE CHANGING I THINK
THE LARGER CULTURE AS A WHOLE
AS WELL AND SO WHEN THERE'S A
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
THE TEACHERS THE ADMINISTRATORS
THE PARENTS
AND THE STUDENT AND WE CAN ALL
SIT DOWN AND HAVE A CONVERSATION
THE PROCESS MOVES VERY EASILY
AND OFTEN IN A VERY SAFE WAY
BECAUSE WE HAVE A RELATIONSHIP
AS KIND OF THE CENTER OF ALL
THAT
ONE OF OUR STAFF PEOPLE HAS BEEN
INVOLVED FOR MUCH OF THIS YEAR
IN SORT OF TRYING TO ADVISE NOT
IN THE LEGAL SENSE BUT JUST TO
KIND OF PROVIDE
INPUT TO THE HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE
AS THEY DEVELOP THEIR DRAFT
AND OF COURSE WHEN THE PUBLICITY
HIT MORE IN AUGUST SEPTEMBER
AND THIS BECAME A FRONT PAGE
KIND OF STORY THEN WE WERE
ENGAGING A LOT OF THE MEMBERS
IN THE LGBT COMMUNITY
TALKING TO THEM ABOUT THIS ISSUE
TALKING ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT IT
IS TO SPEAK OUT TO SHOW SUPPORT
FOR THE STUDENTS AND THEIR
FAMILIES
AND TO MOVE THE LEAGUE TOWARDS
FINALIZING A POLICY BUT HAVING 
THIS CONVERSATION HAS BEEN VERY
IMPORTANT FOR THIS COMMUNITY
AND FOR THE GENERAL COMMUNITY
AS WELL
THE POLICY IS REALLY QUITE
SIMPLE IT SIMPLY FOCUSES
ON ONE QUESTION AND THAT IS 
WHICH TEAM WILL THIS STUDENT
BE ASSIGNED TO
PLAY ON AND IF PERSON PROVIDES
SUFFICIENT MEDICAL DOCUMENTATION
FROM THEIR PROVIDER FROM THEIR
PHYSICIAN
YEAH THIS PERSON DOES
EXPIERIENCE GENDER DYSPHORIA
I AM TREATING THEM FOR THIS THEY
HAVE RECIEVED APPROPRIATE
MEDICAL TREATMENT AND IT IS
APPROPRIATE IN THE CONTEXT
OF THAT TREATMENT
THEY PLAY FOR THIS PARTICULAR
TEAM OVER HERE
ARE HOPE AND WITH SUPPORT OF
THE PARENTS ARE HOPE IS THEN
THAT IT WOULD BE THE RARE
SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT WOULD SAY
WELL WE'RE GOING TO IGNORE
THIS MEDICAL SITUATION
AND THE NEEDS THAT THIS
STUDENT HAS
AND FORCE THEM TO PLAY ON
THIS OTHER TEAM AND FORCE
THEM TO IDENTIFY IN A WAY THAT'S
NOT APPROPRIATE
FOR THEM ALTHOUGH THERE'S BEEN A
LOT OF ATTENTION AND A LOT OF
EXCITEMENT AROUND
THINGS LIKE LOCKER ROOMS AND SO
THE DRAFT POLICY SAYS NOT A WORD
ABOUT LOCKER ROOMS WHAT THE HIGH
SCHOOL LEAGUE RECOGNIZES
I THINK IS THAT THOSE ARE
IMPORTANT QUESTIONS AND THEY
NEED TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE
PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS
WE'VE HAD HIGH SUCCESS RATES
IN CREATING TRANS INCLUSIVE
RESTROOM OPTIONS IN OUR
SCHOOLS AND SO THAT'S BEEN
ALLOWING TRANSGENDER STUDENTS
TO CHOOSE THE RESTROOMS
THAT BEST CORRESPONDS TO THEIR
GENDER IDENTITY
AS WELL AS PROVIDING GENDER
NEUTRAL BATHROOM OPTIONS FOR ALL
STUDENTS
AND THAT'S BEEN WORKING
AND THAT'S BEEN WORKING WE'VE
SEEN THAT FROM
1ST GRADE ALL THE WAY THROUGH
12TH GRADE
AND GENDER'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS
RIGHT WHEN WE THINK ABOUT
IT ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT
WE ACKNOWLEDGE AS YOUNG PEOPLE
AND I'M TALKING LIKE 4 YEARS OLD
IS GENDER FOR PEOPLE WITH
YOUNG CHILDREN YOU THINK ABOUT
LET'S SAY YOU GOT A YOUNG BOY
AND THEY'RE PLAYING DRESS UP AND
THEY'RE WEARING PINK AND THEY'RE
DOING ALL THESE THINGS
AND THEN ONE DAY THEY COME HOME
FROM SCHOOL AND THEY GO I DON'T
WANT TO DO
THAT THAT'S A GIRL COLOR RIGHT
AND SO WHAT'S THAT MESSAGE
THAT CHILDREN ARE RECIEVING
AT A VERY YOUNG AGE
BUT THEN ALSO THE POLICING
THAT WE DO IN OURSELVES
SO WE RECIEVE A GENDER NON
CONFORMING IN TRANSGENDER
CHILDREN
STARTING TO EXPRESS THAT
WITHIN KINDERGARDEN AND
FIRST GRADE EVEN
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A VERY SMALL
NUMBER OF STUDENTS OVERALL
BUT THEY ARE STUDENTS ALL OVER
THE STATE OF OF THE CLIENTS WE
WORKED WITH
IS A FAMILY IN SOUTHERN
MINNESOTA IN AN EXTREMELY SMALL
COMMUNITY WHERE THIS TEENAGER
HAD BEEN ADOPTED FROM ANOTHER
STATE AND NEEDED TO GET A COURT
ORDER FOR CORRECTED IDENTITY
DOCUMENTS THIS IS A KIDS WHOSE
GROWING UP PROBABLY A FAIRLY
ISOLATED AREA WHETHER YOU'RE
TALKING ABOUT ONE KID
OR TEN OR A HUNDRED OR A
THOUSAND THE FACT THE HIGH
SCHOOL
LEAGUE HAS LAID DOWN A 
SUGGESTED POLICY AND APPROACH
AND SAYING HOW YOU SHOULD
NAVIGATE THIS QUESTION
THAT'S TERRIFIC IT PROVIDES SOME
GUIDANCE IF A SCHOOL HAS ONE
PERSON OR TEN THAT THAT WOULD
APPLY TO IT HELPS THE SCHOOL
AND IT HELPS THE FAMILY AND THE
STUDENT
MINNEAPOLIS FOR EXAMPLE WAS THE
FIRST CITY IN THE UNITED STATES
TO PROVIDE FOR A CITY ORDINANCE
THAT PROHIBITED DISCRIMINATION
AGAINST TRANSGENDER PEOPLE
THIS IS BACK IN THE MID 1970s
MINNESOTA WAS THE FIRST STATE TO
DO SO THROUGH THE MINNESOTA
HUMAN RIGHTS ACT AND THIS WAS IN
1993 IT'S BEEN MENTIONED THAT 
ONE OF THE PREMEIRE
ORGANIZATIONS THAT SERVES
TRANSGENDER PEOPLE CALLED
THE WORLD PROFESSIONAL
ASSOCIATION FOR TRANSGENDER
HEALTH IS HOSTED HERE AT THE 
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA AND
THEIR PROGRAM ON HUMAN SEXUALITY
IS INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED
AS A LEADER IN PROVIDING
HEALTHCARE TO TRANSGENDER PEOPLE
SO I THINK FOR A NUMBER OF 
REASONS MINNESOTA AND THE TWIN
CITIES HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED
AS A VERY SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY
FOR TRANS PEOPLE
AND I THINK A LOT OF FOLK FEEL
AT HOME AND SUPPORTED HERE
THERE'S ALWAYS STILL ROOM TO
GO BUT ONCE AGAIN
WHEN WE SEE THAT SUPPORT FROM
THE COMMUNITY AND THE PARENTS
AND WE SEE THAT SUPPORT FROM
THE ADMINISTRATION
IT MAKES THAT PATH EASIER SO
WE'VE BEEN FORTUNATE
TO BE IN THAT POSITION AND ONCE
AGAIN I WANT TO EMPASIZE THERE'S
STILL ROOM TO GO BUT IT'S
IMPORTANT FOR US NOT TO TAKE
THAT FOR GRANTED EITHER
HISTORICALLY WE'VE BEEN
FORTUNATE TO BE A LEADER IN THAT
AND SO THIS IS ONCE AGAIN A
CONTINUING STEP DOWN THAT
ROAD AND I'M REALLY GLAD TO SEE
MINNESOTA TAKE THAT STANCE
THE NEW POLICY FOR TRANSGENDER
STUDENT HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETES
WILL TAKE EFFECT IN THE 2015
2016 SCHOOL YEAR
THANK YOU FOR JOINING ME THIS
WEEK ON OUR ISSUES
TWIN CITIES I'M RANA KAMAL SEE
YOU NEXT TIME
