Pre-service teachers’ attitudes toward transgender students: Associations with social contact, religiosity, political preference, sexual orientation, and teacher gender

Abstract

Pre-service teachers can become important allies for trans children and adolescents at school, yet little is known about their attitudes toward transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) students. Based on intergroup contact theory and the secondary transfer effect, analyses of variance of feeling thermometer scores obtained from 560 teacher candidates revealed that attitudes were more positive for teachers with prior contact, close trans friends, and trans family members. Transgender attitudes were also more favorable if teachers were female, less religious, and had a left-wing political preference. Heterosexual, bisexual, and homosexual teachers differed non-significantly. Implications for teacher education include increasing the attitudes of (particularly) male teacher candidates and promoting social contact by inviting trans individuals to share their experiences in the classroom.