Nonbinary Students Research Articles

Trans and nonbinary students’ accounts of schooling: on epistemic witnessing, trans livability and the failure of the school cistem

ABSTRACT In this paper, we draw on accounts of trans and nonbinary youth we interviewed as part of a larger study on supporting gender diversity in schools. Our study is informed by an approach to epistemic witnessing which we conceive of as a praxis that is informed by a commitment to trans de-subjugation, testimonial justice and a transfeminist methodology with its critical focus on cissexist analytic pitfalls in research and refusal of objectification and overgeneralization of trans people. Our approach to analyzing interview data which refused the methodological constraints of forcing meaning into overdetermined and prescriptive thematic categories was also facilitative of this praxis. Overall, we provide testimonial accounts of trans youth navigating cisnormative school spaces and the tensions that arise around desires for trans (in)visibility which expose the cistemic forces at play in the education system in its failure to provide supportive conditions of trans livability and racial justice.

School Climate and Student Mental Health: Conceptions and Experiences of Nonbinary Students

Anti-transgender school policies have proliferated in the United States from 2019 to 2024, impacting school climate for transgender and nonbinary learners. In this quantitative study, we examined differences in the experiences of school climate factors (e.g., safety, mattering, mental health outcomes, etc.) between male, female, and nonbinary high school students in Virginia ( N = 219,233) using a gender minority stress framework. Nonbinary students reported greater exposure to distal and proximal minority stressors and worse mental health outcomes than male or female students. We explore implications for school counselors.

Gender identity and pronouns among trans and nonbinary students entering college

Surveys indicate that a growing number of young people in the United States identify as trans and especially as nonbinary. Further, there is evidence that an increasing number of young adults use nongendered or nonbinary pronouns for themselves (e.g. ‘they/them’). However, research to date has not captured the full range of ways that young adults label their gender identities, the specific pronouns they go by, and the intersections between their gender identities and pronoun choices. This study examines the gender identities and pronouns of the more than 2.4 million students who applied to college in Fall 2022 or Fall 2023 using the Common Application, the admissions platform utilized by more than 1,000 U.S. colleges and universities. We consider how students identified their gender in general and by legal sex, race, and citizenship status, and what pronouns they used by these same demographic factors. Our research finds major differences in students’ gender identities and pronoun use by legal sex and citizenship status and fewer significant differences by race. We conclude by making recommendations for college administrators, faculty, and staff on how they can better understand gender diversity and support trans and nonbinary students.

Students respond positively to an instructor collecting and sharing aggregated class demographic data from a survey in a high-enrollment physiology course.

The impersonal nature of high-enrollment science courses makes it difficult to build student-instructor relationships, which can negatively impact student learning and engagement, especially for members of marginalized groups. In this study, we explored whether an instructor collecting and sharing aggregated student demographics could positively impact student-instructor relationships. We surveyed students in a high-enrollment physiology course about their perceptions of their instructor a) distributing a demographic survey, and b) sharing aggregated survey results in class. We found that 72% of students appreciated the demographic survey, and 91% thought it helped their instructor get to know them. Further, 73% of students expressed that the instructor sharing aggregated demographic data in class positively impacted their overall course experience, and over 90% thought both the collection and sharing of demographic data was appropriate. Most students felt both parts of the intervention increased their sense of belonging in class, increased how connected they felt to their instructor, and made their instructor seem more approachable and inclusive, but also made some students feel more different from their peers. Women and non-binary students felt the demographic survey increased instructor approachability more than men, and liberal students felt the survey increased instructor approachability more than non-liberal students. Compared to men, women and non-binary students were more likely to report that taking the survey increased instructor inclusivity and made them feel less different from their peers. Based on these results, collecting student demographic information and sharing it in aggregate may be a practical, effective way to enhance student-instructor relationships.

Designing an Inclusive Artificial Intelligence (AI) Curriculum for Elementary Students to Address Gender Differences With Collaborative and Tangible Approaches

This study presents an inclusive K-12 AI curriculum for elementary schools, focusing on six design principles to address gender disparities. The curriculum, designed by the researchers and an elementary teacher, uses tangible tools, and emphasizes collaboration in solving daily problems. The MANOVA results revealed initial gender differences in AI knowledge. Following MANCOVA analysis showed significant improvements in AI knowledge, as well as perceptions and behavioral intentions toward AI, effectively bridging the observed knowledge gaps without any significant differences attributed to gender or initial knowledge levels. This evidence underscores the success of tangible and collaborative AI interventions in uniformly enhancing AI knowledge and positively changing perceptions and behavioral intentions among all participants, regardless of gender. Both female and non-binary students felt increased engagement and reduced anxiety toward AI, with improved comprehension and a preference for collaborative learning. This study contributes to the design of inclusive AI interventions, highlighting gender differences and including non-binary students as an essential part of the analysis.

Suicidal ideation in the context of alcohol use among college students: differences across sexual orientation and gender identity

PurposeThere is a dearth of research on suicidal ideation (SI) that occurs specifically in the context of drinking alcohol. Alcohol use and binge drinking are both elevated among college students, among whom sexual and gender minority (SGM) students are at particular risk for SI. This manuscript examines alcohol use, SI, and SI specifically in the context of alcohol use among a large sample of undergraduate students and examines differences across sexual and gender minority groups.MethodsData were drawn from ~ 300,000 students who completed the American College Health Association National College Health Assessment (ACHA-NCHA) between Spring 2019 and Fall 2022. Participants reported identity variables and information about drinking behaviors and suicidal ideation over the past year. Multilevel models were used for all analyses.ResultsRisky drinking behaviors and higher blood alcohol content during the last episode of social drinking were associated with higher odds of SI while drinking. Rates of risky drinking behaviors, SI, and SI while drinking were elevated among SGM students with SGM men and nonbinary students reporting the highest rates across groups.ConclusionSI while drinking, which is seldom assessed in measures of either measures of suicidal thoughts or alcohol use behavior, is an important construct for further research to improve our understanding of high risk states for suicide. Given elevated rates of alcohol use and SI among college students, providing education and resources to reduce SI while drinking is a critical target for universities, particularly to reduce risk among vulnerable SGM students.

Empowering trans and nonbinary students against sexual assault

Empowering trans and nonbinary students against sexual assault Sarah Peitzmeier, Micah Hopkins and Charlene Y. Senn describe how an effective sexual assault resistance program for women is being adapted for trans and nonbinary students. Transgender and nonbinary college students face a staggering rate of sexual violence, with national estimates suggesting that 40% of trans and nonbinary undergraduates are sexually assaulted during their four-year enrollment. (1) Even so, no sexual assault prevention programs for trans and nonbinary students have been designed, tested, and widely implemented.

Marginalized identity in Indonesian higher education: Navigating nonbinary students’ experience on campus

Nonbinary individuals often experience discrimination and marginalization in society. This might end up increasing the severity of their gender dysphoria, body image, and mental health in general. This research’s objective is to know nonbinary students’ perspectives regarding their gender identity’s existence and visibility in their respective higher education institutions, the challenges they face, and potential solutions they wish to overcome their challenges. This research’s method and approach are qualitative descriptive, based on primary data collected by in-depth interviews with six qualified informants. Then, the informants’ answers are transcribed and discussed in three subchapters to achieve this research’s objective. Difficulties found are the lack of literature regarding this topic and the lack of informants. Based on the interview, we can conclude that nonbinary students receive discrimination and lack of attention from their institutions. Existing gender dysphoria with added constant discrimination causes the informants to feel discomfort, depression, and stress. Potential solutions offered are gender diversity education and the increase of both physical and mental healthcare services.

A self‐reported instrument to measure and foster students' science connection to life with the CARE‐KNOW‐DO model and open schooling for sustainability

AbstractNational governments are concerned about the disconnection of young people from science, which hampers the development of a scientifically literate society promoting sustainable development, wellbeing, equity, and a green economy. Introduced in 2015 alongside Agenda 2030, the “open schooling” approach aims at enhancing students' science connections through real‐life problem solving with families and scientists, necessitating solid evidence for scalability and sustainability. This study conceptualizes “science connection,” a term yet underexplored, as the integration of science's meaning and purpose into personal, social, and global actions informed by socioscientific thinking. It details a novel 32‐item self‐report questionnaire developed and validated from insights of 85 teachers into “science connection”‐enhanced learning. A new consensual qualitative analysis method with visual and textual snapshots enabled developing quantitative measures from the qualitative findings with rigor. The multilanguage instrument provided just‐in‐time actionable data, enhancing the immediacy and applicability of the feedback to 2082 underserved students aged 11–18 across five countries participating in open schooling activities using the CARE‐KNOW‐DO model. This innovative feature supports open science and responsible open research, offering real‐time insights and fostering immediate educational impact. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses revealed five components of science connection: Confidence and aspiration in science; Fun participatory science with teachers, family, and experts; Active learning approaches; Involvement in‐and‐outside school science activities; and Valuing science's role to life‐and‐society. Many students felt connected to science— Brazil: 80%, Spain: 79%, Romania: 73%, Greece: 70%, UK: 57%— with boys: 75%, girls: 73%, nonbinary students: 56%. These differences need in‐depth research. Results suggest that science connections decline from the primary to secondary education, but the CARE‐KNOW‐DO model may reengage older students. A robust science connection enhances scientific literacy and builds science capital. This instrument aids policymakers, educators, and learners in identifying factors that facilitate or impede students' engagement with science for sustainable development efforts.

Representation Matters: Information Literacy Sessions and Supporting Trans and Non-Binary Students

Representation matters and contributes to student engagement, sense of belonging, and overall success. This is especially true for our most vulnerable student populations, which include transgender and non-binary students who do not often see themselves represented within the structure of the academic institution. While university-wide initiatives to engage students such as first year seminars are important, so too are smaller scale efforts such as creating representation through the use of teaching materials and exercises in courses and information literacy sessions. When discussing representation for the LGBTQ + community, and especially transgender and non-binary parts of that community, it is important to acknowledge that within this larger group, there are any number of intersectional identities impacting individuals’ sense of belonging, support, and access to success, all of which cannot be addressed in the space of this column or in the time it takes to run an information literacy session. However, that does not mean we, as educators, should not try.

Middle and High School LGBTQ Students Report What Makes School LGBTQ-Affirming Across Race/Ethnicity and Gender Identity, a Topic Modeling Method.

Affirming spaces have been associated with improved mental health outcomes for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) adolescents. With data from adolescents currently enrolled in middle or high school across the United States, this study used topic modeling methods to examine students' reports of what they were looking for in LGBTQ-affirming schools and, separately, the association of LGBTQ-affirming schools with suicide risk reduction. Topic models demonstrated consistent themes in how students determined that their school was affirming, such as LGBTQ clubs, teachers requesting pronouns, pride flags, and accepting peers. Students of color uniquely looked for actionable responses in addressing LGBTQ issues. Transgender and nonbinary students required explicit mention of support for transgender issues. Quantitatively, LGBTQ students who reported that their school was LGBTQ-affirming had 20% lower odds of attempting suicide in the past year (adjusted odds ratio = 0.80). These findings suggest that schools must be safe for all youth and implementing policies that make LGBTQ students feel seen and supported in their identities is a protective factor for mental health. School policies must ensure that youth have access to supportive people, symbols of support, and LGBTQ clubs and that they are also salient to LGBTQ students of color and transgender and nonbinary students.

Stressed Out: Identifying Inequities and Underlying Causes Associated With Pre-med Student Stress

Stress is among the top mental health concerns of US college students and hypothesized to be especially high among pre-med students. Yet, the extent to which pre-meds’ stress differs from other college science students’ stress, as well as the underlying factors contributing to pre-meds’ stress are understudied. Given that stress is disproportionately likely to impact students who are already underrepresented and underserved in science and medicine, it is integral to identify what underlies student stress. Study Objective: We conducted a sequential mixed-methods study to identify what factors exacerbate pre-med stress and the severity of pre-med stress compared to students who are not pre-med. Hypothesis: We hypothesized the competitive nature of being pre-med would account for the majority of pre-med stress and that their overall stress levels would be higher than those of their counterparts. Methods: In Study 1, we conducted an exploratory qualitative interview study with 30 undergraduate pre-meds to assess what aspects of being pre-med exacerbate their stress. We built on this work in Study 2, with a survey of 551 science undergraduates to (a) assess how generalizable the findings from Study 1 were among undergraduate pre-meds at scale and to (b) assess whether students with different career tracks express different levels of stress. Our specific research questions were: 1) On average, do students perceive that pre-meds have higher stress than non-pre-med science majors? 2) Do pre-meds report higher levels of academic stress, perfectionism, social comparison, and perceived competitive environment in science college courses? 3) What aspects of being pre-med induce stress? and 4) What recommendations do pre-meds have for instructors and institutions to decrease pre-med stress? We used open coding methods and regressions to analyze our data. Results: We found that most students perceived that pre-med students had higher stress than their peers. However, while pre-meds reported higher levels of social comparison, they did not express higher academic stress, perfectionism, or perceived competition compared to their peers in science. Regardless of career path, being a woman or non-binary, identifying as a person excluded because of their ethnicity or race (PEER), financially unstable and having a lower GPA significantly predicted a higher academic stress score. Aspects of the medical school application underlying pre-med stress include worrying about not being good enough or maintaining a competitive GPA. Conclusion: This study highlights the levels of stress among pre-meds do not differ compared to non-pre-med science undergraduates, but that women or non-binary students, PEERs, students who are financially unstable and those with lower GPAs are more likely to experience stress in the context of undergraduate science. This work provides student-produced recommendations for ways in which instructors and institutions can decrease the stress associated with being a pre-med student. This study was funded by an ASU Online Undergraduate Research Scholars program seed grant. Graduate student Mohammed is funded by an NSF GRFP #026257-001 and PI Cooper is funded by an NSF CAREER #2143671. This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

Exploring the intersection of gender identity and homoparental family structure: Implications for educational, family and personal well-being in Spanish students.

This study explores the relationship among self-perceived gender, family type (heteroparental or homoparental) and socioeconomic factors concerning various educational, family and personal well-being domains. The data are derived from a large sample of 69,088 students from 465 schools (65% public; 35% private or semi-private) in Spain. Five separate multi-level generalized mixed (logistic or linear) regression models were calculated. Key findings include that non-binary students from homoparental families reported lower evaluations in multiple dimensions, suggesting the need for additional support. Likewise, students from homoparental families exhibited lower personal well-being and family relationship assessments, possibly due to perceived social stigmatization and peer bullying. This study sheds light on the complexities of gender identity and family type in educational settings, emphasizing the importance of addressing these issues for students' well-being and academic success.

Transgender Men and Non-Binary Students Managing Their Identities to Pay for College

Compared to previous generations, U.S. college students must increasingly rely on non-government sources of money to pay for college. Yet, paying for college looks markedly different for students from marginalized communities, given historical exclusion and inequitable access to financial capital. Using data from a longitudinal study of transgender men and nonbinary students, I argue that identity management is a key tactic these students use to pay for college and navigate competing financial priorities. Ultimately, this study can help researchers and policymakers better address issues of affordability, while more clearly understanding the unique nature of identity management for transgender students.

Getting beyond peeing and pronouns: living non-binary gender in higher education

ABSTRACT Non-binary people make up just over half the UK trans population and younger people are more likely to identify as non-binary than those over 35 . Despite this increasing recognition, non-binary identities and experiences continue to be widely misunderstood. Similarly, if university trans inclusion policies focus solely on models of binary or medical transition, they will not fully address the needs of non-binary students. In the context of an increased focus on the participation and success of marginalized social groups in higher education, and a social and political backlash against equality, diversity and inclusion work, questions of how non-binary students thrive in universities are pressing. Non-binary inclusion and experiences in higher education have received little dedicated attention. This article draws on data from the largest survey to date of non-binary students in the United Kingdom and begins to fill those gaps. We highlight the prominence in the survey of issues around ‘peeing’ and ‘pronouns’ in the lived experiences of non-binary students and demonstrate the detrimental impact of the lack of recognition on students’ learning and lives at university. We conclude universities must get beyond ‘peeing and pronouns’ to reimagine higher education as an accessible and inclusive space.

Fostering Transversal Skills through Open Schooling with the CARE-KNOW-DO Framework for Sustainable Education

This large cross-national study investigates the development of transversal skills in the context of open schooling—an educational approach integrating schools, universities, and communities to address real-world challenges—through the CARE-KNOW-DO framework. Utilising a mixed-methods approach across five countries, this research employs a novel validated self-report instrument to evaluate the perceptions of 12,074 underserved students concerning their learning experiences in open schooling environments. An exploratory factor analysis enabled us to explore quantitative insight into students’ skill development, while thematic analysis of 20 teachers’ reports contributed qualitative depth. The study identified six critical transversal skills: self-initiative, problem-solving, emotional engagement, scientific citizenship, authentic learning, and future prospects. Significant geographic, gender, and age-related variations were found, with notable disparities in skill perceptions among nonbinary students, indicating the need for more inclusive educational support. All countries showed high levels of perceived transversal skills, with 83% of Greek and 80% of Brazilian students leading, compared to 64% in Romania and the UK, and 62% in Spain. Trends suggest secondary students exhibit stronger global citizenship and authentic learning, although they report less confidence in problem-solving and self-initiative than their primary counterparts. These findings, viewed alongside 12 teaching competencies revealed through thematic analysis, underscore the effectiveness of open schooling, which is underexplored, in fostering key skills and call for pedagogical innovations that integrate real-life issues into the curriculum. The study contributes to Agenda 2030—quality of education by demonstrating the real-world applicability of the CARE-KNOW-DO framework for educational practice and policy towards equity and sustainability. Our comparative analysis of transversal skill development across diverse student populations, as well as teaching competencies, further advances the discourse on improving 21st-century education.

"Will I be able to be myself? Or will I be forced to lie all the time?": How Trans and Non-Binary Students Balance Professionalism, Authenticity, and Safety in Canadian Medical Programs.

Promoting the inclusion of trans and non-binary (TNB) medical trainees is a key step in building an inclusive health workforce well-positioned to provide high-quality healthcare to all patients. Existing data on the experiences of TNB physicians and trainees describe widespread challenges related to prejudice and discrimination, with most trainees concealing their gender identity for fear of discrimination. We aimed to understand how TNB medical students have experienced professionalism and professional identity formation. This was a secondary analysis of data gathered in a constructivist grounded theory study. The authors conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews in 2017 with seven current or recently graduated TNB Canadian medical students. From medical school application to graduation, TNB medical students reported feeling tensions between meeting expectations of professionalism, being their authentic selves, and seeking to avoid conscious and implicit biases. These tensions played out around issues of disclosure, foregrounding identity through impression management, and responding to identity exemplars. The tension between TNB trainees' desire to bring their whole selves to the practice of medicine and feeling pressured to de-emphasize their gender is ironic when considering the increased call for medical trainees from equity-seeking communities. The most commonly used behavioural frameworks of professionalism were inherited from prior generations and restrict students whose experiences and community-based knowledge are most needed. Demands of professionalism that are incompatible with authentic professional identity development place an inordinate burden on trainees whose identities have been excluded from normative concepts of the professional, including TNB trainees.

Beyond gender inclusive housing: building a trans and nonbinary residential experience

Supporting trans and nonbinary students in residence halls is critically important given the harassment, discrimination, and violence trans and nonbinary students face. Further, health outcomes are consistently worse for trans and nonbinary students compared to their cisgender peers. While gender inclusive environments are a first step they do not go far enough. What would it mean for the broader campus community to build a trans and nonbinary student experience in the residence halls, rooted in their needs and center their identity? This article outlines a promising solution by moving beyond gender inclusive housing and expanding the commitment to trans and nonbinary students. Our team utilized a distributed leadership model to thoroughly address all aspects of community living for trans and nonbinary students. This includes staffing, access, locations, demand, and an embedded health model.

Structural and Social Inclusivity of Transgender and Nonbinary Students in U.S. Medical Schools and Schools of Public Health Programming.

We characterize trans-inclusive social and structural educational programming at Association of American Medical Colleges-affiliated U.S. allopathic medical and Council on Education for Public Health-accredited schools of public health using responses from deans and administrators. Between December 2019 and February 2020, the Public Health and Medical Schools Transgender-Inclusive Educational Programming Study surveyed deans, administrators, and students via email about trans-inclusive social and structural educational programming strategies at their institution. Evaluated social programming included training topics, social events, and direct communications. Assessed structural strategies included admissions, policies, and mentorship. Descriptive statistics were performed for all variables while stratifying by medical versus public health schools. Bivariate analyses were used to examine differences between strata and chi-square or Fisher's exact tests, accordingly, to analyze programming strategies. Of 335 deans and administrators contacted, 65 completed the survey (19% response rate) and 55.4% were from public health. Most were deans (87.7%), from public institutions (69.2%), between 51 and 59 years old (44.6%), and were ciswomen (63.5%). Comparisons of medical versus public health schools demonstrated significant differences in trans-inclusive strategies such as gender competency training (58.6% vs. 36.1%); trans-inclusive lectures (44.8% vs. 30.6%); honoring trans students' names in-person (75.9% vs. 61.1%); and goals to increase trans representation as researchers (37.5% vs. 26.7%). Policies aimed at creating trans-inclusive environments in these institutions should focus on bolstering affirming structural programming, encouraging prospective trans applicants, mentoring trans students' research ambitions, and consistently using students' lived names, pronouns, and gender markers in all documentation and communications.

Scrutinizing the Bathroom Binary: Equal Protection Theories for Nonbinary Students

Over the past decade, transgender students have challenged discriminatory school bathroom policies under the Equal Protection Clause with varying success. But another group of students, facing similar discrimination, has yet to see its day in court. Like their transgender peers, nonbinary students often lack access to gender-appropriate restrooms at school. Many K–12 schools offer only “boys” and “girls” restrooms, ignoring the needs of students who identify as neither boys nor girls, as both of those genders, or as something else entirely. Forced to use sex-segregated bathrooms (or no bathroom at all), nonbinary students suffer adverse health, safety, and educational outcomes. To illustrate pathways to relief, this Note provides an inventory of equal protection claims nonbinary students can make to challenge discriminatory bathroom policies. Each theory—alleging unconstitutional discrimination on the basis of sex, transgender status, or nonbinary status—is promising and limited in its own respect. Independently or together, these theories can support a viable equal protection challenge that triggers heightened scrutiny.