Creating Safe Spaces for Trans Girls
A safe space. It’s the magnet that draws many participants to the girls’ programs funded by the Canadian Women’s Foundation. The programs offer an oasis where girls age nine and up can connect, develop new skills, build confidence and, most importantly, be themselves.
But how do we ensure that these programs are safe spaces for kids who are questioning their gender or who identify as transgender?
It’s an important question, given the growing awareness about creating supportive environments for transgender youth. Children may start questioning their gender from a fairly young age: a report from the Trans PULSE project says that 59% of survey respondents knew their gender identity did not match their assigned gender before age 10 and 80% knew by age 14.