Students face tough questions in Long Beach schools every day. But one question advocates hope they never have to ask is, “Am I safe using the bathroom?”

This month, an anti-discrimination bill, AB 1266, went into effect to allow students to use facilities and participate in activities that are consistent with the gender they identify with. That includes bathrooms, locker rooms, sports teams and competitions, regardless of the gender listed on the student’s school records.

Though the number of trans youth in Long Beach schools is unknown, Ethan LoBianco, 18, said there is a robust community of trans students at Wilson High School, where he’s a senior.

As a transgender student, LoBianco faced a question of whether or not he would be accepted using the boys cabins while on a marine biology class trip to Catalina Island. Fearing the reaction of adult supervisors, LoBianco stayed in the girls cabins, despite his discomfort. This law would prevent such an awkward situation in the future, such as when LoBianco takes a planned trip with his music class to San Diego later this year.

Because of the implications this law could have on the lives on trans youth, LoBianco followed its progress closely as it wove its way through the legislative process.

“As soon as it became a bill that was publicized at all, that’s when I found out about it and I kept checking up to see where it was,” LoBianco said. “I was superexcited about it, though. It means that they’re recognizing that trans students do exist, and they’re respecting our gender identity.”

Although Long Beach is generally considered a welcoming city for those in the LGB community, organizers at The Center Long Beach, which serves the local LGBTQ community, said there is still much progress to be made with respect to transgender rights and awareness. The Center acknowledges the efforts of Long Beach Unified School District and plans to honor the district with its President’s Award at a ceremony Saturday for its efforts to be inclusive of all students and educate teachers about LGBTQ issues, or those that pertain to people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or questioning.

“LBUSD has been incredibly proactive not just with the LGBTQ community but with multiple communities in reaching out and collaborating to explore ways to help students in the district succeed,” said The Center’s administrative director, Porter Gilberg, in an interview. “I think LBUSD is absolutely to be commended for actually being invested in students’ success and with exploring best practices to ensure that every student has all the tools they need to be successful in their district.”

For about five years, The Center and LBUSD have partnered in teacher training and sharing resources, said Tiffany Brown, the director of Coordinated Student Services at LBUSD.

“I view us as being allies with each other for the good of the community,” Brown said.

To help educators learn about the new law and being an ally for trans youth, The Center is crafting a guide for Long Beach teachers with answers to some often-asked questions about what it means to be transgender.

Like LoBianco, Skyler Clarke, 19, a former Long Beach student, also watched the progression of AB 1266. A former Poly High School student, Clarke didn’t live as an openly trans student during his time at school and felt even the Gay Straight Alliance at the school didn’t acknowledge transgender issues.

“There just wasn’t any dialogue,” he said. “It was sort of like the population was so small it wasn’t at the forefront of anyone’s minds.”

The new law shines a light on this otherwise-ignored population, Clarke said.

“(It’s) forcing everyone to realize this is happening and (ask) what are we doing to keep students safe?” he said.

Some opponents of this bill argue the new law would allow boys to go into the girls restroom or locker room at school. Clarke said such arguments are red herrings.

“You’re not going to find a male-identified-male dressing as a woman,” Clarke said. “A guy doing that would come under a lot more heat than would be worth it.”

The Center Long Beach is creating a guide for educators about how to be an ally of transgender youth. Here are a few tips they recommend:

>> Do use the name and pronouns people identify with.

X Don’t ask prying questions, including those that pertain to genitals. It’s rude to discuss people’s genitals, irrespective of whether they’re transgender.

>> Do ask what pronouns people use.

X Don’t use the word “tranny.” It’s always pejorative.

>> Do get educated. If you have a burning question about the experiences of transgender people, look it up online.

X Don’t equate gender identity with sexual orientation. Gender identity relates to one’s sense of being male or female, but sexual orientation describes whom someone is attracted to.

>> Be careful about outing people. Some people are open about being transgender and others aren’t.

X Don’t ask what someone’s “real” name is. A person’s birth name can be a source of discomfort or anxiety.

Sources: The Center Long Beach, GLAAD





Contact the writer: 562-243-3419 or lwilliams@lbregister.com