November 14-18 is Trans Awareness Week at the University of Toronto. November 20 is Trans Day of Remembrance & Resilience. The Family Care Office supports trans and nonbinary students, faculty, librarians, and staff and their family members and denounces transphobic discrimination and violence everywhere.
Trans Awareness Awareness Week events are being held across U of T’s three campuses.
Looking for children’s books that include trans characters and challenge gender assumptions that contribute to transphobia? Check out these webpages:
- PFLAG’s Transgender Reading List for Children
- New York Public Library’s 12 Great Picture Books with Trans and Gender Non-Conforming Characters
- Center for Transgender Health’s Transgender and Gender Fluid Books for Kids, Young Adults and Adults
- Mombian’s Recent Children’s Books with Transgender Characters
Resources for caregivers and parents can be found around the university, Toronto and beyond. There are also many groups and supports for children and young people.
- Questions about terminology? How to respect people’s pronouns? The University of Toronto Sexual and Gender Diversity Office (SGDO) has resources. Members of the U of T community can reach out to the U of T SGDO for support and to ask questions.
- The 519 Community Centre has programming for families, children and youth, including a trans youth peer mentorship program.
- Sherbourne Health’s Supporting Our Youth (SOY) program supports the health and well-being of 2SLGBTQ youth under 29.
- Johns Hopkins pediatricians and adolescent medicine specialists Renata Arrington Sanders and Errol Fields write: “All parents want what’s best for their kids. But providing support isn’t always easy — especially if you are the parent of a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or questioning (LGBTQ) child. In many ways no different from their peers, LGBTQ youth face some unique challenges that parents often feel unprepared to tackle.” Check out their tips for parents of LGBTQ youth.
Did you know that U of T recently added gender affirmation coverage to insurance for both non-unionized employees and staff who are members of the United Steelworkers Union? Read the U of T News story. Coverage extends to anyone under your insurance.