This lesson introduces students to the gender diversity they see in their classrooms, families and communities with the concept of the gender rainbow. The rainbow is used to bridge understanding of the spectrum of gender identities that exist in all cultures. Teaching about identity and diversity helps students develop social-emotional competencies and encourages empathy and caring at school.

“I am Jazz” by Jazz Jennings and Jessica Herthel is a story about a transgender child based on the real-life experience of Jazz Jennings, who has become a spokesperson for trans kids everywhere. There is a copy of this book in all VSB school libraries.

Before reading:

1. Ask students what the word gender means (brainstorm and record on chart paper).
2. Sample teacher response: “Your gender identity is your inside sense or feeling of being a girl, a boy, both a girl and a boy or neither a boy or a girl. This is different from liking to play with “boy” things or “girl” things or liking “girls” or “boys” clothes. This is about who you know yourself to be. We know that toys, games and clothes are for all kids anyways, there’s no such thing as just boys’ or girls’ things.”
3. Use a rainbow to bridge the understanding that there are many gender identities that make up the gender rainbow. The rainbow colours can be used to introduce students to the spectrum of gender identities that exist in all cultures. Show students a picture of a rainbow and note different gender identities as you point to colours (girl, boy, both, neither and some people are gender fluid and their gender changes on different days and weeks). You may also want to introduce Two-Spirit (see glossary) or provide a stand-alone lesson (contact an Aboriginal educator or Elder from your district or community). Record these gender identities on the chart paper.
4. Ask students what the rainbow would be like if there was only one or two colours. Prompt students to think about what it would be like to only see blue or yellow or orange in the world (less interesting and beautiful). You can also ask students to imagine if people were all the same, liked the same book, toy, food, had the same personality, family, cultural background, etc.
5. Most people who were called a girl when they were born grow up to be a girl and then a woman. Most people who were called a boy when born grow up to be a boy and then a man. This is called cisgender. However, some babies are called a gender identity when they are born that isn’t the right one: a baby is called a girl and then she grows up to be a boy and man, a baby is called a boy and then grows up to be a girl and woman, or a baby called a boy can grow up to be both a boy and girl. This is called transgender.
6. We are going to read a story about a transgender child named, Jazz Jennings. Jazz was called a boy when she was born but she knows that she is a girl and everyone knows she is a girl.

Questions during reading:

1. What are your favourite things to do?
2. How do you think Jazz felt when her family and school didn’t understand that she was a girl?

Questions after reading:

1. What are some of the things that made Jazz feel happy?

 

2. What are some of the things that made Jazz feel crummy?
3. Think-pair-share: what are some of the ways that you are different and the same as your friends?
4. Think-pair-share: if Jazz went to your school, what are some of the ways that we could help Jazz feel included and happy to be here?

Follow-up discussion:

• Talk about what a pronoun is and the different pronouns people use: “he, him, his”, “she, her, hers” as well as gender neutral pronouns, “they, them, theirs.” What pronoun would you use for Jazz? What pronoun would you use for someone who was both a boy and girl or neither?

Teacher learning resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_yBGQqg7kM

• Remind students that everyone gets to say what their gender is (“you are who you say you are”) and that it’s okay to explore your gender and your gender expression (clothes, hair and appearance).
• Throughout the year, discuss all kinds of diversity (cultural diversity, family diversity, gender diversity.

Follow-up Activity:

“The things you like vs. the way you feel”

Purpose: To help students differentiate between gender identity and their likes and dislikes in clothes, toys, games and activities.

1. Write the word “girl” on a flip chart and write the word “boy” on a flip chart. Ask students what they think of as “girls’” and “boys’” toys, games, clothes, and activities and record.
2. Ask students in what ways their likes and dislikes fit or do not fit with the things recorded on the chart paper. Discuss how children get told that some toys, colours, clothes, and activities are for “boys” or for “girls” but really these things are for everybody.
3. Remind students that gender identity is how you feel and who you are which is separate from the things you like. Some girls like “girl things” some boys like “boy things” and some boys like “girl things” and some girls like “boy things”! It’s all It is important to do the things you like to do and wear the clothes you feel most comfortable in.

Additional lesson on gender stereotypes: “Boys like, girls like, kids like” (https://humaneeducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/BoysLikeGirlsLikeKidsLike813.pdf

Song Resource:

“The Rainbow Song”, by Lora Bird. Listen to the song below:

lyrics and chords

or go to: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Lora-Bird

Glossary:

Cisgender: When a person’s gender identity matches the gender they were assigned at birth.

Transgender: When a person’s gender identity is different from the one they were assigned at birth.

Gender Creative: Being creative with your gender. Thinking outside the box. You could be gender creative and still be a boy or girl.

Gender fluid: When a person’s gender identity changes on different days, over weeks (i.e. isn’t static).

Gender binary: The idea that there are only two categories for gender: girls and boys.

Gender non-binary: When a person’s gender identity is outside the category of boy and girl. Some people can be both, neither, or outside of the gender binary altogether.

Two-Spirit: An Indigenous term describing the embodiment of both masculine and feminine spirits. This identity is not limited to gender expression or sexuality, but encompasses them both while incorporating a spiritual element. It is a standalone identity, not an Indigenous term for gay or lesbian. The attempted erasure of Two-Spirit people from Indigenous communities was one of the many harmful impacts of colonization. Two-Spirit people were historically highly revered in Indigenous communities, and often took on the role of healers and medicine people.

 

 

Acknowledgements: Gavin K. Somers, Out in Schools Program Coordinator and Qmunity Youth Services.