RI Laws and Policies Regarding Gender Identity and Sexuality

Throughout the state's history, Rhode Island has presented itself to never be a truly "first-to-do" state, but has always been part of pioneering efforts to push for progress in all sorts of issues (societal, financial, environmental, etc.). In the confides of societal issues such as gender identity and sexuality, RI played a role in some of the first breakthroughs in protecting the right of expression for thousands of students and adults alike. Although always not the literal halt of societal prejudice, legislation (at all level of government) are extremely impactful driving forces in gaining more support on a large scale, leading then into further reform. Rhode Island, being a progressive state, took great initiative in these sensitive issues in the early 2000's:

"In May, 2001, Rhode Island became the second state in the country to explicitly prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity or expression, thereby protecting transgender people from discrimination in employment, housing, credit, and public accommodations" (ride.ri.gov).

Following RI adding its support into the nation-wide movement of inclusion, many states came to follow. As for the changes that happened within the state due to this legislation, the obvious positives were the concrete guidelines that employers, schools, and communities had to follow under state-wide jurisdiction. But, a simple slip of paper law can not immediately reverse the lulls of societal ignorance, as people who held opinions on the topic before were more likely than not, to maintain their viewpoints. But the schools, some at the very least, attempted to truly apply these policies into their system of education. In a scenario like many school setting, groups are often separated into biological groups, sport teams, gym classes, locker rooms, and even certain clubs. But does it need to be like this, not really:

"...rather than divide or group students on the basis of biological sex (e.g. boys and girls), educators could employ other creative strategies to create teams to work on problems or projects. Gender-based policies, rules, and practices can have the effect of marginalizing, stigmatizing, and excluding students, June, 2016 Page 10 whether they are gender non-conforming or not" (ride.ri.gov).

What is truly necessary in life that we need to separate people on "science-based" stigmas? In my eyes, the political climate of this issue is one that lies along an emotion vs. logic axis. One side believes why not let a person be who they want to be without the constraints of the outdated mindset commonly applied in our society's systems. While the other thinks that is a dramatic response to adolescent angst, and people are just in a phase. Which one is more sound? Well, to me the answer is pretty easy, but if it were as easy to everyone as it is for me, well the world would be a pretty simple place. Maybe one day, I guess?

Thomas Hehir's "Eliminating Ableism in Education"

Thomas Hehir from Harvard's Graduate School of Education wrote this indicative essay, painting a scene of what ableism looks like in the context of education and what we can (or have been done) do to combat it. Utilizing a real-world experience as an introductory device drops the reader into the shoes of those oppressed by this flawed system, providing a better lens through which to view the rest of the essay. I have pulled three important quotes that I believe are crucial in the moral of Hehir's messages.

"However, even though these laws were strong, existing practices were often difficult to change due to deeply held negative cultural assumptions about disability" (2)

Thoughts: Just like any other minority group, making headway in the journey to equity and equality in life and all its opportunities, legislation is just the first step. We see it in civil rights scenarios regarding minority ethnicities. Even after passing legislation like the Civil Rights Act, minority groups such as African Americans still faced racist prejudice, stalking them even to the present day.

"Some student's failure to learn to read may be due to poor instruction, thus compounding the impact of disability" (13)

Thoughts: Naturally, someone will pin any lack of development/skill on a person's disability, but is that always the truth behind the struggle? Likely not, we just assume the problem is the disability, but by confining all issues with a person's development (whether cognitive, behavioral, physical, etc.) we can increase the negative impact of the person's disability by curating a cultural/societal depression of that person's character.

"Fortunately, there is a foundation in both research and practice upon which to build a better future. Schools can take action now" (22).

Thoughts: Hehir, following this quote to explain the idea of including disability in more diversity efforts, is already being very impactful within schools. There are already activities furthering diversity appreciation and education, so if more schools can fit disabilities into this umbrella, many positives can come from it. The most important part of this quote, is the fact that schools can act now. With tons of legislation and political backup for these efforts, the school system can now act on their wishes to better education for the disabled more than ever.