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My Gender Journey: Professionals

Everyone Has a Gender Story

As professionals working with families and their children, there is a unique and influential role to be played in helping create the conditions where children can besafe in authentically expressing and identifying their gender. By embracing the richness of the gender spectrum, teachers, counselors, therapists and other adults working with kids can help to broaden their own as well as children’s understandings of gender, and in so doing, help every child feel seen and recognized.

An important part of that work is to consider one’s own experiences, messages, and beliefs about gender, both growing up as well as in your professional role. Spend a few minutes looking over and answering the following questions. Write your answers down, and hang on to them. You may find it interesting to revisit your reflections at some point in the future, after you have had a chance to learn more about gender through training and your own efforts.

Know that there are no “right” answers; each of us comes by our own understandings of gender in a context. Messages and traditions associated with gender are complex reflections of society, family, culture, community and other socializing forces. Use this opportunity to pause and examine your own gender history.

Instructions: The exercise is divided into two parts: the first asks you to think about your own personal experiences with gender, while the second looks at your professional experiences. When you finish, click "Review" and you will be directed to a page with all of your responses. From this page you may edit, download or print your responses, if you desire. YOU DO NOT NEED TO CONFIRM YOUR RESPONSES. ONLY CLICK ON "CONFIRM" IF YOU WISH TO SHARE YOUR STORY WITH GENDER SPECTRUM. WE WILL NOT SHARE ANY STORIES PUBLICLY WITHOUT YOUR ADVANCE, WRITTEN CONSENT.

Click to the next page to get started!

Growing up, did you think of yourself as a boy, a girl, both, neither or in some other way? When and how did you come to that recognition?

What messages did you receive from those around you about gender? Did those messages make sense to you?

What is your first memory of gender defining or impacting your life?

How were kids who did not fit into expectations about gender treated by others (by teachers, family, faith community, etc)? By you?

How have your race, ethnicity, faith, class, community/sense of place influenced your gender?

How would you describe your gender in each of the three dimensions: Body?

Identity?

Social gender?

Page 4

What did gender congruence look like for you as a child? And now as an adult? How has congruence evolved for you over time?

Do you remember a time when choosing gender congruence cost you something or benefitted you in some way?

Are there conscious choices you have made to live more congruently? Are there times you have chosen not to? If so, why?

If your gender (mostly) fits societal norms, how do you think it would feel if the ways you experience congruence were suddenly outside the norm? If your gender (mostly) does not fit societal norms, how do you imagine it would feel if your gender was the norm?

Page 5

My Professional Gender Journey

How have issues of gender and gender diversity "shown up" in your work?

What training have you received about gender, gender diversity, and/or gender inclusive practices?

What is your comfort level in discussing issues of gender diversity with: Colleagues?

Parents?

Children/Youth?

Page 6

Based on your personal and professional journeys, how have your previous experiences with gender influenced your work?

Are there ways in which those experiences enhance your ability to create greater gender inclusiveness?

Are there ways in which those experiences inhibit your ability to create greater gender inclusiveness?

Page 7

Do you have any final reflections about documenting your gender journey?

Are there any goals you wish to set for yourself personally?

Are there any goals you wish to set for yourself professionally?

Thank you, we hope this survey helped you reflect on your gender journey. Click "Review" to edit, download and/or print your responses, if you desire. YOU DO NOT NEED TO CONFIRM YOUR RESPONSES.

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