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Students in Ontario (and everywhere) should be allowed to be their authentic selves in every sense. The current policies in the Ontario education system are inhibiting students from doing so.

As a transgender student in Ontario, I find it imperative that policies regarding the change of names and gender markers in Ontario schools be changed immediately. The way things work currently is affecting my mental health and my social interactions in school. It could also forcefully out me as transgender to classmates and teachers and put me at risk for harassment, bullying, or worse (and it has). That is 100% the case for every other trans* student. When you have teachers and principals not protecting them, trans* students are even more at risk.

Changing your name and gender marker in school without matching legal documents can only go so far. You cannot have your chosen name on a diploma, in your school email, or important papers such as exams or EQAO tests. If we were to change this so that trans* students can have their chosen name and gender marker across all school-related documents, we would be saving trans* lives.

There are many more things the Ministry of Education can change to make schools more accomodating for everyone, but making this change would be a big step in the right direction.