The conflation of gender identity and sexual orientation can create misunderstandings and challenges for transgender students, especially those who are not sexually active - which would likely be the majority of students at Toronto Catholic District School Board.

However, in their updated Catholic Equity Action Plan that we previously commented on, while now grammatically correct, "transphobia" and "gender identity" were deliberately excluded during the update despite it being on staff's radar for many months. 

Experts agree that it's important to distinguish between these two specific aspects of a person's identity when the other is mentioned, whenever possible. This is particularly of significance in education environments, with children at risk, and an increased duty of care. According to the Ontario Human Rights Code;

Gender identity is each person’s internal and individual experience of gender. It is their sense of being a woman, a man, both, neither, or anywhere along the gender spectrum. A person’s gender identity may be the same as or different from their birth-assigned sex. Gender identity is fundamentally different from a person’s sexual orientation.

Sexual Orientation is an immutable personal characteristic that forms part of an individual’s core identity. Sexual orientation encompasses the range of human sexuality from gay and lesbian to bisexual and heterosexual orientations, including intimate emotional and romantic attachments and relationships.

The danger in conflating these terms is that it can lead to:

Misunderstanding: Any sort of misinterpretation of a transgender student's gender identity as an indication of their sexual orientation can result in confusion and miscommunication. This can affect how people interact with and support the student.

Stigmatization: If people associate students being trans with a particular sexual orientation, it can perpetuate stereotypes and lead to stigmatization or discrimination. Trans kids may already face challenges related to their gender identity, and adding assumptions about their sexual orientation can compound these difficulties.

Inadequate Support: Transgender students, regardless of their sexual orientation, need appropriate support and understanding from their families, schools, and communities. If these support systems mistakenly focus on their perceived sexual orientation, the child's genuine needs may be overlooked.

Mental Health Concerns: The stress and confusion resulting from misunderstanding and stigma can negatively impact a transgender child's mental health, leading to anxiety, depression, and other emotional difficulties.

To address these issues, it is essential for parents, educators, education leaders and school communities to educate themselves about both gender identity and sexual orientation, understand the crucial distinctions between them, and provide a safe and affirming environment for transgender children to express themselves without judgment or stereotypes.

The Equity Action plan is the first of its kind for the TCDSB, an example for the rest of the province and beyond. It is a VERY impressive plan to prioritize the well being of ALL students, an acknowledgement of our evolving society and a long term monitoring and improvement strategy. The impact of the words chosen can not be underestimated. It states it "is a living document that will adapt to system needs over time, informed by continuous improvement and data analysis."

TCDSB Decision Makers of the Catholic Equity Action Plan:

Please resolve the above concerns by adding "transphobia" and "gender identity" to the 2SLGBTQ Community Strategy introduction — or by removing "homophobia" and "sexual orientation" from that page, since we know stating it alone perpetuates dangerous myths and continues to stigmatize already vulnerable trans students.