Interfaith4kids’ Post

Navigating Gender Identity with Kids 🌈 As parents, educators, and caregivers, it's essential to create a supportive environment where our children can express their gender identities freely. The infographic below provides valuable insights on how to engage with kids about gender identity and expression! By fostering open communication and understanding, we empower our children to embrace their identities and express themselves confidently. Together, let’s build a supportive community for every child. #GenderIdentity #Parenting #ChildDevelopment #Support #Education #Empowerment University of Alberta Faculty of Nursing Women and Children's Health Research Institute One Child Every Child

🚨 Urgent Read for Parents 🚨 A revealing article from Interfaith4Kids highlights a critical issue facing families today. California schools now have the ability to change a student's gender category without the consent of parents, raising significant concerns about parental rights and family values. As parents and community members, it's vital to stay informed about the policies that affect our children's identities and well-being. This piece sheds light on the actions being taken by schools and what it means for parental authority. Take a stand for your rights as a parent. Learn more about the implications of these policies and how you can get involved in the conversation. Read the full article here and join the discussion on how we can work together to uphold our family traditions and parental authority: https://lnkd.in/e-S4v5H3 #ParentalRights #FamilyValues #EducationPolicy #InformedConsent #Interfaith4Kids For more in depth info visit our website interfaith4kids.com For ways to support email brenda@interfaith4kids.com #UnityInDiversity #ParentRightsCA #FaithsUnite #ChildAdvocacy #InterfaithHarmony #CommunityLeadership #VoiceForParents #ReligiousTolerance #EmpowerParents #BridgeTheGap

TDLR: Trans Parent Day 🫶 trans parents' caregiving involves protecting their families from irresponsible and uneducated bigots - when they shouldn't have to. Inclusive of #TransAwarenessMonth today 5th of Nov is #TransParentDay. I am a dad to four amazing humans and I use my lived experience of that to educate others - social workers, midwives, health visitors, nurses, community folks. Each year it gets a little harder and my family centred work gets further from my home because I choose this work, but my babies do not. As such they deserve to be protected and should not have to face the awful things some people say about trans+ and queer folk.  Below is an article I wrote for WE CREATE SPACE a couple of years ago reflecting on my family dynamics and the pressure we face from cisheteronormative society. Anyone with a family knows how quickly time moves on. Family life has its ups and downs, most of my days as a working lone dad are as mundane as everyone elses. Just every now and again I get a reminder that my children's psychological and physical safety often ends at the doorstep because of who I am. I find this happens when the safety of primary school is left behind. For example, whilst out for dinner last week with my two youngest, my 12yr old chatted casually about how she just 'doesn't talk about me' now she is in high school. This came of the back of a conversation about a friend who was bullied because he has two dads, to the point he had to leave school. At 12, just half a term into high school she has learnt what queer shame is and will be internalising it without even knowing. She has learnt that she may be targeted just because of how I was born and who we are as a family.  This makes me sad, afraid, angry and helpless. My children should not have to be thinking about this stuff, about their psychological safety.  When I do training with social and healthcare professionals, I focus more on these insights into daily life than I do on teaching people about pronouns. Because as professionals with good intentions, they should know the broader context of why we may fear having their interventions. Because right or wrongly, trans parents and their kids live in constant judgement or expectation of it. Reach out if you would like to know more about my health and social care focussed workshops/talks/training for better skills working with queer families 🤓 https://lnkd.in/edzvYksm

The "𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝" term evolved from my years of experience working in child rights and observing children who fall outside the standard categories defined by the Juvenile Justice (JJ) Act. The JJ Act specifies two main categories of children: those in Conflict with Law (CCL) and those in Need of Care and Protection. However, through hands-on work with children in various difficult circumstances, it became clear that there are numerous children who do not fit neatly into either category but still face severe deprivation and require urgent attention from stakeholders, including the government. For instance, children of brick kiln workers often remain with their parents yet are denied basic rights, and laws seem ineffective in reaching them. As a member of the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights, I witnessed similarly distressing situations for children of commercial sex workers. Over time, I identified many other groups of children in similarly vulnerable situations, such as children from certain tribes, nomadic groups, families in traditional sex work, construction workers' children, children with unclassified disabilities, third-gender children, and LGBTQ+ children. These children are often overlooked by existing legal and social frameworks, underscoring the need for specific recognition and tailored interventions to support them. In recognizing the 'Invisible Child,' we are called to expand our child protection frameworks, ensuring that no child remains unseen or unsupported. This demands a collective commitment from policymakers, social organizations, and communities alike, paving the way for a more inclusive and compassionate approach that upholds the rights and dignity of every child. . . . . . #childrights #invisiblechild #childrenmentalhealth #childrenofoursociety #policymakers #childdevelopment #childcare #childreninneed Sambhavna CRACR & PD Chetna Sharma Tulika Chandra

CAI PUBLISHES STUDENT ISSUE BRIEF: Protecting Youth Access to Gender-Affirming Care: A Parental Rights Pathway By Grady Jensen Since 2021, 25 states have enacted laws or policies limiting access to gender-affirming care for transgender youth. Challenges to these laws have been brought in 17 states, with conflicting results. On June 24, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court granted cert in a case involving Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth. The Supreme Court will rule on whether this law violates equal protection. However, there remains an important additional argument against state prohibitions: that parents have a fundamental right to direct their children’s medical care, which includes the right to seek out certain medical treatments for their children.  In this first issue of CAI’s Student Issue Brief, Grady Jensen (’24) makes this argument and offers additional strategies for supporting and protecting the health, well-being, and rights of transgender youth. Read the brief here: https://lnkd.in/gBFXFUmQ University of San Diego School of Law

It is very early to know exactly what happened. But what do we know for sure? We know FOR SURE that a non-binary child died after something horrible happened in a girls’ high school bathroom in Oklahoma last week. I know FOR SURE that, in the last 3 years, I have helped 5 different K-12 schools in the Midwest where a trans or non-binary child was targeted for physical violence in a bathroom. I know FOR SURE those 5 situations resulted in lawsuits, physical harm, and mental distress. I know FOR SURE that I have personally seen 0 cases where a trans or non-binary child targeted cisgender students in the bathroom in my 12+ years of law practice in schools (which aligns with national data). I know FOR SURE schools DO NOT train their educators on these issues enough. I know FOR SURE schools' general counsel and in-house counsel don't want to be anywhere near these trainings for fear of being pulled into a controversial media storm and lose business. This is why Imprint Legal Group trains leaders in #titleix, #lgbtqia, and #transgender issues because we know FOR SURE it is the easiest way to create safer, more inclusive cultures.

🌟 Addressing the Silent Crisis: Domestic Violence Among Women with Disabilities🌟 Domestic violence is a pervasive issue that affects countless individuals, but its impact is particularly severe among women with disabilities. The intersection of disability and gender often compounds the challenges faced, making these women especially vulnerable to abuse. One critical factor contributing to this crisis is the lack of awareness and knowledge surrounding Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) for people with disabilities. This gap in SRHR education leaves many unable to advocate for themselves, understand their rights, or access essential support services. Moreover, societal ignorance and misconceptions about the capabilities and needs of people with disabilities exacerbate their marginalization. According to (WHO) Women with disabilities are twice as likely to experience domestic violence than those without disabilities .Many still hold the misguided belief that individuals with disabilities do not deserve or fit into a peaceful society, further isolating them and making them targets for abuse. It's imperative that we amplify the voices of women with disabilities, ensure comprehensive SRHR education, and dismantle the harmful stereotypes that perpetuate their vulnerability. By fostering a more inclusive and informed society, we can work towards ending the cycle of violence and creating a safer, more equitable world for all. Let's stand together to raise awareness, advocate for change, and support the rights and dignity of every individual, regardless of their abilities. #DisabilityRights #EndDomesticViolence #SRHR #Inclusion #Advocacy #GenderEquality

#QueerClass Weeks 8 & 9: Community, Belonging and Mutual Aid For the past two weeks, our social work practice with LGBTQIA2S+ individuals and communities class has focused on community, belonging, and mutual aid. Prior to the start of this unit, students watched a brief lecture on barriers and facilitators to community and belonging for queer people. To prepare for our first class session, we read Andalibi and colleagues’ piece on LGBTQ persons’ use of online spaces to navigate conception, pregnancy, and pregnancy loss and Harner’s scoping review on trans intracommunity support and knowledge sharing in the US and Canada. We also watched a PBS special on LGBTQ asylum seekers persecuted at home and in US custody. At the start of our first class session, we practiced #RadicalPermission as developed by Hayden Dawes, LCSW, LCAS in addition to our usual sharing of joy. Students also shared their feedback on how we’ll spend our classes after spring break, as there are some choose-your-own-adventure pieces, such as our focus for one of our policy classes, the topics of our next case study, etc. In small groups, we discussed how queer community can feel inclusive or exclusive and what it means to be welcoming/affirming while also wanting to create safer and more identity-affinity-specific spaces and caucuses. We developed a schematic together for how to think about and foster community and belonging. Toward the end of class, we discussed how social workers can/should/should not be a part of mutual aid efforts and the difference between intra- and inter-community forms of support. To prepare for the second class session, students explored the website of UW-Madison's Gender and Sexuality Campus Center. Assistant Dean and Director of the GSCC Warren Scherer spoke to the class about community, belonging, and chosen family based on per lived and practice experience. Per reminded us of the importance of having the community and support we need to have the well-being and groundedness we need to do the work. I’m reading phase 2 of students’ practice briefs on a topic of their choice. They wrote annotated bibliographies of ten relevant resources for their topic and included social work practice takeaways. In phase 3, they’ll turn what they’ve learned into something (an infographic, resource document, newsletter, presentation, video, etc.) that is useful for social workers. But first, spring break! Resources in the comments.

We need to start talking about the ways in which neurodivergent and queer people can be divergent in multiple overlapping (but not causal) ways. How gay people are more likely to be left-handed and bi people are more likely to be "double-jointed" instead of just focussing on the overlap between being trans and autistic people. When we see this divergent cluster in its entirety instead of focussing in on particular correlations, our clumsy meaning-making fails to make sense. i.e, if your explanation for why trans people are often autistic doesn't also account for why gay people are often left-handed, then you should chuck out that explanation. If you'd like to do some training on this and learn of my own theories around this fascinating divergent population cluster, my affordable and highly rated e-learning CPD module is here https://lnkd.in/eP_jSeiU #transawareness #counselling #transgender #lgbtqia #gender #therapy #privatepractice #trans #cpd #neurodiversity

Looking for some tips to get you through THE talk? First... don't wait until it's such a big deal. Start the conversation early, or... don't even start it, just leave the door open (with some hints) when kids are young. Keeping information from kids doesn't mean they won't be curious and explore on their own. "Empowering Parents: Teaching Children of All Genders About Periods and Menstrual Management" is a wrap-up of a whole list of tips for making this process easy on you, and your children. Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/eTvcKjan #themoreyouknow #menstrualhealth #periods #reproduction #education #gender