transgender students

The harassment of a transgender student has led to alternative housing options at the University of South Florida. Starting today, students filling out campus housing applications at the Tampa-based school will be able to identify themselves as either male, female, or transitioning. Those who select “transitioning” will have the option to live alone, live with a friend, or be assigned a random roommate.

The Pennsylvania school's president describes the decision as based on inclusivity and the awareness that gender is fluid.

A group of students will deliver a petition with 4,000 signatures to all-women Smith College after refusing to consider the application of a transgender student.

Following criticism that they were hostile to a prospective transgender student, Massachusetts's Smith College will form a committee to change their policies on trans women.

"Degrassi" marks ten seasons of surprise pregnancies, underage drinking, hearts being broken and universal angst-ridden rebellion in the new season starting on Monday with uncharted territory as it introduces its first transgender character. Jordan Todosey will play transgender student Adam. 

LGBT media advocacy organization GLAAD has joined thousands of alumni and advocates calling on women's school Smith College to revise its admission policies to admit transgender students.

California governor Jerry Brown today signed into law a groundbreaking bill expanding antidiscrimination protections for transgender students in public elementary and secondary schools, mandating that schools respect the gender identity of trans students by allowing them equal access to the sports teams, programs, and facilities associated with their gender.

The American Civil Liberties Union agreed on a settlement with Vallejo City Unified School District, on behalf of high school student Rochelle Hamilton, who faced anti-gay discrimination and harassment from some of the teachers and staff. Hamilton's participation in a school-sponsored 'counseling' group designed to discourage students from being lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender was also required.

Student members of the LGBT community are feeling more confident about their sexuality, helping some to come out between middle school and high school ages. More and more, America's schools are seeing acceptance of LGBT class members. Some schools have begun launching gay-straight alliances, there are increasing numbers of same-sex dates at prom and some transgender students are beginning to transition as teenagers.

In an attempt to be more inclusive of its entire student body, administrators of a Michigan high school have decided to drop "king" and "queen" from its homecoming royalty titles, instead opting for gender neutral titles. Transgender student Oak Reed (pictured) was elected homecoming king in September 2010,  but the school denied him his crown because he was officially enrolled as female at Mona Shores High School in Muskegon, Mich.

Two transgender high school students in Fort Collins, Colo., say they have been forbidden to use student restrooms, and one of them, 16-year-old Dionne Malikowski, just got suspended for doing so. Malikowski, a trans girl, and her friend Kurt Peters, also 16 and a trans guy, say they have been told to use the staff bathrooms at Fort Collins High School. But, Malikowski told reporters, “There’s not staff bathrooms all over the school, so when you really got to pee, you got to pee.”

The Mississippi school that cancelled Constance McMillen's prom also suspended a transgender student, giving no explanation. Reports have emerged that Juin Baize, 16, was suspended within hours of his first day at Itwamba Agricultural High School. Baize was given a suspension note just hours into his first day at school. Kristy Bennet, legal director of the ACLU in Mississippi, said they would not be pursuing the case.

'We must acknowledge that gender identity is not reducible to the body,' say Mt. Holyoke College officials of their historic decision to welcome applications from all trans students.