Rally for Transgender Students Stirs Parents and Students

by Eikaiva Boyer

On March 8th, 2017, citizens of Frederick County exhibited their right for free speech to get the Board of Education to set something in place to protect transgender students in the Frederick County Public School System. During the BOE monthly meeting, they will be discussing the policy to protecting transgender students. The purpose of the rally was to get the BOE to realize actually how important these issues are in the Frederick community.

Although, why the rally? According to the event Facebook page, it stated “Trans students are the highest at risk population in schools. Compare the rates of suicide from 4.6% of the general American population to 41% of trans folks. When trans students can’t use the restroom of their choice at school, or when their educators and peers refuse to use the correct name and pronouns, they are in danger. Policy and regulation guarantee a positive and affirming experience in schools.” [1]

Around 5 p.m., students, parents, teachers, and other citizens started to gather around the BOE building in downtown Frederick on 191 South East Street, Frederick, Maryland 21701. The event had a huge outcome. It was something that needed to happen.

This was also the first transgender rally in the entirety of Frederick County. Leader and Organizer of the event, and junior from Governor Thomas Johnson High School, 17 year old James Van Kuilenburg said “I think it’s super exciting [to hold the first transgender rally to happen in Frederick]. I’m just reminded of how bad I could have used something like this when I came out years ago.”

The scheduling of the event was solely organized through Facebook. The event was shared from page to page, reaching a count of 495 people interested in going, and 169 confirmation in going. [1]

During the event, specific people who signed up to be speakers on Facebook spoke powerful, effectual words to the group. The first speaker was of course the leader of the rally, Kulienburg. “We are not holding a rally for this immediate issue; we’re starting a movement for trans youth in the future. This is a positive, empowering event that will lift trans students up and let them know they are supported. Our community is ready for change. We are going to end it as a community and that’s going to start right now.”

Being transgender their self, Kuilienburg stated “The trans community is my family. We need to stand up together. When I came out as trans, the trans community were the only people there for me.”

Other speakers at the event included:

Karen Holmes- a Federal Government as a Safety Officer. In January 2017, she was selected by the LGBTQ Nation as one of the Top 50 Transgender Americans You Need To Know. She was also honored in a special edition among 41 other women from around the world in The Platform Magazine, for up and inspiring females who have made a difference with their platform and inspired others with their positive values towards others.

Holmes mentioned that she was obligated to go to work related event, but she said no, “I’m here behind you all right now. We are hoping we start breaking down walls.” Speaking on behalf of the transgender community, “We are good people. We do everything normal people do. Everybody here bleeds the same color. We are all human beings.”

At one point in her speech she addressed the teachers in the crowd, “Do I have any teachers here tonight?” Teachers erupt in a roar. “I have so much respect for teachers. I think they’re underpaid. You give us the knowledge that we need to carry in the world.”

Holmes also addressed how to offer our help for transgender students, “You need to stand up,” and “Say ‘hey, I’ll go to the bathroom with you.’”

At the end of her powerful speech she stated “Accept you for who you are. Shoot for the moon and even if you miss, you’ll be amongst the stars.”

Kristopher Fair (the next speaker)- Director of the Frederick Center, Frederick Center, Frederick’s LGBTQ Community Outreach. Fair’s overall message was to support the transgender community no matter what.

Miller Hoffman (the third speaker)- Trans Reverend from Metropolitan Church. Hoffman added some humor to the rally with her speech. “This may come to a surprise to some people, but trans people have been peeing for a really long time. (Referring to the public bathroom issue the transgender community faces). We have always been changing gym clothes. (Locker room issue). But it’s not about restrooms. This is about people. It’s about pleasure and well-being. We want to demand the pursuit of happiness. Trans is beautiful. We love being trans. [Although] being trans in this world is hard.”

Hoffman continued with “We all get to decide who we are. We must continue to fight for all of us. We must encourage authenticity.”

Nicola Van Kuilenburg spoke next- Parent of transgender student Kuilenburg. “It’s been a tough and violent couple of weeks for all transgender [students].” Nicole Kuilenburg also made an eye-opening comment in her speech, “We have trans kids here that have never met other trans kids.” She also wanted to take a minute to thank all the parents of trans kids supporting their child and other children. “This is the beginning of something new. It’s starting right now. We’re refusing to go backward.”

But how did it all start? “I organized this rally as a direct response to the Trump administration’s decision to rescind the Title XI guidelines. My friends and I have been asking FCPS to create policy for LGBTQ students for about a year now, but when the only federal protection for trans students was repealed, we realized we needed immediate action. We spoke at the Board two weeks ago, but we were not confident with the response we received from the Board. I started a very successful email campaign to the Board asking for a public statement of support for trans students and a promise for policy,” said James Kuilenburg.

Because of their work, the board released a statement and now will discuss the policy regarding protecting transgender students during the meeting tonight. “The rally is to show the Board what exactly trans students need in this policy, and exactly how important it is that it’s passed ASAP. We want the entire Frederick community to show up and show their support,” commented James Kuilenburg.

When senior Ashley Wilcom from Walkersville High saw the event on Facebook “I immediately knew I had to do it. Two of my best friends are both a part of the trans community so it’s an important issue to me, and one that I’m faced with everyday.”

Wilcom was also a speaker at the event, “When I saw that they needed speakers I was more than happy to comply because I have a lot of experience with public speaking and knew that I would have some things to say,” commented Wilcom. She also added “Legislation and bringing awareness to trans acceptance is an issue that FCPS definitely should consider, along with the Supreme Court and higher levels of government.

Around 6 p.m, the BOE meeting started. Around 6:30 p.m, public comment started, and the citizens, teachers, and students that were there to stand up for transgender students were ready.

Speakers of all diversities came up to talk about what needed to be addressed, which was simple human rights. Simple concepts of if a student identifies as a transgender girl, she is a girl. Just as if a student identifies as a transgender boy, he is a boy. Another concept that was consistently brought up was pronoun usage. What was trying to get across to the board, was the highly importance of correct pronoun use. This could be by peers, bus drivers, teachers, and substitutes.

James Kuilenburg, the first public comment made an excellent point and it was a great way to start off one of the largest public comments of any BOE meeting. “Every single second I am made aware that I am trans at my school…FCPS belongs to trans students too.”

Nissa Quill, World Language teacher at Walkersville Middle School stated in her speech commented “We are here to fight for the lives of our kids.”

Quill chose to speak for a specific reason, “I chose to speak tonight so that I could stand in solidarity with many students and parents who often feel alone. It is the right thing to do. After my daughter came out to me, I was privileged to attend some training on the local and federal level. It was important to me to share what I learned with those in power.

“The Board of Education in Frederick County very much wants to support all of the students in the county and it’s incredibly important that those of us involved with students share our love and our experiences,” Quill spoke.

Although it just wasn’t people taking the stand on the issue, they stated solutions that could help the situation as well. The idea of creating a seminar for staff, and then a separate class for the students, extending off of the required health class credit, all about gender identity. This is definitely a valid, strong point, that the Board really needs, and should consider.

“When we win in our county, we will set an example for the rest of Maryland, and maybe even the country. That’s how we can help each other,” commented James Kuilenburg.