You have likely already heard of some general advice regarding your new life here at Concord Academy, but this advice is specifically for those who are trans, or are questioning their gender.
We might not take up a huge percentage of our student and staff body, but we are integral to the experience; everyone here is! As you have likely heard a couple dozen times already, you are here for a reason. If you’ve faced transphobia or any form of discrimination or ridicule in the past, worry not, as we will try our best to ensure that goes away!
I will mainly focus in this article on those of you who are not out or are not supported by your community, since this is where I, a fellow victim of everyday transphobia, can give the most input. For those of you who are supported, this can still apply to you.
To some of you, the supportive environment at CA might seem like a bit of a shock, especially if you are like me. I was initially afraid of coming out immediately to a whole new school community, even asking questions on Reddit to make sure I would be the most ready I could be. From my experience, it is way better to come out first thing or early on, so you don’t have to reintroduce yourself afterwards. Think of high school as a new book in the best selling series that is your life; you’ll get to retcon your character for no risk whatsoever, as most of what is spoken about you in CA, such as your name and pronouns at the very least, if you aren’t out to your family, will usually stay at CA. Faculty and staff at CA do their best to ensure the safety of all students, and if coming out is something you’re not ready for, CA will gladly accommodate.
If you are not out to your parents, CA will undoubtedly provide support for you, as it did for me. Information about your transition will be as confidential as it can be. Whenever you choose to come out, you have the option to tell faculty and our Community and Equity office—dubbed as the C&E office—about how you’d like to be addressed in and out of class. If you wish to have another name on grade reports or emails so your parents do not find out, that is completely viable. You can do what I did when I started my freshman year, and reach out immediately to Alex and Courtney at C&E, who obviously made me feel supported, but also took immediate action to change my name on the systems, inform all my teachers, and even eventually switch me to the correct boarding house. Next, the Trans Affinity Group, or TAG, serves as CA’s trans affinity space that students have the option to access if they would like to connect with other non-cis members of the community. The blue and pink world will be at your fingertips.
I have already talked about C&E and TAG as support systems, and I’ve also mentioned how most of the faculty and students will be supportive towards you, but I would like to mention something else. You can always talk to me, because I feel like I have learned so much about myself and the trans community that I feel comfortable helping anyone who’s in a similar situation to mine. I felt like I needed to write this in hopes that another me could find this and feel the same support I felt. I hope that you feel loved and accepted in this new era of your life.
You can always talk to me. I am chronically online, and I am probably one of the least intimidating people in this school, despite my unfortunate height and build. I will be very supportive of you, and I will give you any comfort or support you need. I would do anything for people who are like me, and if you found this helpful or relatable in any way, please talk to me, and we can be friends!