Exploring Supportive Educational Experiences of Transgender and Gender-Nonconforming Students from an Adult Perspective: A Reflective Phenomenology

The years 2015 and 2016 began an era in which the transgender and gender-nonconforming community received growing attention from outspoken celebrities and government officials. Around the same time, public schools began implementing policies to protect transgender and gender-nonconforming youth while mandating guidelines for inclusion and minimizing stigmas. For many, the transgender and gender-nonconforming community is a commonly misunderstood and sensitive topic, particularly in K-12 public institutions. Given that the past few years were a historical period of change for the transgender and gender-nonconforming community, is it imperative that public school districts hear the voices of these students and address their needs accordingly. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore and understand the essence of supportive experiences as transgender and gender-nonconforming adults reflect on their K-12 public educations. This research study was completed by analyzing common themes among the perspectives of supportive experiences. The purpose was to enable educational communities to be better equipped to support transgender and gender-nonconforming students, and to apply social justice to the constructs of K-12 education.Ed.D., Education -- Drexel University, 201