Abstract:
This study examines the school experiences of 12 Fa'afāfine and Fakaleiti in one secondary school in Aotearoa-New Zealand. The participants were part of a school-based gender and sexually diverse group called the 'Goddesses'. The Goddesses were a student-formed group that socialised during interval and lunchtime. Data was collected using qualitative methods including focus groups and interviews. Two focus groups comprised of two sets of participants who differed in their experiences, one academic and one non-academic. Narratives outlining a range of experiences from both academic and non-academic student perspectives provided an accurate portrayal of the school environment. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the resulting data. Findings indicate interpersonal and institutional discrimination occurred daily. This took the form of daily verbal and physical harassment from other students, and the reluctance of teachers and management to appropriately address discrimination in the school. The social support and mentoring from the Goddesses acted as a buffer to this discriminatory environment. Belonging to the Goddesses provided participants protection from other students, and modelled assertiveness, a quality the participants called 'being fierce'. The findings are considered within the context of previous research. Recommendations are made to help schools reduce discrimination, and improve support structures for gender and sexually diverse students. Suggestions to reduce discrimination include implementing an anti-harassment policy specifically prohibiting homophobic and transphobic bullying, and developing a school-wide sexuality education programme that addresses gender diversity. Suggestions to improve LGBTQ student support include creating and maintaining a formalised GSA (Gay Straight Alliance) group in the school. Further research on the differences between the experiences of transgender students at single-sex and co-educational schools would be valuable and extend the current research.
