The Role of the School in the Process of Construction of Gender in Transgender People

The present study undertook an investigation into the way in which gender is constructed in transgender people based on their experience in the school context. For this study, we used Semiotic-Cultural Psychology, Dialogical Self Theory and Queer Theory as theoretical bases because, each in their own way, they helped us to understand the relationship between the development of gender identity and school. We understand that this is an issue of fundamental importance for trans populations, considering the level of transphobic violence suffered by these people in a society organized on the basis of cisheternormativity. For this work, we used the qualitative method as a basis, in which we conducted open interviews in the online modality, with semi-structured questionnaires, also using the School Map and Photovoice techniques. Four transgender people between twenty-one and twenty-nine years old, residing in Brazilian cities, were interviewed. Based on these interviews, we conducted an analysis of the narratives to understand how the school's practices were related, in each case, to the construction of gender identity. As a result, we found an extremely hostile school environment towards the development of trans identities, which made it impossible for participants to transition while attending school and created a semiotic block on transgenderism in order to prevent or delay the development of gender identity. of the participants. The only participant who managed to make his gender transition while still in high school, reports having suffered numerous transphobic violence that almost expelled him from the school space. Considering that Brazilian legislation is based on the inclusive education paradigm, we conclude that the school has not fulfilled its role of including all people in the socialization and learning process and providing integral development for its students. Therefore, we proposed the concept of collective school culture, which describes the semiotic dynamics between school actors, creating values and practices internal to the school context. In addition to guiding the school environment towards a specific semiotic field, which can be more welcoming or more prejudiced, the narratives that make up the collective school culture are internalized by the students, starting to constitute their I-positions and their system of self, generating an impact on its developments. To act in this dynamic and transform it positively, schools need to undertake massive and prolonged actions. In this sense, to combat transphobia and cisheternormativity in schools, specific legislation, public policies and practical actions are needed to ensure that trans people can exist with dignity within the school space.