Entangled Genders: Unraveling Transformative Justice in the Early Childhood Classroom

abstract:In contemporary discourses on transformative justice in education for gender diverse and trans youth, birth to three classrooms are often left out of the conversation. Yet mechanisms of carcerality, such as classism, racism, ableism, heteronormativity, cisnormativity, and xenophobia arise as children construct meaning through their primary method of exploration and learning: play. This article looks more deeply at the complexity of dismantling gendered violence in early childhood spaces, incorporating a liberatory praxis rooted in the work of Black queer feminism, queer theory, and early childhood scholarship. The following is a true story about my experience as a white, closeted, nonbinary trans teacher navigating transphobia with a white two-year-old student exploring gender in the classroom. The aim is not to provide scripted answers but rather to provide critical space to contemplate how we can assist in the healing process as we cultivate safer spaces for ourselves, our colleagues, our students, and their families.