TDSB investigating after transgender student questioned over bathroom use

The Toronto District School Board is investigating after a video posted on social media captured a hall monitor telling a student who is transgender they couldn’t use the boy’s washroom.

And while the video captures the incident with one hall monitor, students say this is a school-wide issue.

CityNews has decided not to name the TDSB school and have only identified the students involved by a first name.

In the video that was shot on Oct. 26, the hall monitor can be seen telling the student who is transgender, Ezra, not to use the boy’s washroom and instead the gender-neutral washroom. At the time, Ezra, who uses the gender pronouns they/he, and their friend Cal, who is also in the video, were not aware they were being recorded.

Despite Ezra insisting they are not gender-neutral, the hall monitor continues to say that this the school’s policy. At one point in the video, Cal can be heard saying, “If they identify as a boy, why should they have to use the gender-neutral bathrooms?”

The hall monitor also says, “It may be confusing to you, but that’s the way we delegate it here,” and tells them if they have an issue, they can speak with the vice-principal.

Later on, another student can be heard asking, “If any other guy walked down the hallway would you tell them to go to the gender-neutral bathroom?” and the hall monitor responds “No.”

Ezra spoke with CityNews about Tuesday’s confrontation and said they were embarrassed to be questioned about their gender identity in front of classmates.

“He would not back down, continued to question me in front of all my peers. It felt a bit like an interrogation,” said Ezra. “I felt like it was personally very embarrassing to be asked about my information in front of people I didn’t really know.”

Ezra said they have heard of similar incidents from other classmates with this hall monitor.

“At one point, he said, ‘you consider yourself not a girl’… Basically, he was saying you were not born a boy so you should use a different bathroom,” said Ezra.

“It was a huge disappointment for me. I came to this school for this not to happen, specifically for that reason.” Ezra added the school puts out a message that they are an inclusive place, adding there are a lot of transgender students who attend the school.

Ezra shared they have used the gender-neutral bathrooms before and they are fine to use them, but there is only one in the entire school and it takes a while to get there.

“We only have five-minute bathroom breaks, so it’s not always an option for me.”

Cal said the hall monitor was belittling to Ezra’s gender identity during the interaction.

“Forcing students out of their chosen bathroom, whether it’s gender-neutral or not, I think is disgusting. [It’s] not seeing Ezra as the way Ezra identifies.”

When they went to the vice-principal to discuss the incident, Ezra says she made the situation “light-hearted. Not taking it as a joke, but didn’t take it seriously.”

“[The vice-principal] said at one point, she and this hall monitor are older and it’s hard for them to wrap their heads around it because they were born in a different generation and they didn’t grow up like that,” Ezra said.

Students said in the aftermath of the video being shared online, a number of posters were hung up around the school in support of anyone being able to use their chosen bathroom, but some students and staff removed them.

One of the posters read, “If you are judging/inspecting people’s gender expression in the bathrooms, you are part of the problem.”

There was also an announcement over the PA system the next morning that addressed “confusion” from the previous day that said students can use any bathroom they want. “Basically, the opposite of what the hall monitor and vice principal had said [to us],” remarked Ezra.

When asked what they hoped would change in the aftermath of this incident, Ezra said they just didn’t want it to happen to other people. They have heard multiple instances from other students being confronted about which bathrooms they were using.

Ezra added they have experienced anxiety about using their washroom of choice, mainly trying to use it when there is no one else in there.

“I’ve thrown up multiple times in those bathrooms because of the anxiety of using those [washrooms].”

Ezra said they think it’s a bigger issue than just the hall monitor. “I definitely think the TDSB needs to talk about it and they need to come up with a plan to educate all the teachers and staff. I don’t want this to happen again. And especially don’t want it to happen worse or to someone who hasn’t experienced anything like this and takes it way more personally.

“Despite having rules in place that are meant to protect transgender students, on the small scale, very little is actually done about teachers not respecting their gender identities. There is very little precedent for people who harass trans students,” added Cal.

The TDSB said they have launched an investigation into the incident and cannot comment on the specific details. In their statement to CityNews, they said, “Occasionally, the TDSB needs to remind its staff of their training regarding our best practices related to the Accommodation Guidelines for Transgender and Gender non-Conforming Students and Staff.”

“At the TDSB, we strive to maintain a culture that upholds the dignity, worth and safety of all students, staff and members of our school communities.”

The TDSB has a list of guidelines and accommodations for “Transgender and Gender Independent/non-confirming students and staff” on its website. According to the site, the protocols are intended to raise awareness and ‘help protect against discrimination and harassment.’

The schoolboard states students and staff are “encouraged” to make an accommodation request in writing or speak directly with the school principal, to use a washroom of their choice.

“All staff and students have a right to safe restroom facilities and the right to use a washroom that best corresponds to their gender identity, regardless of their sex assigned at birth,” the guidelines said. “Where possible, schools will also provide an easily accessible all-gender single stall washroom for use by any student or staff member who desires increased privacy, regardless of the underlying reason.”

The Ontario Human Rights Code states, “a trans person does not need to “ask” to use the washroom. They have the right to use the one that matches their lived gender identity.”

Also stating that in some cases, “some people, however, may need accommodation, temporary or otherwise, to access washrooms, change-rooms or other type of sex-segregated facility.”

Ezra says they want an apology and an apology for other students it has happened to.

When asked what they would say to someone who might not understand the issue, Ezra replied, “Not in a rude way, but mind your own business. If this person is just using the bathroom and leaving, there should be no problem. If someone sees a problem with it, that’s on [them].”