Tag Archives: Gender Spectrum

Exploring Gender Identity with Jonathan Skurnik

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On Monday middle school students, faculty members, and parents explored gender identity with filmmaker, Jonathan Skurnik.

Jonathan Skurnik is a documentary producer, director and cinematographer. Five of his films have broadcast on PBS and European Television, as well as on domestic Satellite and Cable stations. His films have been screened at the Museum of Modern Art, Lincoln Center and in art galleries in New York City and at over two hundred film festivals throughout the world. He has won numerous awards, including Best Documentary at the American Indian film festival, the Change Maker Award at the Media That Matters Film Festival, the Audience Award for Outstanding Achievement at Outfest, the Harry Chapin Media Award for films about poverty and Best Documentary Award at the UrbanTV film Festival.

Filmmaker and educator Jonathan Skurnik was a gender expansive child who loved to play with both dollhouses and Hot Wheels, wear pants and dresses. Like any child, he wanted it all! Then he started to get teased and bullied and gave up “girly” things. In the early 2000s Jonathan read about children who were gender creative and transgender and were living in communities that supported them. These children and their families were doing what he hadn’t been able to do as a child. So Jonathan created the Youth and Gender Media Project, a series of short films about these modern day heroes, which are screened in schools throughout the country to make the world safe for all flavors of gender identity and expression.

Some highlights from Mr. Skurnik’s three-session visit:

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Gender Inclusivity Dialogue with PLAID

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On Tuesday morning, our PLAID parent group and some of Hamlin’s administrators showed the film Creating Gender Inclusive Schools, followed by an engaging dialogue.

PLAID’s mission is to support a vibrant and inclusive environment in which all members of the community can celebrate their authentic selves. We foster open dialogue through family programs, parent education, and community outreach.

Politicians and 24-hour news outlets spend a lot of time talking about gender and schools, yet most people are left wondering: how are schools talking about gender with students in grade-appropriate ways? Creating Gender Inclusive Schools shows how one school approached this important subject, and along the way demonstrates the power of having a conversation with youth about gender.

A large group of parents and faculty members gathered to watch the film and talk about gender inclusivity in small groups, and as a larger group. Head of The Hamlin School, Wanda M. Holland Greene facilitated the session with care and compassion.

The following were some of the key ideas that surfaced from the both the film and dialogue:

-Being inclusive doesn’t mean just inviting people; you have to work at it.

-Gender is not about biological parts; a person gets to decide their gender.

-At Hamlin there is a space for girls with all sorts of gender expression.

-Students don’t have to follow rules around masculine and feminine stereotypes, such as favorite color choices, types of dress, and free time activities.

-Many students (in general) are not binary in terms of gender, they often have aspects of their identities that are masculine, feminine, or neither.

-When thinking about gender inclusivity, it is important for schools to create an environment where students are safe and seen.

-“Hamlin provides a supportive and nonjudgmental environment for my daughter.”

To learn more about the film and topic, please visit: https://www.genderspectrum.org/creating-gender-inclusive-schools/