KEARNY –
Given the recent action by the Secaucus chapter of the Boy Scouts of America rejecting a transgender scout’s bid for membership, folks may be wondering how Kearny may be responding to gender-identity issues.
It turns out that, last summer, the Kearny Recreation Commission also took an action that had an outcome opposite to that of the Secaucus Scouts.
After learning that the parents of a transgender child had sought the opportunity for the child to participate in recreation-sponsored play, the commission voted to adopt a policy on “gender identity and expression” that, ultimately, opened the door to that child.
The commissioners went further: they created a procedure allowing for the participation of transgender children and adults alike in municipal recreation programs.
As a preamble to that policy, the Kearny Board of Recreation Commissioners affirmed that, “The Town of Kearny is committed to providing a safe, supportive and inclusive recreational environment for all participants in its recreational programs, including transgender participants, and to ensuring that every participant has equal recreational opportunities and equal access to the town’s recreational programs and activities.
“This policy establishes the Board’s expectations for addressing the needs of transgender participants in compliance with applicable anti-discrimination laws. This policy does not anticipate every situation that might occur with respect to transgender participants. In all situations, the needs of each participant must be assessed by responsible recreation staff members on a case-by-case basis.
“In all cases, the goal of the Department of Parks and Recreation shall be to ensure the safety, comfort, privacy and healthy development of all participants, including transgender participants.”
Under the policy, a participant’s gender identity shall be determined by the participant or the participant’s parent and/or guardian.
A transgender child is “allowed to play on the team of the child’s full-time gender role,” provided that the participant’s family “submit a letter from a doctor stating the child’s gender identify.”
For transgender adults, “the Board shall accept a participant’s gender identity when it is a sincerely held as part of the participant’s core identity.” This is ascertained by any of the following “supportive indices”:
Submission of an “official record,” such as a “revised birth certificate, a driver’s license or passport, demonstrating legal recognition of the participant’s reassigned sex.”
A doctor’s certification that the participant “has had appropriate clinical treatment for transition to the reassigned sex.”
A doctor’s certification that the participant “is in the process of transition to the reassigned sex.”
A recognition that the participant has “socially transitioned” into the gender “consistent with their gender identity.”
Transgender participants are entitled to confidentiality as per the Family Education Rights Privacy Act except that recreation personnel “with a legitimate need may have access to [their] records …” Or, if they choose, transgender participants may “discuss and express their gender identity and expression openly and decide, with whom, and how much of their private information to share with others.”
Ralph Cattafi, Kearny recreation director, said that the transgender child participated in the athletic program of their choice without incident.
To what extent other New Jersey communities are taking a proactive approach comparable to that of Kearny’s Rec Commission is difficult to tell but D.Q. Quellette, an outreach associate with Hudson Pride Connections Center, a “home and voice for the diverse LGBTQ community, told The Observer that “several public school districts across the region have been voting to adopt more transgender-inclusive policies in the last few months, such as would allow students to use chosen name and pronouns, and use bathrooms and locker rooms consistent with their gender identity. I do not know if this would be implemented in recreational activities outside of school.
“From my own experience, I know that I have seen the most participation from trans youth and young adults in events that are LGBT-specific, as many do not feel comfortable disclosing their transgender identity.”
In a related development, a nonprofit group Tertium Quid is looking to sponsor “a free weekend camp for transgender and gender creative children (age 12 and under) and their families” at a location in northern New Jersey May 12-15.
The camp “will be staffed mostly with transgender and gender creative volunteers” who will facilitate a “fun weekend of typical camp activities for children: arts and crafts, hiking, ball playing, yoga and more.”
Donations are sought “to help pay for the campsite rental and food, and allow families to participate for minimal cost.”
The group says it’s goal is “to foster a welcoming and supportive environment for transgender, gender non-conforming and questioning youth, along with their families in an idyllic landscape.
“By creating a safe place for everyone to experience a weekend free from bullying, harassment or even just outsiders’ eyes, we hope to give children the room to be themselves, as well as to create support networks between families that last far beyond one weekend.”
For more information, visit www.TertiumQuidcamp.com.
