Science Educators and Researchers Must Uphold the Human Rights of Trans, Nonbinary, and Intersex Persons

Bibliographic Data

ID21392872
AuthorsQuentin C Sedlacek (0000-0002-3413-8548, Department of Teaching & Learning, Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education and Human Development Southern Methodist University Dallas Texas USA, corresponding author), Anne Marie Casper (0000-0001-6557-4425, Department of Biology and Graduate Degree Program in Ecology Colorado State University Fort Collins Colorado USA), A M Aramati Casper (Colorado State University), Katherine Doerr (0000-0001-8600-7542, Center for Academic Teaching, Faculty of Education and Society Malmö University Malmö Sweden), Sophia Jeong (0000-0002-9668-7673, Department of Teaching & Learning The Ohio State University Columbus Ohio USA), Nelly K M Marosi (0000-0001-9989-6094, Centre for Learning and Teaching, Faculty of Science and Engineering Linnaeusborg University of Groningen Groningen the Netherlands), Katharina R Mendoza (0000-0002-7079-477X, Department of Teacher Education University of Nebraska Omaha Omaha Nebraska USA), Marco Reggiani (0000-0002-6158-2302, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering University of Strathclyde Glasgow UK), Shersingh Joseph Tumber‐Dávila (0000-0001-7336-3943, Department of Environmental Studies Dartmouth College Hanover New Hampshire USA), J D Adams (0000-0002-1327-580X, Faculty of Science University of Calgary Calgary Alberta Canada), Andrew P Anderson (0000-0002-7865-1327, Biology Department Reed College Portland Oregon USA), Lucy Avraamidou (0000-0001-9693-4438, Centre for Learning and Teaching, Faculty of Science and Engineering Linnaeusborg University of Groningen Groningen the Netherlands), Charlie Blake (0000-0003-4649-3472, STEM Center at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Edwardsville Illinois USA), Charlie K Blake (Southern Illinois University Edwardsville), Tina Cheuk (0000-0001-7841-2492, School of Education, Bailey College of Science and Mathematics California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo California USA), Sara J Dozier (0000-0003-1440-0534, Science Education Department, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics California State University, Long Beach Long Beach California USA), Sarah L Eddy (0000-0003-0902-4570, Department of Biology Teaching & Learning University of Minnesota ‐ Twin Cities St. Paul Minnesota USA), Alexander Eden (0009-0008-5594-4048, Biology Department Salem State University Salem Massachusetts USA), Rebecka Fingalsson (0000-0002-3614-9603, Department of Natural Science, Mathematics and Society, Faculty of Education and Society Malmö University Malmö Sweden), Michelle Friend (0000-0002-2020-6079, Department of Teacher Education University of Nebraska Omaha Omaha Nebraska USA), A Fuentes (0000-0003-0955-8214, Department of Anthropology Princeton University Princeton New Jersey USA), Heather Haeger (0000-0002-9078-8270, Education Policy Studies and Practice, STEM Learning Center University of Arizona Tucson Arizona USA), Kathryn L Kirchgasler (0000-0003-1015-3679, Department of Curriculum & Instruction University of Wisconsin–Madison Madison Wisconsin USA), Rishi Krishnamoorthy (0000-0002-6752-8913, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education University of Toronto Toronto Ontario Canada), Catherine Lemmi (0000-0002-8340-4371, School of Education California State University, Chico Chico California USA), Jeffrey Maloy (0000-0001-9469-4039, Department of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles California USA), Dax Ovid (0000-0002-1778-314X, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology University of Georgia Athens Georgia USA), Kathryn Ribay (0000-0002-7571-9744, Connie L. Lurie College of Education San Jose State University San Jose California USA), Ronan Rock (0009-0000-7048-2867, Department of Curriculum & Instruction, College of Education University of Illinois Chicago Chicago Illinois USA), Tatiane Russo-Tait (0000-0002-2606-2061, Department of Cellular Biology University of Georgia Athens Georgia USA), Tolbert (0000-0001-5246-7110, Faculty of Education Monash University Melbourne Victoria Australia), Brie Tripp (0000-0003-0491-3491, Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, College of Biological Sciences University of California, Davis Davis California USA), Maria Varelas (0000-0001-8212-2674, Department of Curriculum & Instruction, College of Education University of Illinois Chicago Chicago Illinois USA)
Year2026
Volume110
Issue4
Pages1001-1017
Publication date2026-07-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueScience Education (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0036-8326 • E-ISSN: 1098-237X
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/sce.70069
OpenAlexW7155080902
LanguageEN
References cited193

Trans, nonbinary, and intersex persons are—and have always been—an integral part of humankind. However, these communities are under attack. We live in a time of growing state repression and the normalization of political violence against trans, nonbinary, and intersex persons throughout much of the world, and we have a responsibility to understand these conditions and consider their implications for science education. In this commentary, we briefly outline the growing state repression of trans, nonbinary, and intersex persons, illustrating this repression with examples primarily drawn from the U.S. context, while acknowledging similar forms of repression happening in many countries. We discuss the ways that scientific discourses and ideologies are being co‐opted to rationalize these attacks, explain the responsibility this creates for science educators, and examine the important work that has already been done to understand and dismantle oppression and to celebrate the lives and accomplishments of these communities within and beyond science education. Finally, we offer recommendations for specific actions that science educators and researchers can take to uphold the human rights of trans, nonbinary, and intersex persons and communities

Human rights · Ideology · Oppression · Politics · Psychological repression · State (computer science) · Genetic and Clinical Aspects of Sex Determination and Chromosomal Abnormalities · LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy · Sexual Differentiation and Disorders

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