Trans Teacher
I’m about to finish my Primary PGCE and I’m looking for a job to start in September. I’m a trans man, I ‘pass’ and I have been living as male for over 10 years as I transitioned as a teenager. I am concerned that I’m being screened out of job opportunities because I have to put my former name on the very front page of application forms. I don’t have a GRC and working with children appears to override that anyway given the wording on the application forms. It’s frustrating because that question appears before they read anything about me, including my personal statement so whoever reads it gets an opinion of me before they know what I have to offer. My current DBS for my PGCE that I use in my placement schools does not state my previous name as I went through the sensitive applications team. Obviously they can’t not give me an interview or not hire me because I’m trans, but they can get away with it by giving any other reason and I’ll never know. I don’t want to face legal issues by lying on my application form either. Has anyone else had an issue with this? Is it just a matter of waiting and hoping the right school won’t ‘care’?