BERA Bites 15

EDUCATING FOR ALL

Towards inclusive futures through trans-inclusive education: The trans-inclusivity seminar series at University College London (UCL)

ARIA ZHANG UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON

Debates around gender in contemporary media and public discourse often overlook the depth and rigour of existing academic research. 1 These discussions can miss the rich, nuanced insights that transgender and trans-feminist studies contribute to understanding and fostering inclusivity. Education plays a critical role in challenging stereotypes, promoting equity and creating spaces for transformative dialogue. The trans- inclusivity seminar series (TSS), held from February to June 2024 at the Institute of Education (IOE), UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society, exemplifies how academic initiatives can bridge this gap by bringing groundbreaking research to the forefront. Funded by UCL’s LGBTQ+ Equality Implementation Group (LEIG) 2 and launched during LGBT+ History Month, the series featured a variety of talks by leading academics in trans-inclusive research and scholarship, showcasing their rigorous and inclusive work. As an undergraduate student research fellow, I had the opportunity to gain valuable insights into trans-inclusive research and academic activism. Most of the videos 3 are now available as resources for others. Framing trans lives: Media narratives & digital power The first event featured Professor Deborah Shaw 4 (University of Portsmouth) on ‘Trans-inclusive feminism, gender-critical feminism: Culture wars in the media’. 5 1 Original blog post, published 9 July 2025: https://www.bera. ac.uk/blog/towards-inclusive-futures-through-trans-inclusive- education-the-trans-inclusivity-seminar-series-at-university- college-london-ucl 2 https://www.ucl.ac.uk/equality-diversity-inclusion/equality- areas/lgbtq-equality/lgbtq-equality-implementation-group-leig/ leig-fund 3 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwX3wZX22uMyBqY St3f8kM-wflqdFTjxi 4 https://www.port.ac.uk/about-us/structure-and-governance/ our-people/our-staff/deborah-shaw 5 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXcT98w8dlE&list=PLwX3 wZX22uMyBqYSt3f8kM-wflqdFTjxi&index=5&t=2326s

This talk highlighted the media’s role in shaping public perceptions of trans issues. As a student, it made me consider the silences built into mainstream narratives, and whether education is doing enough to equip students to notice what (and who) is missing from view. Shaw investigated how frequent reporting of gender- critical feminists has been weaponised in media coverage against trans people, in contrast to the significant underreporting of trans-inclusive perspectives from supporters such as trans-inclusive feminists (IOE, 2024c). ‘[Deborah Shaw’s] talk highlighted the media’s role in shaping public perceptions of trans issues … it made me consider the silences built into mainstream narratives, and whether education is doing enough to equip students to notice what (and who) is missing from view.’ Dr Kata Kyrölä 6 from the IOE continued this theme on media with a talk on ‘Cancel culture and the politics of vulnerability in queer/trans online spaces’ 7 (IOE, 2024d). Throughout the talk, concepts of ‘cancellation’ were illustrated through examples of platform drama, offering a comprehensive examination of the unique challenges faced by queer communities in digital spaces.

6 https://profiles.ucl.ac.uk/84463-kata-kyrola 7 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgFB80dKK2k&list=PLwX 3wZX22uMyBqYSt3f8kM-wflqdFTjxi&index=3

BERA BITES 15 | EDUCATING FOR ALL