For freshman transgender student Alex Singh, his first-day-of-school jitters went beyond de-termining what to wear or finding all his classes.

“It’s really hard sometimes because when you walk around and look at all the other guys, they don’t have to worry about having a completely flat chest or being strong or tall,” he said.

Singh knew he was stuck in the wrong body from a very young age. “When I was four I didn’t feel right and I told my mom that I was a boy stuck in a girl’s body,” said Singh.

Singh has faced many challenges growing up on the North Shore but is happy with the fresh start New Trier offers, especially considering his somewhat challenging junior high experience.

“Junior high was a bit rough, especially considering that most kids knew me before my transition. It was hard to make new friends, and it just wasn’t the best experience.”

Lizzy Appleby, Pride Youth Program Coordinator at Angles (formerly named Links), described the discomfort many transgender students face in academic situations. “Even basic activities in educational settings cause discomfort for transgender students,” Appleby said.

Despite his past school experience, Singh feels positively about New Trier. “I am in a boys advisery, and the school was totally open to me being in a boys advisery, which is awesome because I am not used to being counted as a boy.”

That is not to say that every day is without worry.  “Considering that all my life I have grown up with a bunch of girls, it’s harder for me to become friends with guys,” Singh said. “Even though I see myself as a guy, it is harder to make guy friends because I didn’t have a lot of guy friends when I was younger.”

But overall, these first months of high school have been positive. Singh explained, “There are so many kids at New Trier who either didn’t know me before I transitioned or that are more accepting of me as a peer.”

Singh praises the New Trier community for its role in making him feel comfortable.  “New Trier has been super considerate,” said Singh, “They are doing a good job. The teachers are using the correct pronouns, and I can go into the guys bathroom if I want. I don’t think they need to do much more as of right now.”

Freshman Hannah Kadin, commenting on her peers’ attitudes, echoed Singh’s statement: “I have never met someone at New Trier who said they didn’t like or were not welcoming towards transgender students.”

Not all transgender students are as content with their school experience.  In Palatine High School District 211, a transgender student wished to use the girl’s locker room, but was denied by school officials due to the privacy concerns of other students.

The district has since been given 30 days by the U.S. Department of Education to comply with federal law.

  In a recent Chicago Tribune article on this issue, District 211 Superintendent Daniel Cates said, “At some point, we have to balance the privacy rights of 12,000 students with other particular, individual needs of another group of students.”

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is representing the District 211 student. In its complaint, the ACLU calls the District’s stance “blatant discrimination, no matter how the district tries to couch it.”

John Knight, director of the LGBT and HIV Project at the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois, told the Chicago Tribune, “We’re talking about somebody who is being denied fair and equal treatment as compared to the other students, only because she is transgender.”

Federal officials responded to the complaint filed with the U.S. Department of Education, stating that the school is violating Title IX, a federal law which requires gender equality, but the school’s administration is unfazed and continues to prohibit the girl from changing in the girls’ locker room.

Thus far, New Trier has not had to deal with the issue of locker rooms, but is considering the added privacy gender neutral bathrooms may provide, according to Winnetka Principal Denise Dubravec.

“We are still in the planning stages to add gender neutral restrooms in the new building and the portion of the building we are renovating,” Dubravec said.

Nor has New Trier had to consider the impact of a transgender student participating in sports.

“We have been called upon to think about this policy regarding transgender students playing sports, but not to use it,” said Athletic Director Randy Oberembt about the new ISHA policy regarding par-ticipation by transgender students.

“The level of awareness has been broadened. We have become more aware of all the students who populate our institutions,” Oberembt said.

New Trier’s willingness to engage in conversation about Singh’s needs seems to be the key factor in the positivity he feels about his school experience.

“This school is amazing at talking about issues and changing or adapting to better help students,” Gail Gamrath, Freshman Adviser Chair said.

But with 4,000+ students, student attitude is also important. Freshman Pallavi Simhambhatla sums this idea up. “What body parts you have don’t matter any more; it matters more what’s inside.”