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Learner Reviews & Feedback for Health Across the Gender Spectrum by Stanford University

4.8
stars
2,088 ratings

About the Course

This course offers an intimate, story-based introduction to the experiences of six transgender children and their families. Through illustrated stories and short teaching videos, learners will gain a better understanding of gender identity and the gender spectrum. Stanford physicians, K-12 educators, and transgender faculty members offer practical tips for parents, teachers, healthcare providers and anyone who wants to help create a more gender-expansive environment - one in which all people can live authentically. As a global community of unique individuals, we can begin to build a world that is ready to nurture and love each and every child. Due to the sensitive nature of the story-based course content, we have chosen not to offer course certificates for this course. Simply put, we feel that the thoughts, ideas and sentiments of these remarkable children and their families... are priceless. We are confident that, like us, you will end up learning more from them than you could ever imagine. Together, we can lay a stronger foundation for all children. Join us as we explore health, across the gender spectrum. Additional note: When submitting answers to quizzes, you may be asked to enter your "full legal name". This feature is primarily for verification purposes for courses that offer a certificate on Coursera, so it does not really apply to this course. We recognize that, for some individuals the name they use does not match the one on their legal documents. Please feel free to enter the name you normally use in these boxes....

Top reviews

PB

May 10, 2017

I have thoroughly enjoyed this course. My stepson (born a female) is transgender. This course has helped me understand things more and gave me a lot of pointers on how to do things. Thank you so much!

CM

May 17, 2020

I love how concise and easy to understand the videos were. They all get straight to the point and it was really a mind-blowing experience to learn about the differences and what we can do to support.

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26 - 50 of 650 Reviews for Health Across the Gender Spectrum

By Arantxa M O

Aug 12, 2019

I LOVED IT

By Nilver J C A

Jul 18, 2019

It helped me to have an opened mind about this matter and what things could be done to have a better environment that make transgender people to live well.

By Dhwani

May 21, 2020

The course provides a basic and beginner's level understanding of the non-binary community, however, it lacks thorough scientific research and support of facts. I had high expectations before I began this course. The experience of trans/non binary children and their parents are taken into account. The quiz questions feel very basic and can be more comprehensive.

By Horatio P

Aug 19, 2019

Informative if you know very little about the gender spectrum. I was really hoping there would be a lot more scientific content on what is currently known or understood by professionals. However, I understand the danger and threat of broadcasting what current research suggests in such a rapidly expanding topic area.

By Lamia

Jul 23, 2017

This course was a brilliant started pack to understanding the gender spectrum and also identifying the possibilities for myself as an individual to be gender neutral. The videos were so concise and clear and articulated the messages extremely well. The content was easy to understand. The glossary and recommended reading list is comprehensive and very useful. This course has left me with a lot of food for thought as an educator and psychologist working with children and adolescents. I'm beginning to reframe my ways of working within classrooms and rethinking ways of making schools gender neutral and safe spaces given the structural and contextual difficulties. The first person narratives shared by professors from Stanford as well as those depicted through the animated videos were so impactful and provided such insights into the realities of those who are not conforming to the binary idea of gender. Here's to exploring and inculcating the idea of gender along a spectrum personally and professionally! At a deeper level, this course has inspired me to be free and the kind of person I am and want to be, regardless of societal norms! Thank you! :)

By Carol B

Jul 16, 2022

I had a pretty grasp on the Gender Spectrum as a health care professional in a school setting. In particular supported adolescents. What I found so incredible and affirming though, was hearing the little children speak in their own words. They are so pure and definitive in who they are. It has prompted me to adopt in my practice, when dealing with an adolscent or adult, to remember the simplicity of their inner child's message, Just let me be me. I find sometimes adolescents expect they have to teach us, the older generations or wear their gender identification on their sleeve. I feel sad that they sometimes look for us to fail. However, they are adolescents and they have everyright to flex their identity muscle when needed. We need to be more gracious and actually be wise, not letting our ego be offended. I sometimes fear the accidental use of the wrong pronoun so always try to call people by their name. To help counter this, I have actually slowed my speech down to ensure I'm deliberate in eveyword I say. A brilliant course for anyone to participate in.

By Shigemon R

Apr 22, 2020

I have learned enjoyed this course a lot. As an active all girls' junior/high school teacher, I meet students who are transgenders. Since where I live is quite conservative about gender identity and sexuality, teachers do not have a full understanding of accepting the gender spectrum, nor most of them are not interested in trying to learn themselves about the topic that has assumably been an ongoing thing for many years. It seems like I am one of the rare teachers in that school who shows interest in diversity in gender and expresses that as well (as a female employee, I usually wear shirts, slacks, loafers, and a tie on official occasions). This course has helped me learn about some tips that I can consider doing in classroom setting so that it will be an environment that accepts potential transgenders and about some advice I could give to those transgender students about medical procedures that they can consider to be in the body that they are satisfied with.

By Val R

Nov 4, 2017

I am a Brazilian woman, studying Psychology and this is my first semester in University, even tough I am a 46y.o. My classmates are half of my age in general, and despite of that they were a little concerned and scared when I proposed we to discuss gender identity focusing on the transgender people as the basis of our interdisciplinary paper for the semester. This program was key to my research and to enrich my vocabulary, it strengthened our position to present the importance for the professionals of psychology, to question themselves how to serve this community. I feel grateful to the Stanford University, for the opportunity to listen to the testimonials of so many people in a variety of roles and stages on the coming out as a transgender process. I think =, as a psychologist to be that I can and will serve people with a more open heart and mind, and more equipped to fight the expectations created on myself based on stereotypes.

By Stacey K

Sep 30, 2017

I enjoyed the course very much. I have learned a lot about gender and sexuality and how to deal with people being different. it's a current debate in Melbourne, Australia as to whether the policy, called "safe Schools" which empowers teachers to protect LGBT students from bullying should be introduced in school. I see a lot of people railing against the program which I believe stems from ignorance. This course is very good to provide real people's stories and explain how inaction can cause harm. I've recommended it to my son's school's principal. Thank you for putting together such an excellent course. Personally, my favorite part was the interview with transgender professor where he mentions how his research was perceived to be of better quality after he presented it as a male.

By Arlen N T C

Dec 28, 2017

I was really ignorant about gender topics since a few months ago when I met a lot of new friends and one of them were transgender. I never really understood what that meant, but after meeting her I was concerned by this matter. I myself never identified with female or male cloths and attitudes, but I never thought so much about it because of my traditional family. It really opened a new world to me and since I met my friend I did research on this, and this course actually made me see so many new things and I feel conscious of the matter. I'm so thankful to be able to find this course online, or else there would be so much that I wouldn't know about. It made me think, about society, about families, about relationships and about myself. Thank you so much.

By Rafael d l C

May 9, 2017

An incredibly personal and touching way of making us understand the complexities and depth of these experiences that transgender people go through.

I consider this a great way to educate us all, those related to a transgender student or adult, or not, about the humane aspect of this process, the importance of activism and more than anything, about the love, the empathy and the understanding without judging so needed in our societies and in our interpersonal relations.

I don't feel I am a better person after this course, I feel though, that I am a more sensitive person, a less judgmental individual and a more loving and caring member of my community. I feel empowered to stand for what I believe.

By SEJALSRI M

Aug 14, 2020

I have absolutely loved this course. I've been a passionate advocate for everyone of the LGBTQ+ spectrum. In fact, I've identified as agender, ace and aromantic. I usually deal with a lot of disbelief and dismissal about who I am. This course genuinely made me believe that in a few more years, we might actually have gender inclusive environments in all establishments- schools, colleges, offices, parks, everywhere. And gender inclusivity will be the normative. The course has enlightened me a lot about the transgender experience and experiences of the family members. I am about to use the knowledge here and make suggestions to the laws in my country. Thank you so much!

By Melisa V

Apr 24, 2020

Es una gran variedad de conceptos y herramientas que permiten ser mas inclusivos con ninos y adultos transgeneros asi como géneros no binarios , permitiendo asi brindar una mejor atención al cliente y poder ampliar nuestros conocimientos con respecto a este tema que si bien lleva anos siendo estigmatizado y es mas normal de lo que creemos al hacer este tipo de cursos uno logra interiorizar y darse cuenta de que el conocimiento relacionado a esto es nulo, sin duda alguna este curso no tiene desperdicio me parece excelente como desglosan la información y brindan a los estudiantes opiniones asi como los puntos de vista de personas transgenero y sus familiares .

By Sara H

Jan 23, 2019

El curso es increíblemente valioso, tanto para nosotros los profesionales de la salud encargados de acompañar a estos niños como para las familias y la comunidad en general. Creo que es es de vital importancia socializar este tipo de herramientas para que cada vez seamos mas las personas que amamos y apoyamos a los niños trans. Creo que los niños trans están en un mundo que aun no logra comprender la profundidad de sus sentimiento y es mi misión como profesional al menos desde mi sitió de trabajo hacer su vida y la de sus familias mas fácil y feliz; y este curso es un paso mas para lograrlo.

Lo recomendare a mis colegas!

By Thomas A

Jun 6, 2017

I think the course is very well presented. Unfortunately, I was not convinced, however, by the material that all children/adolescents should have their ideas about trans be accepted so readily, especially for very young children. The course does not really describe the extensive interdisciplinary evaluation that accompanies each child and family, and the length of time and complexity of issues that are associated with each decision. Why not present some cases/material in which children returned to their sex and the reasons for their return. The scenario as presented is too simplistic (rosy) and too one way.

By lauren d

Mar 29, 2017

I found this course to be eye opening, and wonderful in showing the range and variations the transgender community may contain. It helped add language and clarification of terms that are needed. It was nice to hear the stories of the children as well as the parents. It would have helped me to hear from those who are not handling the needs of their child who identifies cross gender. The levels of support shown by the parents was comforting but also seemed too good to be true. I would not have had that level of support in my own family by far. This was a wonderful course, keep up the great work.

By Ivona O

May 29, 2017

I am really happy that I found this course and participated there. I´ve gained totally new information about problematic of gendre spectrum. Since I work with people on daily basis, I meet very different people day by day and thanks to this course I know, that I will feel fine when meeting transgender people, because I will already know, who I face to and how to work with them, so that both sites will be satisfied and pleased. This course encourrage me to sing up also for other courses that discribe different kinds of people. I can recommend it for professionals as well as for others. Thank you.

By Rafael M

Mar 6, 2019

This is a wonderful course! I loved the videos and the interviews. It was so enlightening to hear about people's experiences and also about how we can contribute to make our world a better place to everybody (and specially transgender people). I feel blessed for having had the opportunity to spend this time watching, reading and discussing this topic with this community. I'd also like to congrats the team responsible for this material. This is a course everybody should attend because I am sure most of us have important lessons to take from it.

By Snigdha N

May 10, 2021

kudos to the people who conceptualised and those who created and finally dramatised the entire course.

it was such a lucid expression and explanation of how important it is for all of us to respect and celebrate differences, how paramount it is for us to be Inclusive and understand how diverse we are.

A very powerful way to remind us what Being Human means.

“Children are the hands by which we take hold of heaven.” – Henry Ward Beecher said. If we can just nurture those hands to its true self.

A must course for everybody.

Thank YOu

By Soledad S

Apr 27, 2020

Una de las cosas que más me gusto de este curso fue escuchar la experiencia personal de profesionales renombrados. Me gustaría mucho poder contar con personas como ellos en mi entorno profesional para poder cambiar la opinión que tienen en mi país de las personas transgénero, ya que la mayoría piensa que son personas poco serias y que buscan llamar la atención, no hay respeto, ni aceptación. Con este curso buscaba reforzar mis conocimientos y ver las experiencias de otros a fin de ser un elemento de cambio en mi sociedad.

By Suzanne E

May 7, 2017

Great course. I learned a lot and it was fun and not difficult. The course got me to think and view the needs of others by making a few simple adjustment to things I might be doing. I also believe it brought an awareness to the issue of how important gender neutral bathrooms are and using correct pronouns and not dividing children into to groups according to their sex. Gender neutral classrooms are a positive for all children no matter how they identify with their gender. These issues are not just for transgender people.

By Emely

Jun 22, 2020

This was an amazing class, I learned a lot of things to try and be more open, have more empathy, support people who go thru this. I learned that everybody is especial, everybody deserves de opportunity to feel comfortable with themselves and be who they want to be. We as a society need to support this community and work on this to make them feel more comfortable with themselves. This is something that every person should take cause you learn a lot! Im glad I found this :) LET'S FIGHT FOR A GENDER INCLUSIVE WORLD!!!!

By M.E. R

Jun 7, 2017

Thank you so much Stanford University and to everyone who made this course possible. It's an effective way to educate about how important gender identity is to children. Taking this into consideration, our reactions to people we know who may be going through a similar struggle may affect how they will perceive the world and how they will behave in the future. After taking this course I have made it my goal to help in making a safer world for the transgender people as well as for the rest of the LGBTQ community.

By Atherial

Jan 27, 2023

Personally, as someone who is part of the LGBTQ community, I found lots of the info repetitive. That being said, it is very well put together, the stories are heartfelt, and information is accurate. I highly recommend for anyone who is new to LGBTQ issues, parents of trans youth, or those working in health or educational professions. I'm not going to mark it down at all for repetitiveness because I am not the target audience it seems, but again I think the information is good and still recommend it to others.

By Noël L

Oct 11, 2017

I loved this course. I am genderfluid myself, and took this course to ensure I am up-to-date on my current research knowledge as I'm pursuing a certification as a lactation consultant. Very few LCs have experience with lactation transmen, and while I don't either (yet!), I want to be able to serve ALL of my populations effectively and with as few screw-ups as possible. I feel like this course has been a great help and refresher, and will be recommending it to some of my personal and professional colleagues.