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

Authors

• Quentin C. Sedlacek, Southern Methodist University
• A. M. Aramati Casper, College of Natural Sciences
• Katherine Doerr, Malmö Universitet
• Sophia Jeong, The Ohio State University
• Nelly K.M. Marosi, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen
• K. Rende Mendoza, University of Nebraska Omaha
• Marco Reggiani, University of Strathclyde
• Shersingh Joseph Tumber-Dávila, Dartmouth College
• Jennifer D. Adams, University of Calgary
• Andrew P. Anderson, Reed College
• Lucy Avraamidou, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen
• Charlie K. Blake, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
• Tina Cheuk, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
• Sara J. Dozier, California State University, Long Beach
• Sarah L. Eddy, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
• Alexander Eden, Salem State University
• Rebecka Fingalsson, Malmö Universitet
• Michelle Friend, University of Nebraska Omaha
• Kathryn Ribay, San Jose State UniversityFollow
• For full author list, see comments below

Publication Date

4-21-2026

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Science Education

DOI

10.1002/sce.70069

Abstract

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.

Comments

Full author list: Quentin C. Sedlacek, A. M. Aramati Casper, Katherine Doerr, Sophia Jeong, Nelly K. M. Marosi, K. Rende Mendoza, Marco Reggiani, Shersingh Joseph Tumber-Dávila, Jennifer D. Adams, Andrew P. Anderson, Lucy Avraamidou, Charlie K. Blake, Tina Cheuk, Sara J. Dozier, Sarah L. Eddy, Alexander Eden, Rebecka Fingalsson, Michelle Friend, Agustín Fuentes, Heather Haeger, Kathryn L. Kirchgasler, Rishi Krishnamoorthy, Catherine Lemmi, Jeffrey Maloy, Dax Ovid, Kathryn Ribay, Ronan O. Rock, Tatiane Russo-Tait, Sara Tolbert, Brie Tripp, Maria Varelas

Department

Teacher Education

Recommended Citation

Sedlacek, Q. C., Casper, A. M. A., Doerr, K., Jeong, S., Marosi, N. K. M., Mendoza, K. R., Reggiani, M., Tumber‐Dávila, S. J., Adams, J. D., Anderson, A. P., Avraamidou, L., Blake, C. K., Cheuk, T., Dozier, S. J., Eddy, S. L., Eden, A., Fingalsson, R., Friend, M., Fuentes, A., . . . Varelas, M. (2026). Science educators and researchers must uphold the human rights of trans, nonbinary, and intersex persons. Science Education. https://doi.org/10.1002/sce.70069