Monday, November 8, 2021

Transgender science

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11/8/21

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Coming Soon

Transgender Awareness Week 2021 is November 13 to 19. This annual event seeks to educate the public about transgender people and the issues they face. If you’re a parent or educator helping students learn about the transgender community, Science News for Students has a few stories to get you started. Find out what scientists do and don’t know about biological sex and gender identity — and how those two concepts differ. Learn about the different ways transgender kids express their gender identities, and the risks to kids’ wellbeing when their identities are rejected. Read about the mental health benefits of gender-affirming health care for trans youth. In Science News for Students stories, readers hear not only from leading experts who are researching the transgender community, but also from many trans kids and teens themselves.

November 18 is the International Day of LGBTQIA+ People in STEM, which celebrates the work of scientists in this community and calls attention to the barriers these researchers face. In Science News for Students, transgender researchers and other LGBTQIA+ scientists have shared their stories. Researchers speak about the prejudices they have faced, as well as how they have built support networks and how the scientific community is becoming more inclusive. Kids seeking LGBTQIA+ role models may also find inspiration in their peers, such as one transgender teen who, after facing discrimination from classmates, designed a game to help rid people of their biases.

Find these stories and others about people from historically marginalized communities transforming science in our Science is for Everyone collection.

Catch up with the latest from Science News for Students

Did Facebook put Instagram profits ahead of teen safety?: A former employee said Facebook (now Meta) ignored its own research on Instagram risks to teens’ mental health. We look at the issues and what you can do. Readability: 7.0 Resources: power words, video

What to know as Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine rolls out for kids under 12: After a trial in which no unusual side effects were reported, and approval by the FDA and CDC, kids ages 5 to 11 will be able to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Readability: 8.2 Resources: power words, alternate version at Science News

Psychology shines light on the harm racism can do: All forms of racism are harmful. Research sheds new light on the biases behind racism and the many ways it can affect our mental health. Readability: 7.8 Resources: classroom questions, power words

Scientists find a ‘greener’ way to make jeans blue: When coated onto jeans, a plant-based polymer reduces water and cuts the amount of toxic chemicals needed. Readability: 7.8 Resources: classroom questions, power words

Bacteria make ‘spider silk’ that’s stronger than steel: Part spider silk, the material is better than what some spiders make. Researchers think it might even become the basis for surgical threads or unusually strong fabrics. Readability: 7.6 Resources: classroom questions, power words

A growing share of teens feels lonely at school: Data from kids in 37 nations links this to use of cell phones and the internet. Readability: 7.1 Resources: classroom questions, power words

NASA’s Perseverance rover grabbed its first Martian rocks: Two finger-sized pieces of stone drilled from a basalt rock are the first bits of Mars ready to be brought to Earth. Readability: 7.0 Resources: power words, alternate version at Science News

Everyday plastics can pollute, leaching thousands of chemicals: Plastic bags and containers leach potentially toxic chemicals into both food and water, but researchers yet don’t know how they might affect health. Readability: 7.7 Resources: classroom questions, power words, video

Chemistry solves a French royal mystery: Ink analysis reveals the hidden words of Marie Antoinette's letters and who tried to hide them. Readability: 7.7 Resources: power words, alternate version at Science News

Scientists Say: Phloem: Phloem is tissue that delivers food, made in leaves during photosynthesis, to the rest of a plant. Readability: 6.0 Resources: power words, audio recording

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