Schools • Colleges • Camps
Today’s youth approach gender and sexuality with a radically different outlook than what their parents and teachers were raised with. Adults may still think of gender as a determination (made at birth and based on biology) between male and female; this generation instead views gender as a spectrum of choice from male to female, or from gender-conforming to gender-nonconforming. Educators are challenged to bridge the gap between their own experiences and mindsets, and those of their students. We now live in a world where Facebook users can choose to identify themselves from over 70 gender categories, where many states and municipalities allow parents to choose a third, gender-neutral category of "X" on birth certificates, and where many college courses begin with, "My name is John, and I go by she/her/hers, he/him/his, or they/them/their pronouns." Ms. Mencher works with schools, colleges, and camps to help translate these cultural shifts into sound strategy and policy. She prepares educators to support students and their families and works with administrators to develop interventions that align with each school’s unique mission and values. Through a combination of workshops, policy consultations, and strategic planning, Ms. Mencher guides educational institutions and youth organizations through the process of institutional change.
Selected Workshops (virtual and on-site)
“GLBTQQFFPA”???? Sexual Identity for Today’s Teens
Gay, Lesbian & Bisexual Youth and the Boarding School Experience
Cultivating Resilience in Gender Non-conforming Youth
Gender Diversity 101: A Workshop for Educators
Gender Identity Challenges in Adolescence
“You’re So Gay:” How Homophobic or Gender-Violent Bullying Hurts All Kids
Suicide Prevention in High-Risk LGBTQ Teens
Understanding The Evolving Gender Landscape: A Workshop for Parents
Policy Consultations (virtual and on-site)
Promoting Acceptance of Alternative Genders and Sexualities in School Climate
Incorporating Gender Diversity in Single-Sex Schools
Gender-Neutral Housing at Boarding Schools
Bridging the Gap on Gender and Sexuality Issues: Alums to Students
Balancing the Needs of Multiple Constituencies While Supporting LGBT Students
Gender Diversity and Admissions
Gender Issues in Sex-Segregated Athletics
Bathrooms, Locker Rooms, and Other So-called Private Places: Creating Hospitable and Legal Options for Gender-Variant Kids
Enforcing Bans on Sexual Contact with LGBT Students in Boarding Schools
Related Publications
An Interview with LGBTQ Advocacy Pioneer Julie Mencher (Fall 2018). The Yield, Enrollment Management Association (pp. 13-15).
Do Schools Need to Learn a Lesson from . . . Facebook??
Single-Sex Institutions in a Multi-gender World: What’s a Girl (To Do)?
The Changing Gender Landscape and Its Implications for Girls' Schools: Q & A with Julie Mencher (2018). In Alliance: The Official Magazine of Alliance of Girls' Schools Australasia, Vol. 60 (pp. 95-98).
Transgender Policy and Practice at Girls' Schools: Executive Summary. Alliance of Girls Schools Australasia.
What Your Princess Daughter Can Learn from Miley Cyrus and Caitlyn Jenner
When the White Dress Doesn't Fit: What Are Other Girls' Schools Doing about Transgender Students
Testimonials
“Julie has been a trusted member of the Nightingale team on this important diversity issue for the past year. Grounded in the mission of girls’ schools, her thoughtful, research-based and practical approach considers all stakeholders around a complicated topic. I am eager to continue learning from her.”
“When our faculty asked for insight and guidance on gender diversity, Julie delivered — in timely, informative, and thoughtfully provocative ways. First creating a comfortable atmosphere for us to ask questions and challenge our own assumptions and one another, Julie then covered comprehensive content about the needs of transgender students. She challenged us to reimagine how to support gender-nonconforming students in all aspects of student life, including our residential program, athletics, and curriculum. Julie offered concrete ideas about inclusive language and proper use of pronouns. She is a thoughtful speaker, with a rich background in adolescent development, sexual orientation, and gender identity. Sharing scholarship, data, and compelling accounts of her work with families and schools, Julie is an excellent, welcoming presenter and an important voice for educators who are committed to supporting all our students.”
“In our full-day training, we learned so much, not only about the LGBT landscape for today’s youth but also about how to translate that knowledge in anticipation of working with our multiple stakeholders. Julie’s knack for inviting candor and openness in discussion of difficult topics enabled us to wrestle with complexity and build cohesiveness as a team. Following the session, the admission team felt more knowledgeable as well as more confident and, indeed, were positioned to be leaders on campus as relates to this topic. I would highly recommend her work to any school seeking training or policy consultation in this area.”
“Julie has been a wonderful support for the National Coalition of Girls’ Schools (NCGS) as we have worked to create a position statement and a central place for resources on transgender issues within girls’ schools. In both our 2015 National Conference and our 2016 Global Forum, Julie developed and led much of our programming on gender diversity. She is thoughtful, open, and has brought many years of experience and insight to us.”
“Julie Mencher is a dynamic, thoughtful, and engaging consultant/trainer who presents complicated subject matter in a straightforward manner. Her keen insight is grounded in decades of research and experience. While any school wrestling with the complexities of sexuality and gender would benefit from her considerable expertise, her specific knowledge of single-sex institutions helped our girls’ school staff and faculty.”
“Julie is knowledgeable, insightful and helpful in navigating the changing landscape of gender in our schools. As a new head at a girls boarding school, I felt I found an important resource in educating the faculty, students, trustees and alumnae. She is compassionate, patient, and there really are “no stupid questions” in her sessions. The community was energized by her workshop, and I look forward to keeping in touch with Julie as the school works together to best support all our students.”
Trainings/Policy Consultations/Parent Talks
Amherst College
Amherst Common School
Bement School
Bentley College
Bowdoin College
Brearley School
Chatham Hall
Collegiate School
Concord Academy
Deerfield Academy
Garrison Forest School
Hampshire College
Hathaway Brown School
Interschool (NYC)
Mount Holyoke College
Nightingale-Bamford School
Smith College
Smith College Campus School
Smith College School for Social Work
Spence School
St. Margaret’s School
Stoneleigh Burnham School
University of Massachusetts
Wellesley College
Westridge School
Wheaton College
Conference Presentations
National Association Of Independent Schools (NAIS)
National Coalition Of Girls' Schools (NCGS)
Small Boarding School Association (SBSA)
The Association Of Boarding Schools (TABS)