The Classroom as a Space of (Re)Existence: Experiences of a Queer Pedagogy to Depathologize Trans Childhoods

Abstract

This article analyzes the implementation and effects of a pedagogical intervention based on the principles of queer pedagogy and Comprehensive Sexual Education (ESI) in nursing students' training. The central objective was to deconstruct the medical-pathological discourses that traditionally frame trans identities, especially in childhood and adolescence, to move towards an understanding based on human rights. Methodology: A four-session workshop titled "Gender: Between Diagnosis and Right" was conducted with third-year students from a public university nursing school in Rosario, Argentina, during 2023. The design was qualitative, using strategies such as critical analysis of audiovisual narratives, collective creation of fanzines, and reflective dialogue. Data were collected through ethnographic records and analysis of student productions. Results: The results show a significant change in student perceptions. A transition was observed from a pathologizing model, which conceptualizes trans identity as a disorder, towards a rights-based model that affirms bodily autonomy and identity recognition. This change was manifested in the language used, the visual representations created, and the reflections shared. Conclusion: It is concluded that the integration of an ESI with a queer perspective in the nursing curriculum is not an add-on but a formative and political necessity. This perspective is essential to prepare future health professionals to practice ethical, respectful, and stigma-free clinical practice, thereby contributing to social justice in the healthcare and educational fields.