Two bills moving through the Legislature would support the use of gender identity preferences for public school students.

House Bill 1799 and its companion, Senate Bill 2670, would require the state Department of Education to establish a procedure allowing students to use their preferred names over legal names in an effort to strengthen “inclusivity” within public schools.

“It’s pretty straightforward, although unfortunately, in the current legislative climate all the things that should be simple, straightforward and important are just really difficult,” said state Rep. Jeanne Kapela (D, Volcano- Hawaiian Ocean View).

Kapela introduced the House bill as a part of the Legislature’s Equality Caucus package. “This is the first time we’ve introduced this measure,” she said. “I think it’s so important that we support students in their decisions.”

It would mainly support students who are transitioning or identify as a different gender, she said.

“This is about strengthening inclusivity and supporting students because, at the end of the day, students can’t learn if they don’t feel safe,” she said.

The University of Hawaii already has a system, supported by the UH Manoa LGBTQ+ Center, that allows students to fill out a “Preferred Name Form,” requesting their names be updated on their student identification card and class rosters.

“It was very important for us at the University of Hawaii system to implement supportive practices for our students in relation to chosen names,” said Camaron Miyamoto, director of the UH Manoa LGBTQ+ Center.

State Rep. Natalia Hussey-Burdick, (D, Kailua- Kaneohe Bay) — one of the introducers of HB 1799 — said that the bill would provide the DOE with a process to be more supportive of transgender students because it would respect their freedom to make choices about their identity.

Ashton Vellequette was assigned female at birth and began his gender transition at 20. He uses “he/they” pronouns and identifies as “trans-masculine and gender queer.”

Now 23, Vellequette called the House and Senate bills “incredible because school is one of the biggest influences for our youth.”

He said that it’s important to support transgender youth, especially if they are not supported at home.

“I know many queer kids who have certain teachers that were there for them when the family was not,” Vellequette said. “To have that sense of respect and sense of boundaries and be able to make decisions around what helps you is so critical to healthy development.

“Because I have an androgynous/masculine first name that I was born with, I never really had to struggle with being called like a name that was difficult,” he said. However, he said that he has friends who received pushback from teachers to use their legal names in classrooms.

“Calling someone by their preferred name doesn’t have to be like a political issue,” Vellequette said. “So, transgender or not, if you prefer being called by a different name that shouldn’t be a huge issue, right?”

Miyamoto said that “hearing a name that you don’t go by can be really upsetting. It’s a sign of disrespect that can lead to depression.

“Having a place where teachers, faculty and staff are encouraged to nurture the students they care for is an important way to increase the well-being of the young students,” Miyamoto said.

Miyamoto said that UH’s efforts in allowing students to undergo a name change on campus have increased the well-being of all students who want to change their name, not just LGBTQ+ students.

“I am very excited and encouraged about the Legislature taking steps to support our students at the DOE as well,” Miyamoto said.

State Sen. Chris Lee, (D, Kailua-Waimanalo-Hawaii Kai), introduced SB 2670 and said that the bill would cover a broader issue of protecting all students.

“This could finally provide kids the tools they need to simply be safe and respected and have the freedom to decide who they are,” Lee said.

Both bills stated that failing to use a student’s preferred name on both student records and in campus settings can “undermine the emotional well-being of transgender, indigenous, minority, and other children,” potentially leading to bullying and the loss of educational and economic opportunities.

While the bills won’t legally change anyone’s legal name, Lee said that they would allow students to be identified by their own nickname or “whatever they feel is most appropriate in a really delicate situation at an age when people are subjected to bullying every single day in classrooms.”

Hussey-Burdick said she was bullied for her name as a child, and called it a “very common experience” for students.

The bills also would reduce confusion between school administrators and staff, especially for those who already call students by their preferred name, Hussey-Burdick said.

“It’s very common, especially Pacific Islander names, for their first name to be very long and maybe they go by a middle name,” she said. “It just kind of helps for their basic documents to match.”

Miyamoto said the bills would offer a “unique opportunity to lean into Aloha, acceptance and to appreciate everyone for who they are.”