Hello, my name is Leana.

Hi, my name is Leana. I am a trans woman. My original name is Leander, but now everyone calls me Leana. I am 18 years old and go to the Überlingen Free Waldorf School, where I am doing my vocational baccalaureate. I've been there since year four and commute back and forth every day, because I live in Switzerland.
On the first taster day at the Überlingen Waldorf School, my class teacher thought he had the wrong child. But that was quickly sorted out. In the conversation with my parents after the trial period, he admitted that he wasn't sure at first whether he wanted to take me because he'd never had a child like that before. But he decided to take me as I was and to work on himself, and eventually he realised that I was a completely normal child. I thought it was great that he admitted that this was something unfamiliar for him. Many others say they don't have a problem and then still find it difficult. I always had full support from my class teacher and felt very much seen. Most of the other teachers had no problem with me, only my PE teacher had something against me. He wasn't always nice to me and tried to drill me in his lessons. It was supposed to make me a real boy. Fortunately, I was then able to switch to the girls.
When I decided to change my name from Leander to Leana in year eight, my class took it in its stride. I was very afraid that they wouldn't understand, especially because it wasn't an official name change. But my classmates really surprised me and made an effort not to use my old name. The teachers also get on well with this. Only sometimes it led to confusion – for example when I got my first report in year nine and my unofficial name was written everywhere. As this was still considered forgery at the time, I first had to explain it to my teachers. They meant it very nicely and wanted to support me on my path in this way. The following year, two teachers commented on how strange this report with my old name was and how it didn't feel right to write it. I now receive two reports – one for Leana and an official one for Leander.
It was difficult when I asked the girls if I could go into their changing room and they decided against it. I then found an interim solution with the PE teachers, because I didn't want to join the boys: I changed in the disabled toilet, but had to leave my things in the corridor. That sounded good at first, but I felt uncomfortable and excluded. Yet I can understand the girls' decision. Today that is no longer a problem. I go into the women's changing room and nobody objects.
What was more difficult was that I had to go to the men's toilet for a long time. I didn't feel comfortable with it at all, I always felt that everyone was looking at me and I felt out of place. That's why I often went to the toilet during lessons and hoped that nobody was there. That mostly worked well, but not always. I would have liked more support from my school or the teachers.
Nevertheless, I'm lucky with my school. I feel comfortable and not excluded. Everything is now organised as simply and conveniently as possible for me – a good example of successful inclusion.
But just because things are going well for me as a transgender person at my Waldorf school doesn't automatically mean the same for other trans people. If you enter transgender in the search function on the official website of my school, you won't find any results. If you enter trans, you will be referred to the preamble of the school regulations. This states that Überlingen Waldorf School is an open place where all children can develop individually. Trans people are therefore also taken into consideration there. But unfortunately there is no general concept for dealing with transgender people. Yet why do we need a binding concept? My school found a good solution for me personally, but I always had to deal with everything on my own and find an individual solution with the school. I'm good at standing up for my rights, but it may not be so easy for other trans people, because many are struggling with great insecurities. It could be much easier for them if it was clear what is allowed and what is not.