When the Alias Career Is Not Enough. Youth Resistance in Cavour High School, an Italian Case Study

This exploratory study examines the power dynamics and resistance strategies surrounding adopting the alias career (carriera alias) in Italian schools and the lack of teacher training, focusing on Cavour High School in Rome. Through semi-structured interviews with two trans* students, Andrea and Marco, and two student representatives, the research highlights how students resist cisnormative practices. The results shed light on the interplay between youth agency and vulnerability within cisnormative educational settings. The paper also provides recommendations to schools, arguing for prioritising trans* students’ well-being and promoting structural change to make schools safer and supportive environments.