On Sunday, the Chief Rabbi of Tzfat and member of the Chief Rabbinical Council, Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, published the answer he gave to a teacher who consulted with regarding a female student asked to be addressed as if she were a male (as Hebrew, unlike English, has distinct grammar forms for male and female).
The teacher introduced herself as a 12th-grade teacher at a state school. "Not long ago, one of my students (a girl who has emotional difficulties), approached me with a request that I address her in masculine form," the teacher wrote.
"I consulted with the school's social worker, and she told me that I should honor the girl's request. A week later, the student asked me to tell all her other teachers to use the same form of address. Again I consulted with the social worker, and again I was told to comply, which I did.
"Needless to say, this is very difficult for me," the teacher continued, "but my personal opinion is not being accommodated here. However, I wanted to ask if there is anything I need to know or do in terms of Jewish law and acting according to a Torah perspective?"
Rabbi Eliyahu provided an creative solution: "You can address her in plural form," he replied, "as that includes both masculine and feminine."