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Inclusive Practices for Gender Identity and/or Gender Expression: Supporting Transgender* Student Success
Saby LaborWomen’s & LGBTQ Student Services Coordinator and Retention SpecialistMetropolitan State University
Academic and Student Affairs Leadership Conference | Friday, May 30, 2014Minnesota State Colleges & Universities
My preferred pronouns: She/her/hersThey/them/theirs
Guiding Assumptions Learning Outcomes Common Language Global, Federal, State & Local Context Strategies for Recruitment, Retention,
and Transgender* Student Success Community Resources Taking Action – Making a Commitment
Overview
Transgender* students are enrolled at MnSCU institutions
Not all transgender* students are able to live their identities visibly
Allies are absolutely vital to the health and wellbeing of transgender* communities
Guiding Assumptions
Provide an overview of terminology pertaining to transgender* students
Examine policies and trends at higher education institutions across the nation
Provide recommendations for strategies that support recruitment, retention, and success
Provide resources for transgender* services and education
Learning Outcomes
Gender Identity – refers to a person’s innate, deeply felt psychological identification as male or female, which may or may not correspond to the person’s body or designated sex at birth (meaning what sex was originally listed on a person’s birth certificate).
Gender Expression – refers to all of the external characteristics and behaviors that are socially defined as either masculine or feminine, such as dress, grooming, mannerisms, speech patterns and social interactions. Social or cultural norms can vary widely and some characteristics that may be accepted as masculine, feminine or neutral in one culture may not be assessed similarly in another.
Common Language
Common Language Transgender* - An umbrella term for people whose
gender identity, expression or behavior is different from those typically associated with their assigned sex at birth, including but not limited to transsexuals, two spirit, androgynous people, genderqueer, and gender non-conforming people. Transgender is a broad term and is good for non-transgender people to use. “Trans” is shorthand for “transgender.”
Source: National Center for Transgender Equality
MTF (Male-to-Female or Transwoman) – A term for a transgender individual who currently identifies as a woman.
FTM (Female-to-Male or Transman) – A term for a transgender individual who currently identifies as a man.
Common Language
Lack of language to capture complexity of gender and gender variant people
Lack of empirical research on transgender college student population
Adherence to gender binary categories is limiting
Confusing “sex” with “gender” as categories masks
Context
Federal
State
Local
System
Institution
Federal, State & Local Context
Federal, State & Local Context
FederalGender Identity/Expression was added to Title IX legislation in 2012 as a protected class
Federal, State & Local Context
State
16 states and D.C. have gender identity nondiscrimination laws
Minnesota was the first state to implement in 1993
Federal, State & Local Context
Local Minneapolis - first
city/jurisdiction to protect gender identity in 1975
St. Paul - 7th city or jurisdiction to protect gender identity in 1990
Federal, State & Local Context
SystemMnSCU added gender identity and gender expression in 2012 to 1B.1 policy
Institution
Federal, State & Local Context
731 (16%) colleges and universities have nondiscrimination policies that include gender identity or gender expression
Source: www.campuspride.org/tpc
{• Preferred Name• Preferred Gender• Facilities and Signage• Housing• Outreach
Strategies for Recruitment, Retention, and Transgender* Student Success
Impacted Areas
Preferred Name Practices Preferred Gender Practices Health Insurance Facilities & Signage Greek Life Housing Financial Aid & Payroll Visa Status & Immigration Athletics Campus Vendors
Preferred Name Practices
76 Colleges Enable Students to Use a Chosen First Name, Instead of Their Legal Name, on Campus Records and Documents (such as ID Cards, Course Rosters, and Directory Listings)
Source:http://www.campuspride.org/tpc-records/
Preferred Name Practices
Informal First Name field in ST1001UG
Preferred Name Practices
Recommendation: Move “Informal First Name Field” to primary location and rename “Preferred Name”
Areas Impacted by Preferred Name Practices
Class Rosters ID Cards Student employment records Diplomas Commencement programs Transcripts Admissions application Websites Directories Desire 2 Learn Email Accounts Safety and Security processes Medical and health records Classroom rosters Institutional communications
Preferred Gender Practices 47 Institutions
Enable Students to Change the Gender on Their Campus Records without Evidence of Medical Intervention
8 of these Institutions Do not require Supporting Documentation
Source: http://www.campuspride.org/tpc
When creating templates or surveys, consider the following: What purpose does this data
serve? Do we REALLY need data on sex/gender?
Use alternative question forms for “the sex/gender question”
Example: Male Female Transgender Other: _____
Use the person’s preferred gender pronoun
Example: She/her/hers He/him/his They/them/theirs
Facilities and Signage
Restrooms Locker Rooms Housing Study Abroad Off-site travel Campus Maps
Student Health Insurance
51 colleges and universities cover hormones and gender reassignment/confirmation surgeries for students.
20 Colleges and Universities Cover Just Hormones for Students
Source: http://www.campuspride.org/tpc
University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Gender-Inclusive Student Housing
150 Colleges and Universities Have Gender-Inclusive Housing Housing in which students can have a roommate of any gender
In Minnesota: Augsburg College, 2011 Carleton College Generally not open to first-year students; available throughout campus Macalester College, 2005 Available in a number of residence halls; open to all students
In Wisconsin: University of Wisconsin, La Crosse, 2013 Available in suite-style housing University of Wisconsin, Madison, 2013 Available in the “Open House Gender Learning Community” University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, 2013 Available in a suite-style residence hall
Source: http://www.campuspride.org/tpc
Communicating Inclusive Policies and Practices
Websites Trans Resource
Guide University of Mass
achusetts, Amherst
University of California, Riverside
FAQ’s Indiana University,
Bloomington
Digital Booklets CSULA Guide to LG
BTQIPA+ Life on Campus
Admissions and Outreach Materials
Recruitment Strategies
LGBTQ College Fairs Pride Festival and Parade Co-sponsoring Community Outreach
Events Admissions and Outreach Material Admissions Liaisons Communicate Inclusive Policies and
Practices Campus Pride Index
{Transgender Checklist for Colleges and Universities
Assessing Your Campus Policies and Practices
Trans Checklist for Colleges & Universities
Language and Processes
Physical Access Organizational
Inclusion Health Services Education
{• Twin Cities• National
Additional Resources
Transgender Resources
Campus Pride Trans Policy Clearinghouse Transgender policies at colleges and universities www.campuspride.org/tpc
Minnesota GLBTA Campus Alliance Education and Training Campus Resource Guide 2014 Hosts the Minnesota OUT! Campus Conference (MOCC)
Minnesota Transgender Health Coalition Shot Clinic Trans-Inclusive Trainings for Health Professionals Syringe Exchange (612) 823-1152
Trans Youth Support Network (TYSN) Education Youth Leadership Development Advocacy (612) 208-9762
Transgender Commission, University of Minnesota Twin Cities www.umn.edu/glbta/trans Education and Training Gender –Inclusive Policy
University of Minnesota Hosts the University of Minnesota System Wide Summit on GLBT Issues
Metropolitan State: LGBTQ Ally Training Program Trans* Ally Training Program Gender and Sexuality Workshops Student Advocacy GLBT and Ally Scholarship Gender-Inclusive Policy (651) 793-1544
