Transgender Issues in Higher EducationJack Miner

Director of OperationsUniversity Registrar

What does transgender mean?

Why is this a higher education issue?

Life Cycle of a Student

Transgender

• Umbrella term for anyone whose gender identity or expression differs from the norm.

• Transgender is the “accepted” term for a range of ways that someone may self-identify.

Gender versus Sex

• Sex is more aligned with biological makeup and anatomy

• Gender is more aligned with personal identification, expression, and social construct.

Transsexual

• Have physical characteristics of one sex but identify as the opposite gender.

• Often seek to modify their body through hormones or surgery so the physical matches the psychological or emotional.

• Term is not used as frequently as Transgender.

Transgender

• Cross Dressers: Comfortable with their perceived birth sex and gender but enjoy dressing in clothing traditionally worn by the opposite gender.

• Drag Queens (and Drag Kings): Comfortable with their perceived birth sex and gender but dress in the opposite gender clothing for entertainment.

• Both fall into the Transgender umbrella but these individuals usually do not consider themselves transgender.

Transitioning

• Process of modifying one’s personal appearance or presentation to match their gender identity.

Transgender Frequency

• Between 1 in 250 and 1 in 500.

• Equally distribution who are Male to Female as Female to Male.

• More Male to Female seek surgery

Why Higher Education?

• Students who have transitioned by the time the arrive on campus:• 8% of Female to Male Transgender students

have transitioned by 18• 5% of Male to Female Transgender students

have transitioned by 18

• Students who transition while college aged (18-24)• 50% of Female to Male Transgender people

transition between the ages of 18 and 24• Only 20% of Male to Female Transgender

people transition during this period.• These rates are increasing rapidly each year

the survey is taken.

Life Cycle of a Student

• Prospect• Applicant• New Student• Continuing Student• Alumni

Prospect

• Foundation of Support

• Infrastructure

Prospect

• Non-Discrimination Policy

• Include Sexual Orientation• Include Gender Identity and Expression

Prospect

• Community Profile on Transgender Issues

• Institutional visibility on GLBT issues• Marketing to GLBT community

• Arts, Speakers, Athletics• Outreach to GLBT Community• Visibility of GLBT faculty, staff, and

alumni• Connection with local organizations

Prospect

• Video

• Video

Prospect

• CampusPride.org –• Top 25 GLBT universities in the country

• Advocate Magazine• Top 10 university for GLBT students• Best university for transgender students

• Out Magazine• Best GLBT college town

• Human Rights Campaign Equality Index• Top rated hospital for GLBT community

Prospect

• “Niche Trickery”

Applicant

• GLBT inclusion in marketing materials

• GLBT college fairs

• GLBT Visit Day

• Education for recruitment team including alumni recruiters

Applicant

• GLBT inclusion in marketing materials

Applicant

• GLBT inclusion in marketing materials

• GLBT college fairs

• GLBT Visit Day

• Education for recruitment team including alumni recruiters

Applicant

• Scholarships

• Financial Aid staff with expertise

• Federal Aid • No Match Letters

• Selective Service Registration (state schools)

Applicant

• Application Form

• Common Application• Parent (rather than mother & father)• How do you ask sex and gender?

Applicant

• Sex: Male and Female

• Gender: Man and Woman

• Should you include “other” with the option to self identify?

• Should you include other options as a drop down (transgender, intersex, genderqueer, MTF, FTM, Pre-operative, Post-operative)?

• Should you ask for a preferred pronoun?

Applicant

• What does your database support?

• Statistical Tracking and Points of Pride.

• Who has access to the data?

Applicant

• Single Sex Schools

• Faith Affiliated Schools

New Student

• Customer Service and Interaction

• Train staff just in case

• Be respectful and discrete

• Use the appropriate pronoun

• Do not “out” them

• Make any processes or questions as routine as possible

• Don’t ask about genitals…really this happens

• Don’t assume their sexual orientation

• If you are unsure of anything…ask

New Student

• Residence Hall Options

• Housing Room Assignments

• Athletic Eligibility

New Student

• Transgender Friendly Restrooms

• Map Feature

Continuing Students

• Name Changes

• Preferred Name

• Sex and Gender Marker Changes

Preferred Name

• Documentation or Not?

• Self Service or Not?

• Where does it appear?

• Where does the legal name appear?

• Student ID Cards

Sex and Gender Marker Changes

• Documentation

• Where does it appear?

• Archive data access

• Reporting

Continuing Students

• Academic Programs

• Transgender Studies• GLBT Studies or History• Sexuality Studies• Study Abroad and Internships• Contribution to the body of knowledge

Continuing Students

• Academic Support

• Academic Counselors

• Faculty Connections

• Research Opportunities

Continuing Students

• Student Programming

• Transgender student groups• GLBT student groups• Transgender Awareness Week• GLBT Student Programs Office• Visibility on campus

Continuing Students

• Student Life Support

• Student Health Services• Doctors who specialize in this

community• Connection to local resources and

agencies

Continuing Students

• Institutional Policies

• Insurance coverage (student and faculty/staff)

• Medical Center connections• Medical Leave• Polices related to larger GLBT

community

Alumni

• Rainbow Graduation

• Identify GLBT alumni in alumni and donor prospect databases

• Opportunities to connect with current students

Alumni

• Opportunities to network

• Opportunities to give back

• Opportunities to connect with current students

• Expectation of Leadership

• Community Engagement

Questions?

Jack MinerDirector of Operations

University RegistrarThe Ohio State University

Miner.10@osu.edu(614)292-5777