4 I February 20, 2015
The Guilfordian
WORLD & NATION
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Colleges making efforts to be more trans-friendly
BYTHORTOBIASSEN
Staff Writer
The cause for transgender rights still faces a long journey,
but on many college campuses, policies are changing to
remove gender identity barriers from campus life.
The University of Vermont recently announced that it
will become the latest among a growing number of colleges
which allows students to indicate their preferred name and
gender, even if these are not those legally assigned at birth,
and the pronouns they wish to be addressed by.
Many transgender people face difficulty in obtaining
legal documentation that accurately reflects their gender
identity. The National Center for Transgender Equality
claims that only 1/5 of transgender individuals in the U.S.
have updated all of their records. One third have updated
none at all.
Individuals who identify as neither male nor female face
even more hurdles.
Fortunately, for transgender college students, many
higher educational institutions have been taking steps
similar to the University of Vermont. Princeton is one
school that already allows students to change their gender
marker in school records and to indicate a preferred name
that is used on class rosters, student ID cards, school email
and the university’s Blackboard electronic assignment
system.
The University of Maryland and The Ohio State
University have adopted policies that allow students to
change their gender marker with a letter from a mental
health professional. The University of Massachusetts,
Amherst and the University of Michigan allow students
to select a preferred name to be used on course rosters,
according to the Transgender Law and Policy Institute.
Asked whether Guilford would consider similar changes
to its record keeping systems. President Jane Fernandes
said she has not been approached about it, but that
individuals can change their name in North Carolina by
filing a simple declaration of intent
However, the Triad Gender Association claims that the
process is significantly more complicated.
The application for a legal name change in Guilford
County includes being fingerprinted at the Sheriff s office,
an FBI background check and the filing of a fair amount
of paperwork.
But Guilford has begun stepping up its response to calls
for greater flexibility in gender related policies, such as
housing rules. A new gender-inclusive housing policy will
be adopted starting in the fall 2015 semester, allowing
students to select roommates without regard to gender.
Susanna Westberg, director of residential education
and housing, says that the school continues to work with
transgender advocates to increase its gender inclusivity in
all areas.
“This is an enormous step forward, but not an end
goal,” said Westberg in an email interview.
She also discussed having to work around the housing
system software, which was created with only two gender
options, as well as plans to expand the number of gender-
neutral restrooms on campus.
“We’ve been in conversation with Facilities about
creating more gender-inclusive bathroom facilities in the
residence halls as they undergo continued renovations in
the future,” said Westberg.
The issue of restrooms is often particularly problematic
for transgender individuals. In 2011, a transgender woman
named Chrissy Lee Polis was beaten in a Baltimore
McDonald’s for using a women’s restroom. Such violence
has not been a problem for Guilford, but gender-neutral
restrooms are generally considered to be an important part
of a trans-friendly institution.
Fernandes noted that Guilford
restrooms.
“We can always use more of a
when asked if more were necessary.
Some universities, including Ohio State and American
University, have policies requiring all new construction, or
large renovation projects, to include at least one gender-
neutral restroom, according to the Transgender Law and
Policy Institute.
“I would like to see Guilford become more responsive to
gender issues of all types,” said Fernandes.
The sentiment seems to be shared by many of her peers
among the nation’s college administrations.
has 21 gender-neutral
good thing,” she said
Study
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San Giorgio Moggiore in Venice, Italy
This island is home to the Church of Son Giorgio Moggiore, which was designed by Palladio in 1566.
Each week, the Guilfordian will feature o picture from students' experiences abroad. Whetheryou hove studied or
ore currently studying in London, Sienna, Munich or somewhere else, we would love to see photos from your trip.
Please email photos to Sara Minsky at minskysj@guilford.edu with information about the subject and where & when
you studied.
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Do you hove a piece
[>f writing you've done
os a Guilford student
that just rocks?
Submit it to the Dean's Writing Awards Contest
and get a cash prize! There are 6 categories of
prizes and you can submit one piece for each
category (the poetry contest requires the
submission of 3 poems).
First-Year Writing: $100
Narrative/Refiective Writing: $50
(for sophomore through senior classes)
Schobriy/Critical Writing: $50
(for sophomore through senior classes)
Writing in the Physical and Natural Sciences:
2 awards, $50 each
Betty Place Prize in Poetry: $50
Fiction Writing: $50
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I Deadline to enter is 5 p.m., March 15 |
Please scan the QR code below or visit the
Guilford website for further submission
requirements and instructions:
Contact Parag Budhecha with any questions.
budhechapk@guilford.edu