Transgender Student Inclusion : Single Sex Colleges

Spearheaded by Sophomore Abby Snyder, this group of students are fighting to create an inclusive community where students that identity as transgender can feel comfortable and have a safe place to use the restroom. After talking with Abby Snyder and Kelly Doran, the assistant director for capital planning and construction at Colby, it is clear that there are many possible ways of implementing gender-neutral bathrooms on Colby’s campus. For example, a short term solution would be to to make all bathrooms in the dorms coed. Since Hillside buildings only have space for one bathroom on each floor. As a result, when someone whose sex does not correspond with the gender indicated on the bathroom sign, they have to go downstairs. In these buildings, if everyone is okay with making these bathrooms coed, it should be allowed by the school for them to do so. This acts as a quick and easy fix that benefits the transgender community as well as the cisgender community because it means that men and women do not need to travel to certain floors to use the “appropriate” bathroom. Since a majority of this school states that they feel comfortable with using bathrooms with someone of a different sex or gender, the Colby rule preventing coed bathrooms should be revoked. Secondly, if a dorm has two bathrooms on one floor, they could make one of these bathrooms gender-neutral to benefit those who do not mind it, and then bathrooms for specific genders could alternate by floor. A third possible idea would be to have student indicate on their housing application whether or not they are comfortable sharing a bathroom with another sex or gender. This way, multiple dorms could have all gender-neutral bathrooms and only have people who feel comfortable with it, while other dorms could have people who are not comfortable with it. These are a few of many possible ways to

In the late 1950’s to mid-1960’s, the transgender community faced discrimination such as physical and verbal harassment, denial of social spaces, and alienation in the media. This matters to us today because transgender individuals are still existing and are a part of our human population today. The community is also still struggling to find their representation in the media and in society. The transgender community is still facing a wide array of types of discrimination, from nasty looks to denied access of education. Gender identity should not be taken into consideration when determining another person’s worthiness of respect.

Most don’t explicitly look into the complexity of a transgender person’s life and all the questions or problems one might face: Do I use the men’s or the women’s bathroom? Is it appropriate to use this locker room? Those are only two of the many questions a transgender person might run into on a daily basis because of how others would see the situation, how the people who may have a sneaking suspicion that the woman they saw go into the ladies’ bathroom isn’t actually female by their definition, or how it could also seem strange to see that same person go into the mens’ bathroom. These all lead to dysphoria in any person’s situation in public places due to the fact that many choose to taunt or mock the person; however, with the help of Title IX these questions could start to vanish from the thoughts of many transgender students which Blad exemplifies with a quote in her article:

In recent years, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights has received an increasing number of questions from parents and schools regarding civil rights protections for transgender students. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits discrimination in educational programs/activities based on gender, including discrimination based on a student’s gender identity or transgender status. This letter, while it does not add requirements to applicable law, provides significant guidance and encouragement regarding a school’s Title IX obligations for transgender students and how a school is evaluate for compliance with these obligations.

The changing norms of the generation has brought upon commotion between various states because of the presidents judgement. The transgender bathroom policy allows transgender students to use the bathroom they identify as and not by the sex on their birth certificate (Fox News, 2016). The transgender bathroom policy has both successes and failure to ensure safety for transgender students resulting to its change being for not only trans-gender. Gender neutral bathrooms allows safety for those who are not only transgender, but also a part of the LGBTQ community, etc. but it causes a conflict with gender segregation. Adding additional bathrooms to suite other gender preferences costs more money and not everyone is going to accept what they walk into the bathroom and see. The gender neutral bathroom policy should be taken off of hold and be put into action because everything is constantly changing and those who do not identify as the sex they were assigned at birth are at risk for harm.

In “What Should “Diversity on Campus” Mean and Why?” various authors argue how it is difficult for women to get on a college campus, and to be comfortable on college campuses. In her article, “Trans Women at Smith,” Sarah Fraas, explains how difficult it is for transgender women to just apply to Women only universities: specifically, Smith’s. A study conducted by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force figured out that less than half of transgender students have been able to update their school information (Fraas). It has been stated that some of the students who tried were immediately rejected by their high school. Also, in another article “Muslim American Women in Campus Culture,” Shabana Mir argues how it is difficult for female Muslim American

This leads to the questions Should all public colleges comply with Title IX? Is accepting LGBT students just a means to increase campus diversity statics? Why do colleges punish LGBT students for showing sexuality on campuses? In this paper, I will analyze whether all colleges private and public should comply with Title IX, if sexual orientation has to do with the admission process, and whether campuses lie about being accepting of the LGBT community.

According to Campus Pride, there are at least 102 colleges and universities in the United States that are not safe for LGBTQ students. Campus Pride is a non-profit organization created to help support the lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender, and queer community that are students in colleges and universities. Their prime goal is allowing colleges and universities to have safe spaces and treat LGBTQ students as equals. They work to protect their human rights and as well teach them leadership skills. They value social justice and as well as empowerment towards all students. They also offer scholarships for the LGBTQ students in help for supporting the community. Their website also indicates safe and LGBTQ-friendly colleges and universities.

People often have an inaccurate picture of reality. Most people consider themselves friendly, forgiving, and welcoming human beings. They believe they have a sound sense of morality, adhere to their foolproof policies of right and wrong, and promote righteousness. Unfortunately, through the eyes of transgender students, this is rarely the case. Although The Title IX law is supposed to defend them from discrimination, sexual harassment, and bullying (Source A), the success of this vague list of rights is nonexistent.

This leads to the questions Should all public colleges comply with Title IX? Is accepting LGBT students just a means to increase campus diversity statics? Why do colleges punish LGBT students for showing sexuality on campuses? In this paper I will analyze weather all colleges private and public should comply with Title IX, if sexual orientation has to do with admission process, and weather campuses lie about being accepting of the LGBT community.

In the summer time of 2015, it was shown in a CNN article that “two-thirds of Americans were in favor in gay marriage” soon to become a law change in most states to make it acceptable for people of the same sex to live together as partners and live the life they wish to as a married couple. This quick acceptance in our country shows the urgency of openness to everyone around, prior to the summer of 2015 an issue that our country faced was the issue of acceptance of others that would classify themselves as a member of the LGBTQ community. As the campus of Southeast Missouri State University constantly breaks new records of enrollment and students choosing to live on campus the universities new President is embarking on a new way to market the university, diversity. As the acceptance with members in the LGBTQ community, more and more students are opening up at home, expressing and or finding out their true selves in their college years. Limiting the residence halls to same birth sex only is limiting the growth as individuals of the new students who come in that might be included or interested in the LGBTQ community. Some students are afraid to come out expressing themselves, having the opportunity to room with a person who is of the opposite gender or “trans” can be very beneficial. Like in the article “So Roomie, Let’s Talk” students don’t always understand one another’s diversity which can lead to some very terrible things. “Bullying peaks in middle school and decreases in high school but can continue in college.” Students are constantly facing peer pressure and judgment in the story by Slotnik the two roommates barely communicated amongst each other, once the truth came out about one of the roommates the others life soon ended.(Slotnik) If the campus would allow its students to choose everything some students' identities might be

On its web site this week, Target announced, "[W]e welcome transgender team members and guests to use the restroom or fitting room facility that corresponds with their gender identity. ...Everyone deserves to feel like they belong."

The transgender community faces much opposition in today’s society. Transgender athletes, in certain states, are facing many discriminating laws against them. In the United States, only sixteen states will let students compete as the gender they identify as. Seven states force transgender students to compete under the gender they were born, seventeen states have a case by case basis system, and ten states don’t even have a policy. (Transathlete, 2017) Students in these states have a hard time being able to express who they are. Changes need to be made where every student has equal opportunities to be who they are.

Second argument by Sarah Fraas, an article titled, “Trans Women at Smith: The Complexities of Checking “Female”,” proves that gender bias is much more complicated than it appears. Trans Women at Smith college are required to prove gender markers with letters from teachers, health providers, etc. The problem with that is other women colleges accept all women no matter what gender they were assigned at birth. Gender identity has been a very contentious topic in United States. Whether you are against Trans women or women only colleges, we are not supposed to be the same. “We are all, myself included, a product of ideologies we have been taught to believe are common sense” (Fraas 685). We can disagree with someone’s opinions or ideology, but we

In past generations, it has been clear to society that males and females use segregated bathrooms. It is also known that the rate of transgender people has been growing over the past years. Transgender people constantly face troubles when using a bathroom in public. Nevertheless, as society has become more aware of the transgender population and the issues that they face, many schools have had to decide how they will respond about the issue of school bathrooms when students identify themselves as transgender. A school should be able to provide separate facilities based on sex, but must allow transgender students access to the facility which matches their gender identity.