Gender Diversity and Trans Inclusion Overview
* Goals for this session:
* Gain a better understanding of gender terminology and challenges faced by transgender (trans) individuals
* Identify a few strategies you can use to support trans individuals in and outside of an academic setting
Terminology
* Gender identity – internal sense of a person’s gender (“who you want to go to bed as”)
* Gender expression – how someone expresses their gender
* Sex assigned at birth – what the doctor declares at birth, based on genitalia, chromosomes, and hormones
* Sexual orientation – who a person is attracted to (“who you want to go to bed with”) * Physical attraction * Emotional attraction
Source: Trans Student Educational Resources (transstudent.org) Terminology (examples)
* Gender identity – cisgender female, cisgender male, transgender female, transgender man, non-binary, genderqueer, genderfluid, agender
* Gender expression – clothing, hair, voice
* Sex assigned at birth – female (AFAB), male (AMAB), intersex
* Sexual orientation – gay, lesbian, bisexual, straight, pansexual, asexual, demisexual, homoflexible, heteroflexible Terminology
* Cisgender – someone whose gender identity aligns with their sex assigned at birth
* Transgender – someone whose gender identity differs from their sex assigned at birth
* LGBTQ2IA+ - lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, two-spirit, intersex, asexual, all other sexual and gender minorities
Source: Trans Student Educational Resources (transstudent.org) Source: Reddit, u/readerbynight Other Terms
* Transition – the process of changing one’s gender expression to match their gender identity * Social transition – name change, pronouns, expression * Physical/medical transition – hormone replacement therapy, surgery
* Dysphoria – anxiety and discomfort around someone’s sex assigned at birth
* Deadname – the former name of trans person who goes by a different chosen name
Source: Trans Student Educational Resources (transstudent.org) Name and Pronouns
* Boils down to the question of “how do I refer to you?” (Aaron Rose)
* Ask for students’ chosen first name and pronouns, and use on correspondence whenever possible (avoid deadnaming) * Be sure to use their chosen name/pronouns in all conversations, even when the person is not present.
* If you see someone with multiple pronouns (e.g. they/he), prioritize the first one listed Source: Twitter Avoid These Terms:
* Preferred (gender) pronouns – not a preference, just say pronouns; adding the word gender is redundant
* “Women and women-identifying”/”women and trans women” – just say women, or cis and trans women if necessary; same goes for men * Likewise, “…identifies as a woman/man
* Real name – invalidating, use legal or given name instead
Source: Trans Student Educational Resources (transstudent.org) Avoid These Terms:
* Transgendered, or using the word “transgender” as a noun
* Transsexual/transvestite/hermaphrodite – outdated and offensive
* Biological sex – not even accurate
* Passing – not a test and reflective of privilege
* Anything that implies being trans is a choice or may invalidate someone’s identity
* Any questions you wouldn’t ask a cis person
Source: Trans Student Educational Resources (transstudent.org) So What Can I Do?
* Add your pronouns in your Zoom name (add to last name) and email signature.
* When introducing yourself, say your pronouns. Normalize this practice.
* Eliminate or minimize usage of formal gendered titles (e.g. Mr., Mrs., Ms. – just call people by their name) or binary language (e.g. ladies and gentleman, he or she).
* Normalize the use of singular “they” – it’s grammatically correct.
* If someone is misgendered in your presence, gently correct them. Don’t always leave the burden on the trans person. Source: Twitter So What Can I Do?
* Kindness and respect first – you don’t have to understand, but you need to respect * Key when it comes to any form of allyship
* Think critically about the systems and language we use on a daily basis and the potential harms they may cause, even if inadvertent. * Take active steps in making them more inclusive (e.g. using chosen name and pronouns on rosters, correspondence, and in databases) So What Can I Do?
* Donate to or get involved with organizations that support the LGBTQ2IA+ and trans communities * Sylvia Rivera Law Project * The Ali Forney Center * The Trevor Project * The Audre Lorde Project * The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center * GLITS – Gays and Lesbians Living in a Transgender Society * SAGE – Services and Advocacy for LGBT Elders * Athlete Ally Resources
* Trans Student Educational Resources * Campus Pride & Campus Pride Index * CUNY Center for LGBTQ Studies (CLAGS) * LGBTQ+ Best Practices for Law Schools: A Guide to Institutional Equity (Apr. 2019) * Suggested Best Practices for Supporting Trans* Students (2014) * 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey * NYS Report
31 anti-transgender bills filed in 20 states as GOP targets schoolchildren nationwide (Feb. 2021) * I Was Attacked By A Transphobic Mob. Here’s Why I’m Fighting Harder For Black Trans Women Now. (Feb. 2021) * Stuck on how to refer to trans people in the past? The answer is actually really simple. (Apr. 2019) Thank you! Questions?