Monday, November 9, 2009
The University has finally taken a step in the right direction to support and protect transgendered students and faculty. Gender identity and gender expression have been added to the nondiscrimination and the equal opportunity policy for the University, thus living up to the promoted philosophy of diversity and acceptance of all people.
After this policy was passed through Student Senate, it was presented at a meeting of University Senate on Oct. 8, where the senate unanimously voted to amend the two policies for the University. It was then approved by the interim provost, Danny J. Anderson, as well as the chancellor, Bernadette Gray-Little.
Slightly late
Though these additions to the policies should be applauded, the University is slightly behind in making them.
“K-State actually had it in their policy before we did” said Jayne Henson, activism coordinator for Queers and Allies.
It was also already part of Kansas law, thanks to Executive Order 07-24 issued by former Gov. Kathleen Sebelius in August 2007. This law prohibits discrimination and harassment for state employees on account of gender identity, among numerous other things.
Wording left out
Though the policy was unanimously approved, there was some wording that did not make the final cut. In the original proposal the words “actual or perceived” were included in order to ensure the most protection for transgendered students and faculty.
Henson, who played a large role in writing and passing this policy, said she had seen the wording in a similar policy at another University, and thought it was important because sometimes gender is something that is perceived.
“Most of the time you don’t ask someone first,” Henson said. “Really it’s about our perceptions of people,” “Sometimes people can be perceived as being trans even if they’re not.”
Saida Bonifield, LGBT Resource Center Coordinator, who helped write and present the addition to the policy, said, “University legal council thought this could be too complicated.”
If this wording is important to the LGBT community to ensure the most protection, the University should reconsider adding it to the policies.
Why it's important
The University needed to do this in order to show support and protect their students and faculty.
“With myself identifying as transsexual I was distraught about how horrible things were for trans people,” Henson said. “No one was fighting for us.”
If the University wishes to remain progressive and diverse. it needs to take steps to live up to these powerful words.
“Having this wording there for trans. people to see is important,” Henson said. “It’s saying my University wants me to be happy and support me.”
For students and faculty already here, and in recruiting potential new members to the community, this wording shows the University is an accepting place.
More to do
“This is the first step,” Bonifield said. “I want the students to feel as safe as possible.”
Henson described a situation that occurred to her friend who is in the transitioning process.
“My friend who is a freshman is transferring because TA’s and faculty refuse to call him by the name he prefers,” she said.
Not only is this disrespectful of transgendered identity, it is losing a Jayhawk because of discrimination.
“That’s where we need to start — with faculty,” Henson said. “We have this wording in place and the next step is to show that it’s not just words on a piece of paper. Whether you agree with trans identity or not it’s an issue of respect.”
This addition to the University’s policy is a great one, and all of the members of the LGBT community who fought for it should be applauded.
The University should continue to support transgendered protection, and put actions to their well intended words.
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