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Board of Regents grants transgender protection
System policy will defend 'gender identity or expression'
Karline Koehler
Issue date: 2/17/05 Section: Campus News
The UW System Board of Regents added transgendered individuals to the list of those protected by the UW System's nondiscrimination policy at its meeting Friday, said Kimberly Barrett, vice chancellor for Student Development and Diversity.
The change will add the phrase "gender identity or expression" to documents addressing the System's nondiscrimination policy. The existing policy protects individuals from harassment or employment discrimination based on race, sex, religion, color, creed, disability, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry or age.
Senior Jessica Janiuk, a transgender student and chair of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender affairs for Student Senate's Student Life and Diversity commission, said she spoke to the Board of Regents in December about her experiences. Both Janiuk and Barrett said the addition met with little resistance from the Regents.
"(Some) did have a look of surprise when I said there were no legal protections," Janiuk said.
"In the moments that followed the presentation ... they started immediately taking up the cause of adding gender identity and expression to the nondiscrimination cause."
"Gender identity" refers to a person's sense of identity as a man, woman or a combination of both or neither, according to a press release from the United Council of UW Students. "Gender expression" refers to the external presentation or appearance of a person's gender.
As a result of the change, UW-Eau Claire's Student Development and Diversity office will begin considering a range of issues for transgendered students including housing, gender-neutral bathrooms, health services and recreation, said Jodi Thesing-Ritter, associate dean for Student Development.
Janiuk said these issues can have the most impact for transgendered individuals during the transition phase.
"Early in your transition, you don't know where to go to be safe," Janiuk said. "There was one point where I was actually standing outside the male and female restrooms, looking back and forth, not knowing which one to go into.
The change will add the phrase "gender identity or expression" to documents addressing the System's nondiscrimination policy. The existing policy protects individuals from harassment or employment discrimination based on race, sex, religion, color, creed, disability, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry or age.
Senior Jessica Janiuk, a transgender student and chair of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender affairs for Student Senate's Student Life and Diversity commission, said she spoke to the Board of Regents in December about her experiences. Both Janiuk and Barrett said the addition met with little resistance from the Regents.
"(Some) did have a look of surprise when I said there were no legal protections," Janiuk said.
"In the moments that followed the presentation ... they started immediately taking up the cause of adding gender identity and expression to the nondiscrimination cause."
"Gender identity" refers to a person's sense of identity as a man, woman or a combination of both or neither, according to a press release from the United Council of UW Students. "Gender expression" refers to the external presentation or appearance of a person's gender.
As a result of the change, UW-Eau Claire's Student Development and Diversity office will begin considering a range of issues for transgendered students including housing, gender-neutral bathrooms, health services and recreation, said Jodi Thesing-Ritter, associate dean for Student Development.
Janiuk said these issues can have the most impact for transgendered individuals during the transition phase.
"Early in your transition, you don't know where to go to be safe," Janiuk said. "There was one point where I was actually standing outside the male and female restrooms, looking back and forth, not knowing which one to go into.
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futuretherapist
futuretherapist
posted 2/19/05 @ 8:52 PM CST
I am an undergraduate student at the University of Houston-Clear Lake. I am a Social Worker student and I am a post-operative secondary transsexual lesbian. (Continued…)
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