Last week, The New York Times reported that the Department of Health and Human Services is leading an effort to have government agencies “adopt an explicit and uniform definition of gender as determined on a biological basis that is clear, grounded in science, objective and administrable.’”
While these efforts have not yet yielded any attempts at legislation or new policies, some colleges and universities have already issued statements emphasizing their support for their transgender students, faculty, and staff. We wanted to collect here some of these statements–and we’d love for you all to post statements from your institutions if any. While it’s important that colleges and universities take concrete steps to make their spaces truly inclusive for people of all genders, words can and do matter in such moments. In making these statements, we think that these institutions are recognizing the particular vulnerability of these communities under the current government, even before this move. Indeed, in making these statements, educational institutions are aligning themselves with trans, intersex, and gender-expansive individuals, communities, and organizations who have been responding to this latest assault not just with fear and concern but also with defiance and resistance. For example, trans activists organized a “visibility event” this past week in the Twin Cities where they asked allies to literally stand with them as they/we lined up for 40 blocks along a central street in the cities. We hope that these statements serve as an inspiration and model to other colleges and universities that have yet to reaffirm their support for truly gender inclusive campuses, and remember–please post other statements you know of in the comments!
Statement by faculty at University of Massachusetts Amherst College of Education
Statement by President of Reed College, Hugh Porter
Statement by President of Amherst College, Dr. Biddy Martin
Response by administrators at Stanford University (yay, Adriana’s alma mater!)
Statement by President and top-level administrators at Brandeis University
Statement by Dean of Penn State College of the Liberal Arts, Susan Welch
Statement by Interim Chancellor of UMass Boston, Katherine Newman
Statement by gender, women, and sexuality studies department at University of Minnesota
Down With Brown 