A refuge and a resource.

Trans Inclusion at St. Olaf College

Anya Galli and Lara Burkhart
St. Olaf College, 2007

Assessment and Action Plan for Transgender and Transsexual Inclusion for St. Olaf Students.

As transgender and transsexual issues become more recognized and face more social acceptance, more and more college students are identifying as trans. St. Olaf is currently behind the curve for providing a trans-friendly campus and policies, services, and resources. According to transgender law and politics scholar Brett Genny Beemyn (2006), “gender-diverse students often encounter hostile classmates, uneducated faculty and Student Affairs staff, insensitive campus health care providers, and school policies and practices that are based on binary gender categories” when their campuses fail to recognize their specific needs. In “Ten strategies to improve trans inclusiveness on campus,” Beemyn provides direct ways campuses can become more supportive of their trans students. This assessment will address the following selections from Beemyn’s suggestions: the addition “gender identity/expression” to the St. Olaf College nondiscrimination clause, provision of direct insurance coverage for hormone therapy and gender reassignment surgeries, education of campus counseling and health center staff, provision of gender-neutral housing options and facilities, allowing students to change name and gender on campus documents, and change of campus forms from “male/female” to self-specified gender.

Non-Discrimination Clause

The addition of gender identity/expression to non-discrimination policies requires institutions to make changes to ensure that they are trans inclusive. While the St. Olaf Non-Discrimination Clause includes sexual orientation, it does not include gender identity or expression. According to Beemyn (2006),

    …recognizing that the inclusion of “sex” and “sexual orientation” in nondiscrimination policies does not necessarily cover transgender and other gender-diverse people, who experience discrimination based on their gender identity and/or expression, more than 40 colleges and college systems have added “gender identity or expression” to their policies in the last decade.

Interview with Greg Kneser, Dean of Students

Although the St. Olaf Non-Discrimination Policy does not include gender identity/expression, Dean Kneser has thought about trans inclusion on campus. While it has been difficult to focus on policy because no specific students have brought issues of trans inclusion to administration, Kneser has thought about it in the context of future planning, since “it’s going to be an issue for a current or prospective student at some point.” He says it is hard to make a case for broad changes, such as amending the Non-Discrimination Clause, when the specific need has not been presented. While he understands that the school cannot solve every problem a trans student might have, he is confident that a trans student would not be at risk or discriminated against for bringing such concerns to his office or the Residence Life office.

While the Non-Discrimination Clause does cover sexual orientation, Kneser said that questions about what that actually protects (i.e. if it covers any aspects of gender identity/expression) had not come up. Should amending the clause to include gender identity/expression come up, the decision would rest with the President of the College and his or her Cabinet and Board. The ability of such an amendment to pass would depend, for the most part, on the support and acceptance of the President. A good example, Kneser says, is the same-sex partner benefits St. Olaf now provides, which were put in place mainly because the President at the time was incredibly supportive.

ELCA church-affiliated colleges tend to follow St. Olaf’s example in adopting inclusive/progressive policies. Because church affiliation can mean that members of administration have strong faith-based opinions regarding issues of gender and sexuality, colleges may be wary of causing controversy. Were St. Olaf to adopt gender identity/expression under the protections of the Non-Discrimination Clause, other colleges might follow suit.

Health Insurance

According to Beemyn (2007), “because campus health and counseling center staffs typically lack training on transgender issues, many practitioners are not sensitive to or knowledgeable about the medical needs of transgender students.” Those students who encounter informed, sensitive practitioners still face the difficulty of having those services covered by their insurance policies. Negotiation of health insurance coverage for therapy, hormone treatment, chest reconstruction surgery, and sex reassignment surgery can be incredibly difficult for trans people. In general, one cannot depend financially on insurance coverage for any treatments and must have back up plans if coverage benefits change. Some insurance companies will not cover trans-related treatments because they claim they are “pre-existing conditions” if they can prove that any treatment was sought (including counseling, therapy, support groups or other psychiatric care) prior to the onset of coverage. Some loopholes can be taken advantage of, for example, listing the reason for therapy as “depression,” getting hormone therapy covered under “hormonal imbalance” or “endocrine deficiency,” and getting plastic surgery tacked on to other corrective procedures. Sex reassignment surgery coverage can be much harder, as many policies began to exclude it following the release of several studies in the 1970s showing high suicide rates among sex reassignment patients (Transgender, 2007).

While St. Olaf’s student health insurance policy is fairly clear on its policies, it does not provide coverage of gender identity related services. Specific exclusions that apply are:

    10. Cosmetic surgery, except as the result of covered Injury occurring while this Plan is in force as to the Insured Person. This exclusion shall also not apply to cosmetic surgery which is reconstructive surgery when such service is incidental to or follows surgery resulting from trauma, infection or other disease of the involved body part, and reconstructive surgery because of congenital disease or anomaly of a covered Dependent child which has resulted in a functional defect; (St. Olaf, 2007, pp. 17, emphasis added).

This excludes any facial/physical cosmetic surgery a trans person might undergo to change their physical appearance to be more masculine/feminine.

    26. Expenses incurred for transsexual surgery or any treatment leading to or in connection with transsexual surgery; (St. Olaf, 2007, pp. 18, emphasis added)

This clearly excludes any related psychiatric care/evaluation necessary to undergo a sex reassignment surgery as well as the surgery itself.

    40. Expense incurred for: tubal ligation; vasectomy; breast implants; breast reduction; sexual reassignment surgery; impotence (organic or otherwise); acne; birth control; submucus resection and/or other surgical correction for deviated nasal septum, other than for required treatment of acute purulent sinusitis;circumcision; gynecomastia; hirsutism; and learning disabilities or disorders or Attention Deficit Disorder; (St. Olaf, 2007, pp. 19, emphasis added).

This exclusion applies to mastectomy that a female-to-male transsexual person might undergo, as well as reiterating the policy’s exclusion of sex reassignment surgeries.

Future Action

Changes to make the student health insurance policy more inclusive of trans-related services and treatments would require work with campus administration and insurance providers. It would also (most likely) increase the cost of the policy for students. This work cannot effectively be done until the campus is committed to trans inclusion, which would require that the non-discrimination clause include gender identity and expression under its protections.

A compiled resource list for trans students (appendix ) should be made available in the campus Health Services office, Campus Counseling center, Dean of Student’s Office, Gender and Sexuality Center, and Wellness center. This resource list should be revised yearly to be kept up-to-date.

Counseling Services

Students who want to transition must receive documentation from therapists/psychiatrists in order to legally undergo sex reassignment surgery, relationships with counselors and therapists are crucial. In addition, increased risk of suicide, mental health difficulties, and overall social stigma against trans people mean that many trans students will seek the help of a counselor at some point. Because psychology has historically been unfriendly towards trans people, supportive and informed counseling and health center staff are crucial components of a trans-friendly campus.

Interview with Steve O’Neill, director of the St. Olaf Counseling Center.

Because the St. Olaf Counseling Center uses generalist practice, none of the counselors have specific or focused training in issues of gender and sexuality. O’Neill said that he was “not aware of any specific therapist or clinic” in close proximity to the St. Olaf campus that could provide tailored treatment or services for trans students. In general, O’Neill said, counselors would try to get a feel for “if [transition is] something [the student] would really like” and then look for a specific counselor or services to refer the student to after assessment. O’Neill also mentioned that because the need for services drives the process of providing them, the St. Olaf Counseling center has yet to provide services for trans students because transgender/transsexual issues are “not things that have presented” as a student need or concern. Staff at the Counseling Center received general training (which may or may not have touched on issues of gender identity), but can seek more specific training through their continuing education requirements. As of February, 2008, the Counseling Center staff will have received general training on trans-related issues in the clinical setting.

Gender Neutral Facilities

Campuses across the United States are making gender-neutral restrooms easily accessible on their campus. Trans people face discrimination when they are forced to use male/female specific restrooms; they may feel personally uncomfortable, be harassed by other people using the restrooms. On the St. Olaf campus, students may face a $500 fine for using a bathroom “inappropriate” to their biological sex. There are numerous medical problems associated with “holding it,” which many trans people will do until they can use a safe facility.

Restrooms are one of the most conceptually simple areas in which trans inclusion can occur. While some people may argue that “mixed gender” restrooms are dangerous, encourage public sex, and put women and children at risk of assault, these concerns can be avoided by the provision of single stall, locking facilities. These facilities also assist families with children and people with disabilities who require the assistance of an attendant of the opposite sex. They also easily meet the specifications of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (University of California, 2007). Currently, some colleges are creating private changing rooms when they renovate or build new recreation centers. According to Beemyn (2007), “these facilities not only serve the needs of transgender students, but also parents with children of a different gender than themselves, people with disabilities who require the assistance of an attendant of a different gender, and anyone desiring greater privacy.”

Interview with Pete Sandberg, St. Olaf Assistant Vice President for Facilities

Currently, gender-neutral restrooms are available in the following places: Buntrock Commons (two single, locking rooms on the second floor), the lower level of Boe Chapel (one single, locking room on the first floor), and Holland Hall (one single, locking room on the first floor). Ytterboe residence hall has two, single, locking rooms on the lower/ground level, second, and third floors, but they are marked according to the genders assigned to the floors- this could be remedied by change in signage. The new Science Center will also feature several locking single stalls with showers that will be gender-neutral. Mohn and Larson residence halls both feature two single-stall locking restrooms on the basement floors, currently designated as male/female specific that could easily be made trans-friendly by changing the signage. Rand residence hall has some rooms with connected bathrooms shared between two rooms that could, potentially, be “gender-neutral” if the hall were to have gender-neutral rooming options (an option which is not currently available). Questions regarding locker room facilities also came up but were not addressed fully.

Sandberg noted that gender-neutral restrooms in public buildings (academic, administrative and student commons) are easy to set up because they are also important for ADA regulations. While it is too costly to develop new restrooms from scratch in existing buildings, Sandberg was supportive of changing signs where possible to provide more gender-neutral restrooms on campus. He said that the issue had not come up in the past and it was his first time really thinking about it. Sandberg was incredibly willing to work to make campus facilities more inclusive. “We’re a lot better off than other colleges” in terms of improving our facilities, he says, because he has “flexible funding. Although he says the “regulatory stuff can overshadow the voluntary issues we should be working on,” he is willing to take time to make relatively simple changes.

Future Action (proposed date: January, 2008)

Sandberg and students from the St. Olaf Gender and Sexuality Center plan to visit facilities on campus to assess what changes can be easily made to provide more gender-neutral restrooms. Post-assessment changes in signage and policy will be made. This should provide at least 4-8 more gender-neutral restrooms in the short term.

Long-term action involves the construction of gender-neutral restrooms where they are not currently possible to provide and the commitment to provide gender-neutral restrooms in any new buildings constructed on campus. This would most likely require that gender identity be included in the campus Non-Discrimination Clause.

Housing

Housing assigned on the basis of genetic sex discriminates against trans students because it fails to provide safe, comfortable on-campus options. According to Beemyn (2007) some campuses have enacted policies that support trans students in choosing housing that fits their gender identity/expression instead of their biological sex on a case by case basis. Other colleges are implementing gender neutral housing options, in which students can be assigned a roommate regardless of their gender. Such options are diversely implemented and may involve “individual suites, a hallway or floor, particular buildings or areas of buildings” (Beemyn, 2007). Another option is lesbian, gay bisexual, transgender and ally (LGBTA) residences, honor houses, or floors, which can offer gender-neutral, supportive housing as well as gender-neutral facilities.

The only specifically trans inclusive housing at St. Olaf College is currently the Gender and Sexuality House, which is multi-gender and has gender-neutral facilities. The house is not open to first years and exists on a year-to-year application basis, so it is not a reliable option for trans students. Several other honor houses, mainly related to foreign languages, are co-ed but do not provide specifically trans-supportive facilities or services.

Interview with Pamela McDowell, Director of Residence Life

Gender neutral housing is fairly easy to set up in the honor houses, as has been done in the Gender and Sexuality House. It is also possible that gender-neutral housing be available on an individual student basis in Rand Hall, which has private bathrooms for some rooms. McDowell notes, “other issues can revolve around student comfort and environment.” Each case is different, she says,” depending on how comfortable a trans student is feeling in this environment.” McDowell is supportive of trans students and dedicated to providing the services necessary to meet their needs for “appropriate, healthy housing.” In terms of a general option for gender-neutral housing, McDowell says the next step is “waiting for a case of a student to come forward and talking about what issues the student is having with housing and how to address them.” It seems that until trans-related housing concerns become more common (or visible) that individual-basis housing arrangements will be sufficient for students to have access to housing arrangements they need.

Forms, Records, and Documents

Male/female binary designations on campus forms, records and documents do not provide options for students who do not fit either category. As Beemyn (2007) writes, “having a "sex" category on forms that is limited to "Male" and "Female" makes transgender students feel disregarded, and with no means to identify themselves, they remain invisible to administrators and their needs continue to be overlooked.” Some colleges and universities are changing from “sex” designations of only “male” or “female” to questions which allow students to self identify, such as “gender:_________” or “gender: male, female, transgender.” Students also need to be able to alter their school records and documents to reflect their appropriate name and gender. This is important legally (protection from discrimination and being “outed”) and to validate students’ identities, as well as for social situations. Beemyn (2007) writes, it can “allow [trans people] to avoid constantly having to explain why they use a name different from their birth name and why their appearance does not match a photo or gender designation on an identification card.” Colleges can adopt policies that allow students to easily change name, gender, and other identifying characteristics on their records and identification cards. Depending on the institution, this may require legal documentation of name change, a letter from a mental health professional, or no proof at all.

St. Olaf currently uses “sex [or gender]: male/female” on all of its official forms. Change from this designation system would require widespread restructuring across all levels of the campus and reorganization of all of the campus data systems. Again, such changes will not likely occur without the inclusion of gender identity/expression in the non-discrimination clause.

According to Greg Kneser, Dean of Students, the Registrar’s Office will change a student’s gender on all school records while they are enrolled under the same policy in use to change student’s names. The Deans’ and Registrar’s offices have thought about trans issues in this context and will change a student’s listed gender (so long as it is male or female) with “no issue, no controversy, and no concern.” Once a student has graduated, however, gender or name cannot be changed on school records unless the student was to re-enroll at St. Olaf.



References: Inclusion Assesment

    Beemyn, B.G. (2006). Ten strategies to improve trans-inclusiveness on campus. Retrieved 12/13/2007 from www.umass.edu/stonewall/uploads/ listWidget/8764/improve%20trans%20inclusiveness.pdf.

    University of California Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex Association. (2007). Gender neutral restrooms. Retrieved December 10, 2007 from http://www.uclgbtia.org/restrooms.html.

A note about sources: readers will notice that the sources for this assessment have been obtained from the internet. Currently, the most up-to-date information about college and university policies and services are available online. Also, the majority of information regarding trans inclusion comes from non-profit or grassroots community organizations that do not have the funding to formally publish their information. Academia is just beginning to approach the politics of trans inclusion and print resources are currently difficult to find.