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Committee considers transgender housing in residence halls |
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Thursday, 15 November 2007 |
 The Living Learning Center, is one of many dorms on campus that is eligible for transgendered residents. Photo by Anna Donlan
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by KATIE EASTER
Intern Lifestyles Reporter
by REBECCA GARDNER
News Reporter
Appalachian State University has been trying to diversify its campus and students who identify themselves as transgender, gender variant, or as allies can look for outlets at Appalachian.
Appalachian
recently established the Housing Policy Recommendation Committee for
Transgender Housing, charged with investigating ways to make Housing
and Residence Life more accommodating for transgender students, said
Tracey L. Wright, associate vice chancellor for student development and
chair of the committee.
Wright
said the committee formed a list of pieces and suggestions that will be
revised and possibly put into the housing contract for the 2008-09
academic year.
Some of the suggestions the committee made will include changing from a
binary system to include other gender options, creating a tool to gauge
students’ willingness to room with transgender or gender variant
students, and clustering rooms of transgender students, Wright said.
Wright said accommodations are not enough, and that training is needed
to raise awareness. The committee also suggested additional training
for Housing and Residence Life staff.
At a meeting Monday, Wright presented what the committee proposed for inclusion next academic school year.
“[Vice Chancellor for Student Development] Cindy Wallace will take it
to the vice chancellor meeting [that Chancellor Kenneth E. Peacock]
hosts on a regular basis,” Wright said. “After we hear their voice, we
will have an idea of what is approved, needs work, etc.”
Appalachian currently works on a case-by-case basis, but these changes
will make it a leader among peer institutions, according to information
complied by Housing and Residence Life.
“Overall, we are trying to be more transparent about the fact that
there are transgender students and their needs may be different from
other students,” Wright said.
The committee also found single-gender residence halls and those
without personal bathrooms not to be accommodating for transgender
students.
There are about five residence halls the committee feels would accurately accommodate transgender students, Wright said.
Transgender students were also able to provide input via e-mail to the committee, Wright said.
Several other schools are currently evaluating transgender housing as
well, including University of California Riverside, Tufts University,
and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
 | Wisdom
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Summer S. Wisdom, a senior English major, is the president of Sexuality and Gender Alliance, or SAGA.
Wisdom said a progressive attitude is crucial to responding to transgender students and their special needs.
“The fact that the university is acknowledging the needs of transgender students sends a good message,” Wisdom said.
Wisdom believes that since a residence hall room is so small and confined, additional privacy must be considered.
“There is a history of violence when people find out [about transgender roommates],” Wisdom said.
Wisdom believes
the issue should be handled on a case-by-case basis and does not agree
with policy grouping all transgender students together.
“It is certainly not [a good idea] to rope off a floor. To require
everyone of that nature to live together invites segregation, which is
never a good idea,” Wisdom said. “It should be situation-based to
establish a comfort level between roommates.”
Wisdom said SAGA is open to anyone to come; there are no membership fees or lists to ensure confidentiality.
“It’s a place to be yourself,” Wisdom said. “It’s an all encompassing resource.”
SAGA meets on the second floor of I.G. Greer Hall in the Strickland conference room on Thursdays at 8 p.m.
TransAction, a new club at Appalachian, was formed to help unite gender minorities.
“The purpose of TransAction is to unite gender minorities…in the Boone
area and to promote a better understanding of [transgender] issues and
awareness through community education,” said Michal J. Duffy, a senior
Spanish major and co-president of TransAction.
TransAction meets in Whitewater Café in Plemmons Student Union Thursdays at 6 p.m.
Appalachian State University also offers Appalachian Allies, a support group for GLBT students.
According to the Allies’ Web site, the “Appalachian Allies program
exists to promote an open and affirming environment for gay, lesbian,
bisexual, and transgender persons by establishing a recognizable
network of trained allies who provide support and information to the
community.”
The Student Government Association passed a bill last year that brought single-use restrooms to buildings across campus.
Staff psychologist Dr. Sheri L. Clark said the Counseling and
Psychological Services Center offers GBL and Transgender therapy for
students who identify with these terms.
The GLB and Transgender group meets Mondays at 1:30 p.m. and the
Transgender group meets Fridays at 2 p.m. in the counseling center.
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Why make special concessions for people who wanna be different? In that case, you better spend time developing a "tool" to gauge someone's receptiveness to living with someone who is athletic, studious, fat, obnoxious, or just plain refuses to shower. Don't stop at just one type of person. Be all inclusive and make sure you leave no one out. It'd just be awful for someone to feel like they got shafted on the roommate deal, instead of finding their new best friend on Day 1. Who doesn't love their roommate from the start and stay BFF? Remember, we all have to feel good at the end of the day....
Oh yeah, if you have a girl who lives like a guy, does she live on an all male floor? Can a guy who lives like a girl live on an all female floor? If no, then why not? Won't they feel more comfortable with the sex they think they are? If it bothers the other 40 or so students on that particular floor, can't they just be told to shut up and deal with it so they don't upset the one that is different?
I wonder if a guy who claims he wants to be a girl could live on an all female floor, use their showers, and be a part of their community, even if he really lives as a guy? I can see a lot of hook-up potential in this situation. But then on the other hand, I know some girls who would be all about saying "Well, I'm like, really a guy, hehe" and have a different guy over every night. It'll be interesting to see how that problem is handled....