There is a continuing fight for fair treatment and equitable access by LGBTQ+ students to many different things at Trent. Recent discussions at the TransMENstraution & More event show that people are still not being treated equally and that updated systems are needed, which will support and recognize LGBTQ+ identities on campus more completely. The various obstacles which LGBTQ+ students face in educational settings start from administrative rules and extend through the entire educational system until they reach actual campus infrastructure, something that is systematic, and any inclusive thoughts tend to be an afterthought.
One thing that requires immediate attention is that students need better facilities to change their names and pronouns within the MyTrent system, and to do so without continuous deadnaming from departments that seem not to be updated. For example, Trent’s financial office has sent out automated emails to students, which their deadname, usually legal name, has created serious mental health problems for students. The establishment of a straightforward procedure which permits students to change their names and pronouns of a certain max each semester (once each semester, for example) would solve multiple problems. The system would handle automatic updates from emails and class scheduling, and could potentially have their preferred name be shown on their transcript rather than to have students who have to constantly be reminded that they are still not seen as themselves. This would relieve students who experience discomfort or fear when dealing with administrative personnel, and it would be quicker than the current back-and-forth.
The challenges related to names and name changing have extended beyond just email usage. Many students who requested name changes for their student cards have faced a frustrating cycle of unsuccessful solutions because their new cards stop working. Some students who received incorrect information about card name changes actually paid their own expenses to correct their cards back to their legal names so that they were functional again, while some had to continuously fight to get Trent Admin to manually put their preferred name in the system. This was the case of a student’s first-year experience, where they were locked out of their residence
because of their name change on the card. The introduction of a dependable system which respects name changes throughout its operations will create a better experience for transgender students who will receive affirmation of their identities without all of these unnecessary boundaries.
The design of campus spaces serves an essential purpose because it creates environments where LGBTQ+ individuals can experience both security and recognition of their presence; however, the current washrooms across campus do not suffice. With one or fewer (Champlain’s main college, excluding the towers) gender neutral washrooms in each building, of which they have poor signage, and not all being equipped with disposal bins for menstrual products, LGBTQ+ students are then put in an awkward ‘othering’ situation, where their needs are not met.
This begs the question: are we doing enough for queer and trans bodies?
This blog was written by Darien Kenny.