Sophie Jane @ghost_bird@mythago.space

Trans university students and staff - what would your ideal trans-friendly university be like? Wishlists and examples of good stuff already happening both welcome. (Boosts welcome too)

@ghost_bird One last point: the establishment of a year-round (summer term too!) trans care team, comprised of folks from the health center, disability office, students rights office, admin/admissions, and LGBTQIA+ group/office. It doesn't have to be big, just a team that understands they might be called on to weigh in on stuff, advise, or direct trans students with questions to the appropriate department.

The latter is a HUGE deal.

One of the things about being trans, especially pre-coming out or early in transition (and by early, I mean the first 3 years or so), is the near-constant lack of spoons.

Having to go from office to office to office, often in person, only to be met with bewilderment or discomfort at *every place*, and not getting help, and being sent somewhere else...meanwhile whatever issue I had was still pressing...all on top of classes, homework and work *and dysphoria*...that's just bullshit. People give up.

There needs to be a confidential intake website or phone line that trans (or any LGBTQIA+ student OR teacher/employee) can call to be directed where to go to solve an issue, and that number/website needs to be given out during crush or intake or orientation or whatever the uni calls their first week.

Orientation or crush is actually a great place to make it clear to all students at once, especially the questioning ones, that trans people are *part* of the university, not just an issue the university is "dealing with".

@ghost_bird Also, for god's sake, if there's a health center or a clinic attached to the university, give them not just "how to be supportive to trans patients" literature.

But ALSO give them literal diagrams of the changes medically/surgically transitioned bodies might look like they have.

Gynecologists for instance need to know, in advance, what trans guys who have had bottom growth or surgery might look like, or the issues they present with.

We're perfectly normal, not a fuckin science accident to gawk at, or get mad about because we upset narrow definitions of feminist body positivity!

And that trans guys might still want to have he/him pronouns, even if we come in for a pap test or breast exam/surgery consult. Guys have tits too.

@ghost_bird
good: my uni changed my name in the system, email, cards, diploma etc. without me being able to change the legal name

bad: the bureaucracy around this was complex and demanding

bad: terf professor published article, no statement (afaik) from the uni

@ghost_bird promotion of queer artists and queer art shows etc. queer cultural events, art shows, concerts etc.

@ghost_bird like i obvi never went to college, but I live around a big university and am quite familiar with the services they offer.

From my life I think the following would be cool:

Drug and addiction resources aimed at trans ppl, addiction is high in our community
Sex education, but not just like safe sex and such. Like proper models of consent, ways to explore bodies etc. they do that here, like I went to a presentation on female orgasms and such here, but was very cis oriented

@ghost_bird One of my TAs of a small seminar/discussion group emailed us before the first class to just give some general introduction stuff and she also asked us about pronouns and said "let me know if you want me to use a different name for you than what's on the register, that's no problem." I was really impressed with this because she was very matter-of-fact about it, and asking in email meant no one had to out themselves in class.

@ghost_bird
Easily accessible trans policy!! My uni has a great policy on what support students & staff coming out as trans can ask for but I had to do some really determined googling and nobody I talked to, staff or other trans students, had heard of it. I feel like there’s so much contorting yourself through hoops/loopholes and bureaucracy obstacle courses anyway, it would be good to have everything on one webpage thoroughly linked from elsewhere, maybe with the other pastoral care stuff

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@ghost_bird ooh! the student union got a fund to buy gender-affirming clothes etc and then gave them out to people who wanted them discreetly - that was pretty cool, and wouldve sped up my trying out a binder a lot if I’d heard about it the year before. I don’t think they’re still doing it though.

Less ‘boys on the left, girls on the right’. That’s happened at least twice with people who were not weird otherwise abt my whole deal.

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@ghost_bird Also, definitely more gender-neutral toilets that aren't just the accessible ones with a sign tacked on, and make sure they have a frigging menstrual products bin in them, and make sure they're at least as prevalent as gendered toilets so we don't have to walk right down the hall and two flights of stairs, and make sure it's clear where they all are.

Also make sure the computer systems don't force us into a gender binary.

@ghost_bird i guess having the chosen name on the lists would really help. I have a friend who can't convince her university to change her name because she hasn't made the legal change yet.