Gender Inclusive BU: A Proposal To Improve Conditions For The LGBTQIA+ Community At Boston University

Written by the Center for Gender Sexuality and Activism (CGSA), in consultation with the Queer Activist Collective (Q) and the Transgender Listening Circle (TLC)


Table of Contents Appeals………………………………………1 Section 1: Gender Neutral Housing………..2 Section 2: Gender Inclusive Restrooms……7 Section 3: Steadfast Inclusion………………9 Works Consulted……………………………11


Page !1

APPEALS 1. The Gender Neutral Housing Program needs to be re-centered around protecting and improving quality of life on campus for transgender and gender-nonconforming students. 2. Accessible and affordable gender neutral housing options should be available to all students, regardless of class standing, on an unlimited basis. 3. The creation of a two year plan for establishing a LGBTQ+ centric brownstone on Bay State Road. 4. Accessible, all gender restrooms in all academic, administrative, and residential buildings on campus (both Charles River and Medical) , which are proportional in number to the size of the building. 5. Create an easily accessible, university-wide map of all gender neutral restrooms. 6. Convene a permanent standing committee, as recommended in the 2016 BU Final Report of the Committee on Diversity and Inclusion, which addresses university wide diversity & inclusion issues and ensures that LGBTQ+ students have a platform.

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Section 1: Gender Neutral Housing

Appeals: 1. The Gender Neutral Housing Program needs to be re-centered around protecting and improving quality of life on campus for transgender and gender-nonconforming students. 2. Accessible and affordable gender neutral housing options should be available to all students, regardless of class standing, on an unlimited basis. 3. The creation of a two year plan for establishing a LGBTQ+ centric brownstone on Bay State Road.

Explanations and Evidence: 1. The current language in the Gender Neutral Housing Policy, as found on the BU Housing Website, frames the program as one of “student choice” rather than a policy in place to aid and protect LGBTQ+ students.1 While we hold that every student, regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation, should be eligible for Gender Neutral Housing, it must be recognized that the LGBTQ+ community, specifically transgender and gender nonconforming students, were the population advocated for in the 2013 Gender Neutral BU Campaign.2 As such, we maintain that the top priority for BU’s Gender Neutral Housing program and policies should be to promote the safety and general welfare of transgender and gender-nonconforming students. A. The policy that only “mixed gender groups” can apply for Gender Neutral Housing has been identified as a problem area. This portion of the policy, while well intentioned to make it feel open to all students, has inhibited many transgender and gender-nonconforming students from accessing Gender Neutral Housing or other appropriate housing on a few fronts. The first front is found in the housing process itself, which is based off the sex listed on an individual’s birth certificate, rather than the gender they identify with.3 Under the current policy, one must have gone through 1

BU Housing, Residence and dining plans, 2017-2018 Academic Year http://www.bu.edu/housing/living/rates/2017-18- academic-year/

2

Petition, Gender Neutral Housing. Gender Neutral BU, 2013. https://www.change.org/p/theboston-university-administration-implement-gender-neutral-housing-for-fall-2013

3

BU Housing, Gender Neutral Housing, 2017-2018 Academic Year https://www.bu.edu/housing/assignments/gender-neutral-housing/

Page !3 the process of getting the sex listed on their birth certificate changed, or changed within the BU system (something which is not yet available), in order to live with those they’re friends with. Unfortunately, this leaves many transgender and gendernonconforming students disqualified from living in the system with someone of the opposite gender, an opportunity which is available to other students. For example, someone who identifies and is living as a transgender man, but is listed in the system as legally female, would be ineligible to live in gender neutral housing with a girl, as this pairing would not be considered a “mixed gender group”. B. Additionally, outside the Gender Neutral housing program, the inability to easily change your gender identity within the BU system leaves students in the uncomfortable position of possibly being paired randomly with someone of the opposite sex, or feeling forced into paying more for a single, losing out on the opportunity to have a roommate. Additionally, research suggests that being denied access to housing that matches your gender identity increases the rate of suicide among transgender individuals.4 2. One of the most significant problems with the current Gender Neutral Housing policy is that it remains limited; not accessible to all students who would like to utilize it. This problem is many faceted, but can generally be broken into three groups: financial barriers, class standing, and availability of units. A. First, addressing the financial barriers to students who want or need to be in gender neutral housing. Of the 10 large dormitory style5 residences on campus, 6 of them are completely ineligible for gender neutral housing, and two of them are unavailable to underclassmen. The cost of living in the ineligible residences ranges from about 10,000-13,000$6 not including a meal plan.7 The ranging cost of the gender neutral eligible dorms (including those not open to underclassman) is between 13,000-17,000$ not including meal plans or groceries.8 The significant extra cost for students who want to live in gender neutral housing is prohibitive in and of itself. 4

Seelman K.L. Transgender Individuals’ Access to College Housing and Bathrooms: Findings from the National Transgender Discrimination Survey. 2014. Social Work Faculty Publications 57(1): 1-24.

5

We assessed the threshold qualifying a building as large dormitory style as being able to house 400+ students in one building (does not include collections of buildings like Bay State Rd. or South Campus) 6

This range of numbers excludes the current pro-rated Myles Standish Annex price

7

BU Housing, Residence and dining plans, 2017-2018 Academic Year http://www.bu.edu/ housing/living/rates/2017-18-academic-year/

8

BU Housing, Residence and dining plans, 2017-2018 Academic Year http://www.bu.edu/ housing/living/rates/2017-18-academic-year/

Page !4 i.

We understand the intention behind excluding these large dormitory style residences was partly due to the fact that these floors often only have one “men’s” bathroom and one “women’s” bathroom which could lead to student conflicts. We suggest that you consider allocating one floor in in a large style dormitory as an option for gender neutral housing, and changing the restrooms to “gender inclusive restrooms” that can be used by all. This floor would only be assigned to people who indicated an interest or willingness to participate in the gender neutral housing program. This way, there is no student who is unwillingly in gender neutral housing, and students can cost maximize while still being able to participate in the program.

ii. It has been suggested in a number of sociological studies that LGBTQ+ people, especially transgender and gender-nonconforming people, are often more likely to have financial hardships.910 This has been attributed to number of reasons including discriminatory hiring practices, and being cut off from family and forms of financial support.11 This is an issue that especially affects many youths, who are trying to express their identity, but are also financially dependent on families who may not be approving, and who could cut them off.12 Therefore, the exclusion of more affordable housing options from gender neutral housing can especially impactful on LGBTQ+ students. B. Transgender and gender-nonconforming people exist across all ages. By not allowing freshman the opportunity to apply for gender neutral housing, we are denying their right to a safe and prosperous living conditions where they will feel comfortable, as well as failing to recognize that freshman are equally valid in their gender identity. We maintain that class standing should take a secondary role when a student believes that their physical safety or mental health could be in jeopardy. i.

9

We understand that BU, like many other schools, attempts to create a freshman community and foster friendships by pairing incoming students together. However, this in no way means that students cannot participate in gender neutral

Seelman K.L. Transgender Individuals’ Access to College Housing and Bathrooms: Findings from the National Transgender Discrimination Survey. 2014. Social Work Faculty Publications 57(1): 1-24.

10 A Report

on the Status of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender People in Education; Stepping Out of the Closet, Into the Light. National Education Association, 2009.

11

E. Stolzenberg and B. Hughes, The Experiences of Incoming Transgender College Students: New Data on Gender Identity. 2017. Association of American Colleges and Universities Vol. 103, No. 2

12

E. Stolzenberg and B. Hughes, The Experiences of Incoming Transgender College Students: New Data on Gender Identity. 2017. Association of American Colleges and Universities Vol. 103, No. 2.

Page !5 housing. Freshman should be able to enter into the gender neutral housing pool if they wish, where they can be paired with other students who entered with an emphasis on trying to pair them with other freshman. C. According to the BU gender neutral housing webpage, the University allocates “approximately 100 beds” to this program.13 According to the website, this number seems to include those units which students continually stay in, which is to say that the pool of available beds could be constantly shrinking. We contend that, especially if larger dorms are opened up to gender neutral housing, and the program is reframed with LGBTQ+ students in mind, gender neutral housing can be provided on an unlimited basis. The fact that the program is open to all students means that it fills up fast, which leaves the students who need it for mental and physical safety out of luck and forced into the general housing pool. i.

Additionally, the policy requiring all student to take it upon themselves to fill a gender neutral unit before it can be secured leaves many student applying for the program at a disadvantage. Organizing housing is a stressful process for most students, as plans constantly change based on new opportunities, prohibitive costs, and many other considerations. However, we hold that it is unfair that students can lose the whole unit, and their chance at having gender neutral housing, if they cannot find someone in 14 days.14 This policy especially affects transgender and gender-nonconforming students, because these students are not only looking to live with friends regardless of gender, but for a safe and stable situation. We believe this problem has a simple fix, that there be a general pool of people who want gender neutral housing, but do not have a full unit, that can connect to not lose the opportunity altogether.

3. The CGSA community and its allied organizations have expressed support for the possibility of a LGBTQ+ gender neutral house on campus, similar to the identity specific brownstone residence on Bay State Road. A. An LGBTQ+ specific house would grant the community the ability to grow, challenge, and support one another in an affinity space. Additionally, the creation of this residence would help address safety concerns on campus for LGBTQ+ students. The LGBTQ+ community has regularly experienced violence in housing as a result of their identity.15 Microaggressions and harassment have damaged the mental and physical health of many 13

BU Housing, Gender Neutral Housing, 2017-2018 Academic Year https://www.bu.edu/housing/assignments/gender-neutral-housing/

14

BU Housing, Gender Neutral Housing, 2017-2018 Academic Year https://www.bu.edu/housing/assignments/gender-neutral-housing/

15

Nadal, Kevin L , Marie-Anne Issa, Jayleen Leon, Vanessa Meterko, Michelle Wideman, and Yinglee Wong. "Sexual Orientation Microaggressions: “Death by a Thousand Cuts” for Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Youth." Journal of LGBT Youth, December 23, 2010.

Page !6 students in the LGBTQ+ community at universities and colleges across the country.16 Additionally, though society has made strides towards welcoming the LGBTQ+ community, the fear of violence is still a prevalent worry, and frequent reality, in the community. Ensuring that students have a judgement free space they know is safe, they can explore their identities in a way that would create a sense of belonging that can be found nowhere else on campus. i.

16

We understand that the BU administration recently changed its policy around the identity-centric brownstones on Bay State Road, collapsing them in to one program through Myles Standish Hall. This being so, we would be willing to work with the administration, within their new plan, to find an appropriate placement for the LGBTQ+ residence. Our proposed timeline leaves one academic year to create a plan, and after that a one year implementation period, with the dorm opening in Fall 2020.

Pilkington, Ed. "Tyler Clementi, student outed as gay on internet, jumps to his death." The Guardian. September 30, 2010. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/sep/30/tylerclementi-gay-student-suicide.

Page !7

Section 2: Gender Inclusive Restrooms

Appeals: 1. Accessible, all gender restrooms in all academic, administrative, and residential buildings on campus, which are proportional in number to the size of the building. 2. Create an easily accessible, university-wide map of all gender neutral restrooms.

Explanation: 1. The current layout and accessibility of gender neutral bathrooms on campus is detrimental to the health and education of transgender and gender non-conforming students. A. Researchers found that often, due to the threat of violence when using gendered restrooms, transgender and gender non-conforming students avoid using the bathroom altogether, which can lead to significant physical and mental health problems. These studies found that this issue also pervades in higher education.17 This practice can lead to serious health complications, including dehydration, UTIs, kidney infections, and other kidney problems.18 Additionally, this increases student stress when going to class, dreading that they might have to use a restroom. i.

Access to all gender restrooms is critical for the health and safety of students, staff, and faculty.

B. The gender neutral bathroom distribution on campus is so spread out that in some cases students would have to move to other floors, or even between buildings, to find a restroom they feel comfortable using. This is almost impossible to do during class because the time it would take to get to a restroom and back would mean missing the most critical parts of a lecture. Additionally, the 15 minute passing periods between lectures may still not be enough time for a student to get to the bathroom before their next class. The stress that is associated with this usually banal task sets transgender and gender non-conforming students apart from their peers, only increasing feelings of not belonging. i.

For example, a student in CAS would have to cross to the far side of the building, exit, and go to either the Theology Building or the LAW Auditorium to use a

17

Seelman, K. (2016). Transgender Adults’ Access to College Bathrooms and Housing and the Relationship to Suicidality. Journal of Homosexuality, 63(10), 1378-1399.

18

Herman, J. (2013). Gendered Restrooms and Minority Stress: The Public Regulation of Gender and its Impact on Transgender People's Lives. Journal of Public Management & Social Policy, 19(1), 65-80.

Page !8 gender inclusive restroom. This could take up to 20 minutes depending on where the student’s class is located. Additionally the current piecemeal system which is comprised of a bathrooms that arose out of a number of initiatives, including a Questrom student project19 and a Medical School enactment20, is confusing to students and visitors. C. A map of the gender neutral facilities available on both the Charles River Campus and the Medical Campus would not only make it easier for students to navigate the campus, but would show the greater Boston community that the University is a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion. An easily readable and widely published map of Gender Neutral Facilities demonstrates BU’s commitment to giving visibility to transgender and gender nonconforming persons. i.

When researching this appeal, we found that maps of these kind are now ubiquitous on competitive college campuses— Harvard, MIT, Northeastern, and Tufts all have easily accessible web pages with maps and information about gender neutral bathrooms.21 The maps vary in platform, including Google Maps, University maps, and artist renditions to mark where the facilities are. Having easily accessible and readable maps open to the general public is a significant nod to both the transgender and gender nonconforming communities at our institutions, as well as in the broader community.

ii. Formal designation of all single stall bathrooms as gender neutral facilities has several positive components: First, it adds clarity to the proposed map. Secondly, by formally designating these bathrooms as gender neutral, the likelihood of having easy access to gender neutral bathrooms is increased tremendously. Third, the formal designation makes clear to all students, faculty, and staff the University's position on having gender neutral facilities and their relationship to transgender and gender nonconforming people.

19

Brown, Joel. "Class Project Brings All-Gender Bathrooms to Questrom | BU Today | Boston University." BU Today. Accessed February 08, 2018. https://www.bu.edu/today/2015/ class-project-brings-all-gender-bathrooms-to-questrom/.

20

Brown, Joel. "Transgender at BU | BU Today | Boston University." BU Today. Accessed February 08, 2018. http://www.bu.edu/today/2015/transgender-at-bu/.

21

http://www.northeastern.edu/oidi/resources/facilities/gender-neutral-bathrooms/

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Section 3: Steadfast Inclusion

Appeals: 1. Convene a permanent standing committee, as recommended in the 2016 BU Final Report of the Committee on Diversity and Inclusion22 , which addresses university wide diversity & inclusion issues and ensures that LGBTQ+ students have a platform.

Explanation: 1. The CGSA is a critical resource for the LGBTQ+ community at BU. Recognizing our limitations as a predominantly undergraduate collective, we believe the best way to meet the needs of all LGBTQ+ people across the University (including students, faculty, and staff) is through a permanent standing committee. While the committee’s charge would be broader in scope than the work of the CGSA, we hold that researching, acknowledging, and implementing solutions to all diversity issues at the University is a critical portion of this committee’s mission. We also see a vital importance, however, in having this committee have equal focus on the LGBTQ+ community as they do other marginalized groups on campus. To ensure the inclusiveness of BU, the committee should be permanent, meet regularly, and be composed of a wide array of stakeholders, including students, faculty, and interested staff. A. A majority of our strategic peers23 and competitor institutions--including Harvard, Brown, and the University of Pennsylvania-- have already raised standing committees similar to the one we propose24 ; with several having convened additional standing committees specific to the LGBTQ+ community. We believe the permanent standing committee on diversity and inclusion would simultaneously establish a responsive mechanism for students, faculty, and staff, while also giving the University critical information on how to better support some of their most vulnerable and challenged populations.

22

Final Report of the Task Force on Faculty Diversity and Inclusion

23

Universities evaluated include: Boston College, Brown University, Case Western Reserve University, Columbia University, Emory University, George Washington University, Johns Hopkins University, New York University, Northeastern University, Northwestern University, Syracuse University, Tufts University, University of Miami, University of Pennsylvania, University of Rochester, and the University of Southern California.

24

Campus Pride Index (https://www.campusprideindex.org)— comparative data analysis of all strategic competitors.

Page !10 B. The existing college-wide and university-wide standing committees do important work. After review, however, we hold that none sufficiently address or provide a centralized system for the broad set of needs of marginalized groups on campus, including the LGBTQ+ community. With this understanding, we also see areas of overlap between the committees, and assert that collaboration between the proposed standing committee and the currently existing ones is a vital component to success.

Page !11

Works Consulted A Report on the Status of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender People in Education; Stepping Out of the Closet, Into the Light. National Education Association, 2009. Clements-Nolle, K., & Marx, Rani. (n.d.). Attempted Suicide Among Transgender Persons. Lombardi, E., Wilchins, R., Priesing, D., & Malouf, D. (2002). Gender Violence: Transgender Experiences with Violence and Discrimination. Journal of Homosexuality, 42(1), 89-101. Nadal, K. L., Skolnik, A., & Wong, Y. (2012). Interpersonal and systemic microaggressions toward transgender people: Implications for counseling. Journal of LGBT Issues in Counseling, 6(1), 55-82. Richmond, K., Burnes, T., & Carroll, K. (2012). Lost in Trans-Lation: Interpreting Systems of Trauma for Transgender Clients. Traumatology, 18(1), 45-57. Stotzer, R. (2014). Law enforcement and criminal justice personnel interactions with transgender people in the United States: A literature review. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 19(3), 263-277. Stotzer, R. (2009). Violence against transgender people: A review of United States data. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 14(3), 170-179. Testa, R., Sciacca, L., Wang, F., Hendricks, M., Goldblum, P., Bradford, J., . . . Roberts, Michael C. (2012). Effects of Violence on Transgender People. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 43(5), 452-459. The 2015 National School Climate Survey. Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), 2015.