With the higher education community continuing to working towards creating a more inclusive learning 
environment, here are a few points that will help the faculty to create a supportive atmosphere for transgender students in schools and colleges and achieve Title IX compliance in an increasingly gender neutral world.
Protection provided by Title IX
Most of the mechanics in academics were based on the assumed male-female binary, regardless of discipline. This disregarded the existence of transgender, non-binary, gender nonconforming and intersex people. Recent Title IX legislation explanations by federal and state institutions should now help in thinking and acting beyond traditional perceptions so that student’s rights are protected. A part of the Federal Education Amendment Act, Title IX compliance is must. Though a lot of people are familiar with title IX covering the sexual harassment and sexual violence grounds, they are unaware of Title IX compliance to gender-based harassment that includes, “acts of verbal, nonverbal, or physical aggression, intimidation, or hostility based on sex or sex stereotyping, even if those acts do not involve conduct of a sexual nature” as stated in Office of Civil Rights 2011.
Gender Diversity
It is the responsibility of every educator to challenge and reflect on the gender assumptions so that more gender-inclusive spaces are created, and students who are different feel comfortable. A few strategies discussed below may help in shaping up spaces for Transgender students in school and colleges and help you as an education leader achieve Title IX compliance:
- Create guidelines in your syllabus and communicate them on the first day of the class that includes writing name and pronouns to be used, introducing yourself and writing about what pronouns to be used. For e.g. ‘My name is Georgia and I use she/her/hers’.
- Request students to contact you if their names are different from what’s written on the roster
- Find out the gender-neutral bathrooms in campus and list them in syllabus, pointing their locations on the first day of class.
- Include school’s community mission and principles and make sure students know that they should behave civilly and include all perspective of pronouncing names etc.
What is the Model Desired Behavior?
Plan accordingly before-hand. To support gender variant students, rethink the roll call, become familiar with names and pronouns and avoid taking attendance aloud till the students have had a chance to inform you of the names they are using instead. Use last names, facilitate a group discussion and ask people to introduce themselves, correct people in a polite manner if they make pronunciation mistakes.
Finally, listen and respect without being judgmental if a student talks to you about their gender identity, don’t show disapproval and support them by listening to what they have to say. It could be challenging at first to pronounce new names, but a concerted effort is important.
To know about better ways of supporting Transgender students in school and achieve Title IX compliance, you might want to join the session Supporting Trans Students and Complying with Title IX for Faculty Members and Student Affairs Professionals by expert speaker Genny Beemyn on Tuesday, August 30, 2016.
