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trans2005-02-16 10:45 pm
pirate-poet.livejournal.com) wrote in trans2005-02-16 10:45 pm
Trans rooming policy-- PLEASE REPLY
I am female-bodied, transgendered, (I do not ID as a girl or as a boy) and I use he/his as my pronouns. I attend Wash U in St. Louis and am a freshman and am currently working w Res Life and two of my male friends to see if I cna live with them next yr. Wash U does not currently protect gedner id/expression in their anti-dsicrim policy and have not dealt before this pt in time w the questions of a trans rooming situation.
I have the final meeting w the ppl in "high places" this Friday in the early morning. I suspect they are leaning towards telling me "no." I have put together a binder of information, a lot from http://www.transgenderlaw.org, and also examples of anti-discrim policies at other well-known schools that include gender id and/or expression in their policies (MIT, UC, Brown, U Penn).
The ruth of all of this is I am comfortable living with ANYONE, really-- I don't feel "unsafe" if I live with females; these friedns just happen to be male, I am trans, and we want to live together-- so we're trying to make a case.
However, I have a feeling that they (Res Life) is going to say no since this isn't a personal saftey issue. How can I spin this so that they will say yes?
One thing I plan on telling them is: "Living with people to whom I am out, who accept me and see me as my valid identity, makes me feel safe."
I have a feeling they will ask me the following kinds of questions:
"Can you not find that comfortability (see the statement above, which I plan to say to them, unless any of you have suggestions for a better phrasing/spin) with females?"
"Why do you want to live with these guys?"
"Why live with males instead of females?"
"Would you feel unsafe living with females?"
"Since you do not ID as a boy, why live with young men?"
"Since this is clearly not a safety issue, why should this be allowed to happen?"
Any and all suggestions, pointers, if any of you have experience with this stuff, PLEASE HELP. I think my biggest hurdle in this is that I *do* feel safe living with females, I just don't see why I shouldn't be allowed to live w these guys when I really want to and feel fine w them. Of course, I'd never just SAY that to them (Res Life); it'd hurt our case more than help.
Again, for background purposes: I am not FTM, but am female-bodied, and do not ID as a girl or as a boy, just as me, and use he/his as my pronouns. I have stated this fact in a previous meeting with one of the 2 Res Life people with whom I am meeting on Friday morning.
We met with the GLBT-friendly (and also is himself, gay) head of Student Health Services last week to gain more support. He has spoken with these two Res Life ppl but has not told me details of what he has said (he can't really disclose stuff from an administrative meeting).
(X-POSTED TO FTM STUDENTS)
I have the final meeting w the ppl in "high places" this Friday in the early morning. I suspect they are leaning towards telling me "no." I have put together a binder of information, a lot from http://www.transgenderlaw.org, and also examples of anti-discrim policies at other well-known schools that include gender id and/or expression in their policies (MIT, UC, Brown, U Penn).
The ruth of all of this is I am comfortable living with ANYONE, really-- I don't feel "unsafe" if I live with females; these friedns just happen to be male, I am trans, and we want to live together-- so we're trying to make a case.
However, I have a feeling that they (Res Life) is going to say no since this isn't a personal saftey issue. How can I spin this so that they will say yes?
One thing I plan on telling them is: "Living with people to whom I am out, who accept me and see me as my valid identity, makes me feel safe."
I have a feeling they will ask me the following kinds of questions:
"Can you not find that comfortability (see the statement above, which I plan to say to them, unless any of you have suggestions for a better phrasing/spin) with females?"
"Why do you want to live with these guys?"
"Why live with males instead of females?"
"Would you feel unsafe living with females?"
"Since you do not ID as a boy, why live with young men?"
"Since this is clearly not a safety issue, why should this be allowed to happen?"
Any and all suggestions, pointers, if any of you have experience with this stuff, PLEASE HELP. I think my biggest hurdle in this is that I *do* feel safe living with females, I just don't see why I shouldn't be allowed to live w these guys when I really want to and feel fine w them. Of course, I'd never just SAY that to them (Res Life); it'd hurt our case more than help.
Again, for background purposes: I am not FTM, but am female-bodied, and do not ID as a girl or as a boy, just as me, and use he/his as my pronouns. I have stated this fact in a previous meeting with one of the 2 Res Life people with whom I am meeting on Friday morning.
We met with the GLBT-friendly (and also is himself, gay) head of Student Health Services last week to gain more support. He has spoken with these two Res Life ppl but has not told me details of what he has said (he can't really disclose stuff from an administrative meeting).
(X-POSTED TO FTM STUDENTS)