"It Will Change if People Keep Talking": Trans* Students in College and University Housing

Document Type

Article - Open Access

Publication Title

Journal of College & University Student Housing

Publication Date

2015

Abstract/ Summary

Trans* individuals have recently received greater attention in mainstream media. Trans* students and their concerns are also becoming more visible, as evidenced by the recent increase in the number of colleges and universities that are offering trans*-inclusive housing options. However, such increased visibility does not readily equate to increased inclusion or equity for them. Not all trans* people biomedically transition, or change their body morphology via hormones and/or surgeries. However, the notion of transition, itself the focus of this special issue, mediates all trans* people's experiences, as others must undergo a transition in the way they view and understand trans* people's shifting gender identities and expressions. As such, transitioning becomes an essential aspect of inclusion in how trans* students are welcomed (or not) to both live and lead in the campus residential setting. In this article, the authors explore the complexities of transition through the lens of one trans* student leader's experience and provide ideas and strategies for building a truly inclusive residential life community.

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