Panelists at a Diverse Dialogue Series, hosted by the University of Idaho, discussed their experiences with being deadnamed and misgendered, and the impacts these transgressions can have on transgender individuals.
Associate professor of sociology Kristin Haltinner opened the evening’s dialogue with a brief contextualization, explaining how a “record number” of anti-trans legislation have been introduced in legislatures across the country, most of which seek to either prevent transgender children from having access to necessary medical care or bar them from participating in sports.
These policies, according to Haltinner, do much more than exclude transgender individuals from participating in various segments of society, they also seek to invalidate the very identities that define transgender people. By reinforcing the gender binary, these laws leave no space for transgender existence, allowing name and pronoun misuse to continue to proliferate, whether it is born out of ignorance or malice.
To illustrate how transphobia has been normalized in our culture, panelists highlighted the challenges that come with interacting in spaces that are unreceptive of transgender individuals and transgender identities.
Koda Hendrickson, a former University of Idaho student, highlighted the importance of universities being accommodating for individuals who are affirming their gender. The process that comes with changing one’s birth certificate can be arduous, so having resources and policies in place that allow for easy changes within university systems is integral to creating a safe environment.
“They may have something on a piece of paper that means nothing to them, but they don’t have the time, the resources, that it takes to legally change your name,” Hendrickson said.
It was not until this year that UI finally enacted policy allowing students to be referred to by the names that matched their identity, Haltinner said. The university now allows students to use preferred names on VandalCards as well as online on BlackboardLearn and VandalWeb.
Without these systems in place, it can be difficult for transgender students who must continually advocate for themselves to teachers and classmates.
“It’s really exhausting when you constantly have to figure out how to take care of yourself as a human, but then also how to justify your right to exist and justify your right to be included in conversations,” Carson Poertner, a former UI student athlete and current administrative coordinator at the Department of Student Involvement, said.
Poertner also brought attention to the importance of ensuring that campuses have safety networks and safe spaces in place, citing his own experience and how the personnel he had access to on campus helped him feel more secure in his transition.
“When I was figuring out my name or pronouns that I felt most comfortable with, the one thing that allowed me to truly accept what I already knew to be true was trying out Carson and he/him pronouns in a safe and affirming space,” Poertner said.
The university currently offers education and training on transgender issues through the LGBTQA Office. Taking advantage of these education initiatives can be integral in ensuring that an accommodating campus environment can be maintained and shared by all students, as ignorance about transgender issues is often the cause of misnaming.
“I’ve had a couple different experiences where my name and/or pronouns have not been used or expressed,” Poertner said. “A lot of it has to do with a lack of understanding and a lack of education, and more importantly, just a desire to not educate themselves.”
The need for conscientious individuals to educate themselves was brought up throughout the panel discussion, as the responsibility of education is frequently placed on the shoulders of transgender individuals who may not have the energy or desire to perform that function.
“Don’t rely on your students, don’t rely on fellow faculty, fellow staff to do the work for you,” Hendrickson said. “The single most important thing a cis person can do is to understand the issues that trans folk face.”
The closing message from Haltinner encouraged students, faculty and staff at the university to take action when they see behavior that seeks to invalidate the identities of transgender individuals on campus.
“I call on all of you to say no when you see an unfair or unjust policy,” Haltinner said. “I call on you to say no when you see something, when you see someone say something hurtful, whether a transgender person is nearby or not, and I call on you to say no to the excuses you hear of ignorance.”
Royce McCandless can be reached at [email protected] or Twitter @roycemccandless