Lance Poston Director of LGBTQ* Resources Inclusion and Authenticity: Exploring LGBTQ* Identities and Institutional Markers in Kentucky Lance Poston Director of LGBTQ* Resources

Discussion Overview Basic Concepts and Language Realities/Challenges Rosters, Transcripts, ID Cards Applications for Admission Housing Assignments Q&A

Sex, Gender, Sexual Orientation Sex ~ medical term designating a certain combination of gonads, chromosomes, secondary sex characteristics and hormonal balances Gender ~ how a person understands themselves to be male, female, both, none, or another identity entirely. Transgender/Cisgender Gender Fluid/Agender Sexual Orientation ~ romantic, emotional, and/or sexual attraction

Rethinking Coming Out Coming Out is a life long process of developing and sharing a positive lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender identity Transitioning and Limits of Surgical Language/Perceptions of Expression

Pronouns and Names Binary Choices: He/She A Variety of Non-Traditional Options Singular They/Them Using Nouns vs. Pronouns Gender Inclusive Pronouns (Zhe, Zher, Zhim) What is a “preferred” name?

Don’t Make Assumptions Maximize Student Agency Defer to the Individual Best Strategies Don’t Make Assumptions Maximize Student Agency Defer to the Individual

Realities of LGBTQ* Campus Life Coming out younger and younger Family Acceptance Project found that adolescents self-identified as LGB between ages 7 and 12 Trans* and gender-nonconforming youth became aware of their gender at age 3 LGBTQ folks are at increased risk of homelessness, dropping out of school, being victims of abuse, mental health issues, substance abuse issues, and suicide.

Realities of LGBTQ* Campus Life In addition to typical challenges faced by college students… Being at a university segregated by sex/gender Coming out for the first time … feeling isolated Which residence hall? Which bathroom? Professors not recognizing or respecting identity Post-Obergefell: In most parts of the country, LGBT people do not have protections in terms of employment, public accommodation, or housing

Realities of LGBTQ* Campus Life Current state/national political landscapes State of Texas vs. US and current administration May 2016 DOJ/DOE Dear Colleague Trump Administration Shift Gloucester County School Board vs. Gavin Grimm and USSC Various State Bills in Process/Recently Passes NC HB2 and parallel “bathroom bills” “Religious Freedom” Bills (ex. KY SB 17) Increased importance of continuing to work within our institutions for inclusion/belonging Collaborating with Institutional Diversity Units Building from internal documents Strategic plans Non-discrimination statements

UK Applications/Case Studies

2017 UK Applications GENDER [] Male [] Female  [] _________ (free-fill option that allows students to identify in any way they choose) If you’d like to share a perspective you bring or experiences you’ve had to help us understand you better—perhaps related to a community you belong to, your sexual orientation or gender identity, or your family or cultural background—we encourage you to do so. IPEDS and reporting (sex. vs. gender and consistency in collaboration)

Residence Halls and Assignments

Collaborative Approach Central Partners LGBTQ* Resources Enrollment Management Legal Housing/SAL Campus Police Goals Recruitment Retention/Belonging

Cultural Competency Collective Importance Frontline Staff to Registrar Admissions Officers & Recruiters Focus on Safety and Inclusion

Campus Pride Index Benchmarks: State/Regional/National Recruiting Tools Ability to publish scores or use as internal assessment 5 Star Scale: SO/GI

Major Assessment Areas Policy Inclusion Institutional Support & Commitment Academic Life Student Life Housing Campus Safety Counseling and Healthcare Recruitment and Retention

QUESTIONS & DISCUSSION WWW.UKY.EDU/LGBTQ