Gender Reasignment

Definition

The process of transitioning from one gender to another: for instance, a ‘trans woman’ was assigned the gender ‘male’ at birth but experiences themselves as a woman. Trans people will often but not always present in the style of their gender. They may or may not have, or be planning, medical interventions as part of this (see the EHRC guidance for more).

There are campaigns to have ‘non-binary’ included in the category of ‘trans’ and/or to be recognised as a distinct group. Non-binary people might identify as either male or female at different times, a combination of both, a completely different gender, or none at all.

How this pertains to Higher Education

According to the Government Equalities Office (2018) there are an estimated 200-500,000 trans people in the UK. Stonewallgive a similar estimate, of around 1% (ie about 600,000 in the UK). The 2021 census (results due June 28 2022) included a voluntary question about this and may help clarify. In addition, younger people are more likely to identify as trans or non-binary (some statistical detail) and university is often the first place where they have a realistic opportunity to come out.

In other words, you are very likely to be supporting the learning of someone undergoing or intending to undergo gender reassignment; if not now, then soon.

Common issues for trans and non-binary (NB) people

Despite legal protections, many trans and NB people report enormous prejudice and there are pressure groups who wish the law to be changed, to their detriment. For our purposes, we must emphasise that we are legally required to be inclusive towards all students and staff.

UCL has its own guidance on this which includes:

UCL recognises that transitioning whether medically or socially can be a difficult and complex time for an individual and wish to act in a sensitive and supportive way by having helpful policies and practices in place. UCL staff will help to make certain that no student is subject to discrimination or harassment as a result of gender presentation.

People are often unfamiliar with what is an issue and why it is an issue. For instance, access to toilets or using the correct pronoun cut to the heart of ‘belonging as oneself’. We recommend you have a look at the FAQ from Stonewall that tackles a lot of common questions.

Medical support

Trans people are broadly more likely to be receiving various kinds of medical care, and this can be very difficult to access on a reliable and prompt basis. They may therefore run into scheduling problems where teaching sessions clash with unmissable appointments which they may have waited years for.

Stereotypes about trans & NB people

One insidious stereotype is that trans people have already transitioned, and the process is now complete. In practice, you are quite likely to meet someone who is best thought of as being on a spectrum of transition, perhaps wearing the clothes associated with their gender (ie the gender they identify with) but in other respects appearing to you as their ‘assigned at birth’ gender. Part of gender reassignment requires that someone live in their gender (publicly), and you have to start somewhere. Don’t expect all the details to be resolved. For non-binary people, there may be no point at which anything is ‘decided once and for all’. but rather a fluidity that does not fit the norms or markers of either gender. The reason for highlighting this is to emphasise that it is important to pay attention to what people say rather than what you think based on appearances.

Another factor is that, irrespective of their gender identity, trans people are treated primarily *as ‘*trans’ rather than female or male, a gender which may be deeply important to them. Conversely they may not wish to be exclusively identified as either. To some this seems complicated; but it is only an issue because of the levels of deliberate micro (or macro) aggression that trans people encounter.

Commonly, abuse encountered by trans people focuses on their not fitting into expected roles (see for instance this detailed research from the US) or a refusal to acknowledge that gender dysphoria is accepted by scientists as genuine rather than being ‘a mental condition’ or other ways of denying their reality.

Suggested responses

  • Misgendering or ‘deadnaming’ (using a trans person’s former name) is a hate crime.
  • Declaring which pronouns you use of yourself is a reassuring sign that you accept trans people and sets the tone for the class.
  • As in so many other aspects of teaching, you should be extremely cautious about commenting on people’s appearance at all (an exception might be if you were urgently alarmed about someone’s wellbeing).
  • Acknowledge the role of trans people in your discipline in passing (this may require you doing some googling!) This is not a recommendation to force them into the foreground, just to note that they are full members of the disciplinary community.
  • Assume with conviction that you have encountered trans people in the past but didn’t realise. Trans people are told far too often ‘oh, you’re the first…’ (this is also something the media do almost incessantly).

Further resources