Trans college survival guide

by Hayden Smith
Staff Writer

Entering a college or university is considered a fresh start for all incoming freshman, though even more so for transgender students.

For most, this will be their first opportunity in years to meet and interact with others where no one knows your history. Some students may even wish to take this opportunity to go “stealth” entirely, or to keep their transgender status hidden.

To every trans kid trying to navigate their identity in such a new environment, here are a few tips from a transgender upperclassman.

Email your professors

The easiest way to keep from being misgendered is to have your professors calling you by your correct name and pronouns from day one.

Some people may want to avoid having their deadname called out on the roll and some professors will not be in the classroom until class is about to start, making it difficult to let them know ahead of time. Sending them an email before class starts is your best bet.

The best way to ensure that your professors actually read the email and remember it is by sending it about two weeks before classes begin. Any earlier and they may forget they read it; any later and they may not get the chance to read through it and respond.

In your email, be sure to include what class of theirs you’re taking, your legal name, your actual name and your correct pronouns. Ask them if there are any tutors or TAs you need to forward your email to.

Most professors will send you a confirmation email to let you know that they’ll change your name in the roll. A few will read it and forget to respond. If that happens, try to meet up with them before class if possible.

Scout out restrooms

With all the talk in news and politics over transgender people using restrooms, it’s hard to feel comfortable in large public stalls.

A week or two before classes start, take a walk around campus. Not only is it a good idea to figure out where all your classes are, but you get the chance to scope out the bathrooms while no one else is around.

Some campuses may have single-stall or gender-neutral bathrooms that you may feel more comfortable using. Now is your opportunity to find where they are in relation to your classrooms.

If all else fails and you can’t find any restrooms you feel comfortable and safe using, find the nearest art or liberal arts building.

This sounds like a joke, but liberal arts and art majors tend to be the most left-leaning people on any campus. They also tend to have the most adventurously dressed people. They will be the least likely to look twice at anyone in the restrooms.

Keep documentation

Rarely will you have to argue with professors over your name or pronouns, and it’s doubtful anyone will harass you in the classroom or in bathrooms.

However, should you be targeted, you need to take notes of everything you can. Write down the date, time, location, names of the involved parties and what was said and done.

Keep connected with your school’s student affairs office and any LGBT+ equality service groups or programs. They will be your best advocates if you need to contact anyone.

As scary and prevalent as they seem, situations like this are rare. Harassment gets in the way of learning and your college or university will recognize that and help you work through it to be a successful student.

Take a deep breath

The biggest secret to having strangers treat your gender identity seriously is to be confident in it yourself.

You don’t have to stress out over people going out of their way to question you. Often, hearing both you correct them and the professor addressing you properly, people will follow suit.

Students typically don’t question whether you’re “supposed” to be called “miss” or “sir” or if you really belong in whatever bathroom you prefer. Often, if it’s already happening, people just assume that’s how it’s supposed to be. And they’d be right.

Copyright 2017 The Gayly – August 3, 2017 @ 11 a.m. CDT.