Transgender College Housing

[Alonzo]

I got this in my e-mail from one of my former universities (years later I'm still on some e-mail lists) and thought it raises an interesting question as to whether or not this is a good to have.

York pilots transgender residence

York is planning a pilot project on Keele campus to make available a number
private residence rooms to self-identified transgender/transsexual students
enrolled in the fall 2008-2009 academic year. Transgendered students are those
who identify with the opposite gender than the one in which they were born.

Undergraduate students are asked to indicate their need/desire for transgender
housing on the residence application form and answer a few related questions
about housing preferences.

www.yorku.ca/stuhouse/undergrad/index.htm

"Everyone deserves a safe space to call home," expressed Lynnette Dubois,
external coordinator for TBLGAY (Trans, Bisexual, Lesbian and Gay Association
at York). "Diversity is York's strength - transgender housing with safe,
private washrooms shows York understands and supports equality and security for
students."

The housing project, created by the Centre for Student Community and Leadership
Development (SC&LD), Calumet College and the SexGen York Committee, with
consultation from TBLGAY, is one of the first of its kind in Canada.


Opinions?

[micfranklin]

If they want to then let them.

Besides it's not like it's negatively impacting me.

[cronic]

I have an opinion.. I can say its pretty much the same answer as mic's..
But I have a couple questions to.

Is this something trans gender people want?.. or something non -trans gender people want?

Also, is it actually needed?

I ask because.. as a straight person.. and if going to college.. I honestly think.. I would have no problem being roomied up with a trans gender person..

Do others like me tho.. have a problem with it?..
Would I be a majority do you think, or a minority?

Or is it the other way around?.
Do trans gender people have a problem boarding with non trans gender people?

I also am not sure I understand the complexity of this statement or should I say.. the "needing" of it.

"Everyone deserves a safe space to call home," expressed Lynnette Dubois,
external coordinator for TBLGAY (Trans, Bisexual, Lesbian and Gay Association
at York). "Diversity is York's strength - transgender housing with safe,
private washrooms shows York understands and supports equality and security for
students."

Im not tryin to sound dumb.. really.. but.. do trans gender people really feel unsafe living in the same housing as everyone else?

Is this because of how others treat them.. non trans gender people,.. or society as a whole for that matter,
or how they just simply feel?


That quote also speaks of safe, private bathrooms.

The bathroom is supposed to be a private place..
When I use the bathroom.. I lock the door...
now I'm private.

I'm just trying to understand the mind of a trans gender or at least this person...
( Lynnette Dubois, external coordinator for TBLGAY ),....because as a straight person.. I could share a dorm with a trans gender person and I would give that person the privacy and respect they deserved just as if they wasn't trans gender.

[Alonzo]

I have an opinion.. I can say its pretty much the same answer as mic's..
But I have a couple questions to.

Is this something trans gender people want?.. or something non -trans gender people want?

Also, is it actually needed?

I think it has less to do with "want" and more to do with "need". There's a lot of abuse, both verbal and physical, directed at transgendered people, much more than with homosexuals. So I think a lot of them would prefer normal housing, but feel that for their own personal wellbeing they would benefit from separate housing.

In College housing you have to deal with everyone. You don't know your roommate (usually) before, and there's tons of people on your floor. A few people can make your life a living hell.

Abuse is particularly problematic when it comes to bathrooms. If you were born a man and are now a woman people often have serious problems. If you go into the womans room you could get attacked, verbally or physically, since people may see you as a guy. Considering that you also shower there and there's always a risk of nudity, if you're pre-opp that poses additional problems. You also may get attacked, verbally or physically, in the mens room for the way you dress, plus you don't see yourself as a man anyway so you wouldn't think you belong in there.

And, in dorms, they usually have public bathrooms, including showers. I know at York they did have some dorm rooms with private bathrooms (these dorms had 2 bedrooms, 1 person per room and one main room and one bathroom per dorm room) but they were in high demand and very, very difficult to get into.


Is this because of how others treat them.. non trans gender people,.. or society as a whole for that matter,
or how they just simply feel?

It seems to mostly be about how others treat them. Because of that treatment they don't feel as safe and as comfortable. They want to be accepted in those situations, and want to be in those situations if they were accepted, but often their experiences suggest that won't happen.



( Lynnette Dubois, external coordinator for TBLGAY ),....because as a straight person.. I could share a dorm with a trans gender person and I would give that person the privacy and respect they deserved just as if they wasn't trans gender.

But students in dorm still have to use a bathroom that the entire floor uses, and there's a lot of people who don't think like you.

[cronic]

Thanks ZO for the info..
I understand alot more now..

see.. sometimes I just need it to be explained more to me.

All you say makes alot of sense to.. I can see alot more clearly now how it may feel from the other side..

I think probably I am different from alot of people still..
It honestly wouldn't bother me and there is a good chance it could work ( living together ) between me and a trans gender person but thats because im pretty easy to get along with.

I don't just say "to each his own".. I believe in it

But I'm sure alot of people are cruel and insulting towards trans gender people because this world is full of people like that unfortunately..

I think certain individuals from both spectrums could interact as well as live together but their would be most likely, not alot of examples to show.

Also, concerning privacy issues, i didn't really think of the public bathrooms like I was thinking individual dorm bathrooms before.

Therefore,
Yes, I can see the "need" for individual housing for trans gender people.