We write to condemn a recent move by the Trump administration to redefine gender under Title IX, and to reaffirm our commitment to the transgender and gender non-conforming members of our community. Though not policy yet, this move threatens the rights and protections afforded to transgender and gender non-conforming people in areas including health, education, and labor by imposing a definition of gender that is binary, ‘biological’, and immutable. It is part of a larger, systemic pattern under the current administration of eroding the rights of transgender people. Whether this latest effort succeeds or fails, those who wish to marginalize or harm the transgender population can look for legitimacy in it and feel emboldened by this new definition.
We welcome all transgender and gender non-conforming members of our community. We are proud to live in a state that recently passed the Gender Recognition Act (SB 179), a law that creates a non-binary gender identity and makes it easier for Californians to obtain documents that reflect their gender. We also know that, despite these moves forward, our communities and our campus still have much more progress to make toward full trans inclusion. We are currently charging a task force that will lead the campus in adapting to this law’s requirements and that will also address related issues beyond compliance with SB 179 in an effort to make the climate at UC Santa Cruz feel more welcoming and safe.
When news like this breaks, it can have a direct, personal impact on those in our community who already feel targeted and vulnerable. Any who are in need of support would be welcomed by our Lionel Cantú Queer Center and by Counseling and Psychological Services.
