APPENDIX VI: ADDING “GENDER IDENTITY” TO OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY’S NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY

[The following statement was prepared in 2002 by Brett Beemyn, Coordinator of GLBT Student Services at OSU. It served as the basis of subsequent deliberations that resulted, on February 2, 2004, in “gender identity” being added to OSU’s nondiscrimination policy. The undergraduate student government, the graduate student council, the university staff council, the university diversity council, and the university senate all supported the nondiscrimination policy change.]

Individuals who are perceived as transgendered (that is, people whose gender identity or expression does not fit stereotypical notions of “female” and “male”) are frequently the targets of hate incidents and hate crimes. Over the last decade, an average of one trans person per month has been killed in a reported hate crime – a trend which unfortunately shows no signs of abating, with two murders already this year. Instances of assault and harassment of people believed to be transgendered are even more commonplace, including on college campuses. For this reason, many transgendered students are extremely fearful about identifying themselves and some decide to leave school rather than risk possible disclosure and discrimination. In order to provide a more inclusive and safer environment for gender variant members of the Ohio State community, the University should add “gender identity” to its non-discrimination policy.

The University of Iowa, Rutgers University, Knox College, and DePauw University specifically recognize “gender identity” as a category in their nondiscrimination policies, and because the transgender civil rights laws in Minnesota and Rhode Island apply to educational institutions, the schools in those states also provide protection to gender variant people. The University of Michigan, the University of Kansas, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Maryland, and Harvard University are currently considering adopting this language for their policies.

Among Fortune 500 corporations, Aetna, Agere Systems, American Airlines, Apple Computers, Avaya Communication, Eastman Kodak, Intel, JP Morgan Chase, Lexmark, Lucent Technologies, NCR, Nike, PPG Industries, and Xerox have amended their nondiscrimination policies to include gender variant people. None of the companies report any workplace problems or financial costs resulting from this change. On the contrary, they have benefited by being able to hire and keep well qualified workers whom they might otherwise lose.

By adding “gender identity” to its non-discrimination policy, Ohio State would be a leader on this important human rights issue and further demonstrate its commitment to diversity and inclusion.