January 20, 2005                                                          62LCR#5 - Gender Identity/Expression

 

Sponsored by:                                      Jessie Ulibarrí                           UCSU Legislator

 

Authored by:                                        Jessie Ulibarrí                           UCSU Legislator

                                                            Shannon Perez Darby               Student

 

A Resolution

Resolution History

 

On June 15, 2000 the University of Colorado Student Union passed 53LCR#15, a resolution to include sexual orientation in the non-discrimination policy of the University of Colorado.  Soon after the resolution passed its vote in UCSU, the Regents of the CU-System voted to include sexual orientation in the non-discrimination policy. Although this policy change has worked to eliminate discrimination based on sexual identity, it has done little to address the needs of transgender, gender queer, and/or gender variant people.

 

In the 59th Legislative Council Session, the board voted to approve Bill #11 – Transgender Inclusion, which works to eradicate the systematic exclusion of transgender, gender queer and/or gender variant individuals within the student services provided by UCSU.   This bill established a commitment to increase access to higher education for transgender, gender queer, and/or gender variant people.  Currently, the Chancellor’s Standing Committee on GLBT Issues, student groups and faculty and staff members are asking the Board of Regents to include gender identity and gender expression in the CU-System non-discrimination policy.  Gender identity is defined as a person’s personal view of their own gender. A person’s gender identity may or may not conform to the conventional expectations for their birth sex. Gender Expression is the external presentation or appearance of a person’s gender. (e.g. dress, mannerisms, hair style, speech, etc.). A person’s gender expression may differ from their gender identity.  In contrast, gender is generally defined as a person’s expression and/or presentation of some combination of masculine and/or feminine characteristics.  Therefore, the current non-discrimination policy is not adequate in addressing the needs of the students.

 

At present, only 22 university systems include gender identity and gender expression in their non-discrimination policies, including, but not limited to; American University, Arizona State University, Brown University, City University of New York, DePauw University, Kalamazoo College, Knox College, Lehigh University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Middlebury College, Ohio State University, Rockport College-Maine, Rutgers University, Syracuse University, University of California, University of Iowa, University of New Hampshire, University of Oregon, University of Pennsylvania, University of Puget Sound, University of Washington, and Wesleyan University.

 

Resolution Summary

 

WHEREAS, gender variant individuals face continued harassment and discrimination on campus daily, and;

 

WHEREAS, the needs of current and potential students, faculty and staff are not being adequately addressed by the non-discrimination policy, and;

 

WHEREAS, a comprehensive non-discrimination policy aids in the recruitment and retention of students, faculty and staff, and;

 

WHEREAS, many well renowned institutions of higher education have already adopted gender identity and gender expression in their non-discrimination policies,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the University of Colorado Student Union, THAT,

 

SECTION 1:  The University of Colorado Student Union charges the Regents of the University of Colorado to include gender identity and gender expression in the non-discrimination policy.

 

SECTION 2:  This resolution will be sent to the Regents of the University of Colorado, the Chancellor’s Standing Committee on GLBT Issues, the Office of Diversity and Equity, and the GLBT Resource Center.

 

SECTION 3:  This resolution takes effect upon passage by the University of Colorado Student Union Legislative Council and after receiving the signatures of the Legislative Council President and the Tri-Executives.

 

1-20-05                                               Passed First Reading                                                    15-0-1

1-17-05                                               Passed                                                                         15-0-0

                                                                                                                                                           

 

 

                                                                                                                                               

Naomi Lopez                                                               Veronica Crespin                                 

Legislative Council President                             Tri-Executive

 

 

                                                                                                                                               

Joseph Neguse                                                             Garrett Stanton

Tri-Executive                                                                Tri-Executive