A still from the AS Queer Resource Center clothing swap last year. Hailey Hoffman//AS Review
By Soleil de Zwart
On Sunday, Oct. 21, #WontBeErased was trending on Twitter within hours of the publication of The New York Times article “‘Transgender’ Could Be Defined Out of Existence Under Trump Administration.”
In the article, the Times revealed that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is leading an effort to make the federal definition of gender binary. This definition would be based on genitalia at birth and unchangeable.
“The erasure of trans people out of the literature of laws like Title IX, of course it hits very hard,” Crow Chloupek, Associated Students Queer Resource Center advocacy coordinator, said. “However, institutionally nothing will change, because Washington State already has strict laws that already protect trans students in terms of education, employment, things like that.”
According to Washington law, transgender and gender non-conforming individuals are protected against discrimination.
Despite this, the impact has still been felt at Western. Chloupek had to take two days off from class after hearing the news, they said.
L.K. Langley, LGBTQ+ director at Western, sent out a message on Western’s LGBTQ+ website addressing the leaked memo that was published by the Times.
“No memo can take away what we know is true about ourselves, our families, and our communities,” Langley wrote.
The position of LBGTQ+ director just began in August of this year. Their mission is to advance the holistic thriving of diverse LGBTQ+ students, faculty and staff by collaboratively engaging the Western community with knowledge, resources, advocacy and celebration, Langley said.
Raine Dozier, chair of Western’s department of health and community studies, is involved with the on-campus group Trans-Act.
Since the article published in The New York Times, students have been interested in what they can do politically, Dozier said.
The group originated in a spring 2018 Trans* Lives class Dozier taught focused on activism projects like gender-inclusive restrooms and housing.
Fourteen of the 27 students in the Trans* Lives class were transgender or gender non-conforming, Dozier said. These students were unable to use any of the bathrooms in Miller Hall, where their class was held, because they are not gender-neutral bathrooms.
This signals to gender non-conforming students, faculty and staff that they don’t matter and their wellbeing is not a priority, Dozier said.
“It’s very important how we signal our attitudes at this university, our beliefs, our inclusion,” Dozier said. “We say inclusion, but I would say the bathroom issue really underscores the exclusion of trans and gender non-conforming people.”
Since the class wasn’t able to finish the projects before the end of the quarter, they started Trans-Act. The group is currently working on becoming an official club.
“There’s something empowering and healing about getting together to make change,” Dozier said.
During the Trans-Act meeting, the students said they didn’t care about programming or community, they cared about safety, Dozier said.
In these times, reaching out and connecting is important, Langley said.
“The message that’s sent when people in positions of power say, essentially, ‘We refuse to see you, we refuse to recognize you,’ can be a very hurtful and cruel message. And I think can be particularly hurtful and cruel to young transgender people,” Langley said.
The QRC wants students to know it is still the same, safe and inclusive space that all students can find solace in, Chloupek said. That won’t change, no matter what is to come. It is their continued goal and expectation that the center remains a welcome and inclusive space for all, regardless of identity.
“I stand by my trans allies and that I am right here in the fight alongside you,” Chloupek said.
A number of people from around campus sent messages of positivity and solidarity in response to Langley’s message, they said.
“We, as transgender people, are here, we are real, we are valuable and while a regulation like this could be very harmful, it cannot dictate our humanity,” Langley said.
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