Running head: ACCESS AND RETENTION

Access and Retention Issues for Transgender Students EDLD 6570

Jessie Corp, Krysta Foster, Lisa Newhouse, and Roderick Simmons
Western Michigan University

ACCESS AND RETENTION

Access and Retention Issues for Transgender Students

Traditionally, transgender support services have fallen under the lesbian, gay, bisexual,
and transgender (LGBT) services umbrella. However, their experience is so unique that the
necessary resources cannot be automatically assumed to be effective for this population.
Transgender students have unique needs requiring services, resources and support networks
dedicated to their success at the collegiate level. We would argue that at this time, institutions
are not meeting these needs, thus producing significant barriers to access and persistence and
ultimately retention of these students.
There are many salient issues facing transgender students in higher education. Students
who are exploring their identity and initiating the process of coming out as a transgendered
person may face risks associated with their new identity. Students may experience difficulty
identifying welcoming institutions and may even loose the emotional and financial support of
their family, which may limit their access to higher education. Even when students are able to
access higher education, numerous factors may deter their persistence. In order to meet the
needs of this population, higher education institutions will need to look at the obstacles and
issues they face as individuals and as a transgender community on campus.
Transgender Identity
Traditional systems of identifying gender and sex are typically dualistic, and as such are
limiting to those who do not ascribe to a binary system of male or female. Rather, gender falls
on a spectrum that is nuanced and fluid, and individuals may identify in nonconforming multi
gendered ways. Prior to a transgender identity of male to female (MTF) or female to male
(FTM), a myriad of identities may be tried. In a large scale national survey, MTF respondents
indicated that they self-identified as cross-dressers in early adulthood, and FTM respondents

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indicated that they identified as lesbians, before realizing that their gender feelings went beyond
these identities (G. Beemyn & Rankin, 2011).
The complexity of gender spectrums presents a challenge when attempting to define
transgender identity. In addition, for those who identify with a transgender identity, there are
numerous risks associated with the identity. Although there is growing support for transgender
students on college campuses, there is still insufficient support to retain this population, partly
due to a lack of knowledge. In order to retain transgender students, faculty and staff in
institutions of higher education need to have a foundational knowledge regarding students who
may identify with this population and the associated risks that transgender students can face on a
day to day basis.
Defining Transgender
The term transgender serves as an umbrella that encompasses a wide spectrum of
identities: transsexual or transgender (MTF and FTM), bigender (individuals who identify as
male and female), genderqueer (individuals who do not identify with any particular sex), and
cross-dressers, to name a few (B. Beemyn, Curtis, Davis, & Tubbs, 2005; G. Beemyn & Rankin,
2011; Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation [GLAAD], 2013; Rands, 2009).
Individuals who identify under this term experience dissonance between their biological sex and
their self-identified gender, unlike their cisgender peers whose self-perception of gender matches
their biological sex.
A review of the literature indicates that the transgender population is frequently
aggregated with the lesbian, gay, and bisexual community (LGB), with the assumption that their
needs are similar. However, the LGB community is concerned with sexual orientation versus
gender identity. Due to this difference in needs, transgender students needs may be

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marginalized and insufficiently supported when grouped with LGB services on college campuses
(B. Beemyn et al., 2005; G. Beemyn & Rankin, 2011; Dugan, Kusel, & Simounet, 2012). As
student affair professionals, we need to be aware of this tendency to assume that the LGB
community can meet the transgender student needs. It is important to have knowledgeable and
trained staff in places of support that understand the unique issues and needs of the transgender
student.
Associated Risks
Across the board LGBT students experience a negative campus climate, but transgender
students in particular indicated higher rates of harassment and discrimination, than their
cisgender peers ( Rankin, Weber, Blumenfeld, and Frazer, 2010; G. Beemyn & Rankin, 2011).
Our group surmised that transgender students not only put themselves at personal risk for
harassment and discrimination, but that there may be differing levels of associated risks based on
the intersection of identities. We felt it was important to view associated risk through a lens of
gender expression and race; believing that multiple minority identities, such as being a person of
color or transitioning to a female identity, may put individuals at further risk. Two studies were
helpful in viewing the intersection of identities; the Rankin et al. (2010) national study that
documented the experiences of the LGBT students on colleges and universities across the United
States, and G. Beemyn and Rankin (2011) survey of approximately 3,500 self-identifying
transgender participants. Although the latter study did not focus entirely on college students, it
did cross the age span in order to create age categories, providing information on nineteen to
twenty two year olds, which is the typical age of college students.
Gender expression. In the Rankin et al. (2010) study, 39% of MTF, 38% of FTM, and
31% of gender non-conforming (GNC) respondents, indicated that they had experienced a form

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of harassment on campus compared to 20% of cisgender men and 19% of cisgender women
respondents. In regards to specific forms of harassment, MTF respondents reported feeling
ignored or excluded, and FTM respondents indicated that harassment took the form of being
stared at or singled out as a resident authority. The G. Beemyn and Rankin (2011) survey also
confirmed that transgender respondents experienced higher incidents of harassment and
discrimination. However, in regards to gender expression it indicated that FTM respondents
were slightly more likely to report that they felt unsafe compared to the MTF respondents, which
we did not anticipate.
Race. Overall, in the LGBT community respondents of color were more likely to report
race as a factor in harassment, but transgender respondents of color were significantly more
likely than cisgender respondents of color, to perceive harassment, and twice as likely to
correlate it to gender identity (Rankin et al., 2010). In regards to race and harassment, the G.
Beemyn and Rankin (2011) survey indicated that the intersection of race and gender identity
correlated to a higher level of negativity. Transgender people of color (33%), compared to
transgender White people (27%), reported experiencing harassment, and transgender people of
color were much more likely to report being physically assaulted versus White transgender
people. For respondents of color, the most common form of harassment took the form of verbal
threats, derogatory remarks, denial of services, and pressure to be silent regarding gender identity
discussion.
It is clear that harassment and discrimination continue to be a risk for transgender
students. In particular, it was a double risk for individuals who had a dual minority identity of
race and gender. However, the literature was not as clear in regards to gender expression and
highlighted the complexity associated with the intersection of identities. On one hand it would

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seem to confirm that individuals changing from a dominant male identity to a non-dominant
female identity may perceive discrimination in traditional forms along gender lines. However,
the G. Beemyn and Rankin (2011) survey indicated the opposite, which we believe could be
partly due to the early socialization of the female identity during the formative years.
If student affairs professionals are committed to providing spaces and conditions that
promote the growth and development of all students, then it is obvious that the increased
harassment and discrimination that transgender students face on campuses would interfere with
this endeavor. It is crucial that student affairs professionals assist in creating policies that
promote equality, environments that promote inclusion versus exclusion, and safe and
welcoming spaces staffed with individuals who are knowledgeable with the issues and needs of
transgender students.
Access for Transgender Students
As previously stated, transgender students are typically classified or grouped with the
LGB population as it is assumed that their needs are similar in nature. The many systems that
are in place restrict transgender students to a narrow selection of resources, most of which do not
provide sufficient support that allows these students access to institutions of higher education.
Issues specifically related to access includes enrollment and recruitment, as well as factors
affecting financial aid.
Enrollment and Recruitment
Traditionally, higher education institutions have spent thousands of dollars to recruit
students, however marginalized groups were not always included in these recruitment initiatives.
Even as institutions have begun to diversify, the LGBT community has not been as actively
recruited in diversity-oriented initiatives (Einhaus, Viento, & Crouteau, 2004). This type of

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recruitment is vital as students, especially LGBT students, generally make admissions decision
based upon an institutions LGBT policies, resources, and support (McGuire, Anderson, Toomey,
and Russell, 2010).
Oftentimes, students may feel discomfort in disclosing their sexual orientation or gender
identity and may therefore choose not to disclose their gender identity. In these circumstances,
transgender students generally select the path of least resistance by trying to pass as cisgender.
Alternatively, transgender students may choose to attend a LGBT friendly institution in order to
freely express their gender identity.
Factors that Affect Financial Aid
Many transgender students face hostility and rejection from their parents and extended
family during their coming out and transitioning periods. These challenges may lead to broken
relationships with family members that often impact the amount of financial support that these
students receive. Many transgender applicants encounter roadblocks to submitting a completed
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) when unaccepting, hostile, or even abusive
parents refuse to provide their financial information (Burns, 2012). The refusal to provide
necessary documents, information, and signatures for the FAFSA could lead to the delay or
denial of financial aid. While FAFSA recognizes these obstacles, institutions of higher education
are not able to provide accommodations for these students despite their extenuating
circumstances, leaving many homeless or in a hostile home environments.
Other hindrances or obstacles that transgender students may face while completing
FAFSA, pertains to information regarding Selective Services for the armed services and
mismatched data. Transgender men (FTM) often face challenges when completing the Selective

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Service area of the FAFSA. Because these men were assigned a different gender at birth, their
FAFSA may be delayed because they are not registered for military enlistment (Burns, 2012).
Additionally, many transgender students face delays due to record discrepancies related to name
or gender, which may cause further complications on their FAFSA. Transgender students
FAFSA applications may be rejected if their name or gender does not match their Social Security
records. Subsequently, these processes can become complex and difficult to navigate for many
transgender applicants (Burns, 2012). For these reasons transgender individuals may choose to
explore a community college as a low cost option for continuing their education. However, these
institutions typically do not have the resources necessary to retain this population.
Retention Issues and Needs
Once transgender students are able to navigate the enrollment process and have been
accepted into a college or university, the next challenge for student affairs professionals is
retaining them. Retention of this student population has only recently become a topic of research
in higher education. There are many issues that transgender students face in college that can
negatively affect their persistence and retention at an institution. Factors to consider when
looking at whether a college or university is welcoming to transgender students, and likely to
retain them include: campus climate, inclusive administrative policies, and services the
institution provides to support transgender students and their overall success. By looking at the
issues related to retention for transgender students, student affairs professionals can better
understand what changes must take place on campuses in order to better serve and retain
transgender students.
Campus Climate

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A college or universitys campus climate is extremely important when considering if a

student population feels welcomed. For transgender individuals, a campus climate can determine
whether or not a student may stay at an institution. Transgender students are frequently
surrounded by a hostile environment, often confronted with discrimination and harassment,
caused by a general lack of knowledge from the rest of the student population, faculty, and staff
(Dugan et al., 2012). A community that does not understand the lives of these students is not
equipped to adapt to their needs without some bumps along the way. According to Newhouse,
(2013) transgender students may face alienation, rejection, and exclusion on a daily basis
(p.25). As a result of misinformation and a general lack of understanding regarding this
population, students can be harmed both physically and mentally. Ultimately, chilly campus
climates force transgender individuals to navigate these issues while still dealing with the regular
stresses that come with being a student.
Some students are able to cope with this environment, while others may experience a
threat to their health or academic success. In one particular case, the stress of constantly having
to deal with hostility or the fear of hostility, in addition to the usual stresses of being a student
(B. Beemyn, 2003, p. 11), caused one student to contract mononucleosis and suffer from this
illness throughout his first year in college. It is hard to convince a student to remain at a
university when their experiences cause their health to deteriorate. Another study found that
participants believed their academic achievement suffered due to various pressures including
harassment, continuous reminders of preferred pronouns use, and an overall lack of
understanding and support from faculty (Goodrich, 2012). The constant distractions that a chilly
campus climate can cause are detrimental to students overall success and the likeliness that they
will persist at the institution.

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Time plays an important role in improving campus climate for transgender students.
While campuses may be starting to positively impact their campuses attitudes and feelings
toward transgender individuals, they are moving too slowly (Tilsley, 2010). More must be done
to help these students feel welcomed and engaged within the community. The first step to a
transformation in climate is to look at how the college or university is distinguishing its support
for LGBT students. According to a study done by McGuire et al. (2010), transgender youth
face even more marginalization than their LGB peers, and have less access to remedies because
many policies designed to protect LGB individuals do not provide protection based on gender
identity or expression (p. 1176). If a university is not making a direct effort to support
transgender individuals, then a generally LGBT friendly campus may still have many barriers for
transgender students.
Administrative Policies
Policies in place on a college campus can either support the success and identity of
transgender students, or they can prohibit them from reaching their potential; in some cases they
may even push a student to leave an institution. In particular, policies pertaining to nondiscrimination, student records, and housing accommodation need to be evaluated when
assessing best practices for retaining transgender students.
Non-discrimination. Non-discrimination policies should consistently be reviewed and
evaluated to ensure that they are inclusive and protective. Currently, college non-discrimination
policies include sex and sometimes sexual orientation as protected categories (B. Beemyn,
2003, p. 18), which ignores transgender individuals who are discriminated against because of
their gender expression or identity. This is another case where LGB students are being
considered, while those that identify as transgender are being disregarded. Currently, there are

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400 colleges and universities (only 20 of which are community colleges) that incorporate gender
expression and gender identity in their policies (G. Beemyn, 2012). This change is a result of a
recent push in transgender awareness and activism. However, the conversation must continue so
all higher education institutions consider this group a protected class.
Student records. A students record indicates the legal name given to them, as well as
the gender assigned to them at birth. This can be problematic for transgender students because
they may not identity with the name or gender they were given, which may create uncomfortable
and frustrating experiences throughout their entire college career. At the University of Albany in
New York, students still have to email professors individually to request that they use the
students preferred names and pronouns (Tilsley, 2010, p. 1), which places accountability on the
student to confront their professor about the discrepancy and explain their very personal
circumstances. Classroom activities which require students to separate based on gender, may
place transgender students in an uncomfortable position, where they become subject to
discrimination if they choose to side with a gender that does not reflect their physical appearance
(B. Beemyn et al., 2005). A lack of inclusive practices and policies may deter transgender
students from persisting at a particular institution.
Gendered housing. For many transgender students, choosing whether or not to live oncampus can be a much more complicated process than for cisgender students. Transgender
individuals suffer when an institution has housing policies guided by gender. This comes in the
form of male-exclusive and female-exclusive residence floors, or sometimes even entire
residence halls. According to B. Beemyn et al. (2005), housing policies and practices fail to
serve transgender students, especially those who are in the process of transitioning from one
gender to another or who do not identify as either dominant gender (p. 52). Due to the negative

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effects of these policies, colleges and universities must take this issue under consideration if they
are hoping to improve retention with this population. Transgender students may feel
uncomfortable living with someone they may not identify with, which may force them to live on
their own and forego the benefits of on-campus living (Tilsley, 2010).
Support Services
In order to effectively retain transgender students, one of the best places to start is to
review the support services that the institution offers for this population. Some of the services
that impact students but are not yet widely available for transgender students are LGBT student
organizations and resource centers, as well as health and counseling services. If an institution
does not make these services inclusive for transgender students, they may not have an
opportunity to engage with the campus and feel a sense of connection to the campus community
(B. Beemyn et al., 2005).
LGBT student organizations and resource centers. Transgender individuals, like other
students on a college campus, would benefit from the organizations and resource centers that
focus on their specific needs. Institutions that offer a LGBT student advocacy group and
administrative offices may still neglect transgender students. B. Beemyn (2003), argued that
although there have been many LGB organizations and administrative office that have added a
T to their names in the last decade, this move toward greater inclusiveness has been more
symbolic than substantive (p. 1). Transgender students are commonly left out when the
conversations in these organizations involve hardships and needs. A college or university must
reevaluate the effectiveness of these organizations in retaining these students, or consider if
student organizations should be specifically developed for transgender individuals. Additionally,
other student organizations may not be inclusive to transgender students. Both Greek lettered

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organizations and athletic groups have traditionally been gender specific, which leaves out the
consideration of membership for transgender students (Tilsley, 2010). Unfortunately, many
institutions are still far off from figuring out how to accommodate transgender students who have
interest in these organizations.
Health and counseling services. Many students on a college campus benefit from the
health services offered. The same cannot be said of the transgender student population who has
special needs that are typically not addressed by these services. For instance, students who need
hormone therapy or cosmetic surgery during their transitioning process may not always have the
access to such services and procedures at their college health center (Goodrich, 2012). This is a
disservice to this population of students because they are then forced to look for these services
elsewhere in the community, which can be a frustrating experience. According to B. Beemyn et
al. (2005), research on campus-based health services for transgender people is sparse, studies of
general health care access for this population find that professionals typically lack accurate
information about transgender people, severely limiting their ability to provide quality care (p.
57). Health service centers are not prepared for this population of students and therefore are not
able to appropriately serve them. If a college or university wants to better accommodate their
transgender population, they need to make sure their health services are informed and capable of
helping these students.
Recommendations and Best Practices for the Field
When working with any unique group of students there are a number of best practices
that should be enacted in student affairs offices across the country. While it may not be possible
to incorporate all best practices at every institution, each institution should identify best practices
that are practical, and more importantly most effective, for their particular population of students.

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When it comes to transgender students many of these best practices are still being developed.
However some areas of higher education have already made significant progress in creating a
more inclusive environment outside of the binary system. Through educational programs, new
policies, and the use of preferred pronouns, campuses can began their own journey towards
creating a more inclusive environment for transgender students.
Educational Programs
As student affairs professionals, one of our duties is to be the initial voice for significant
inclusive change on our campuses. Some of these changes include modifications of university
paperwork and creation of gender-neutral spaces. In a Campus Pride article, G. Beemyn (2014)
suggests that universities should use the phrase gender identity instead of sex or gender on
university paperwork, and include options such as transgender or other identity, with a space to
write in the students self-identified gender. Additionally, students should have the option of
indicating a preferred name in the schools database. This option can be used campus-wide to
avoid uncomfortable situations where a student may be accidentally outed during roll call or
when someone sees their student ID card (G. Beemyn, 2014).
In addition to providing a more inclusive paperwork process, institutions of higher
education should provide the opportunity for gender-neutral spaces that transgender students may
feel comfortable in without having to identify as male or female. In particular, these issues most
commonly arise in the residence halls and in the lack of gender-neutral bathrooms on college
campuses. While there may be students who take advantage of gender-neutral housing in the
residence halls, this option creates a much more comfortable option for transgender students who
may not identify as male or female or may still be exploring their gender identity. This option

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should be made available to both incoming and returning students in order to create a
comfortable experience for students as soon as they arrive on campus (G. Beemyn, 2014).
Another important facet of gender-neutral spaces is the option of gender-neutral
bathrooms, both in the residence halls and around campus. While many take this privilege for
granted, entering a public bathroom can be an extremely intimidating situation for transgender
students. This situation may elicit uncomfortable reactions from other people in the restroom
that can make students feel alienated and alone (G. Beemyn, 2014).
To help all of our students feel more welcomed on campus, we must provide
opportunities for students to receive education about working with diverse populations on our
campuses and beyond. When helping our campuses to better understand students with a
transgender identity, much of our responsibility is to dispel preconceived notions, and inaccurate
information about this population. To do this, we must first help students to recognize their own
privilege, whether within their sexual orientation and gender identity, or in other aspects of their
identity. Agans (2007), details a variety of exercises completed at Brandeis University through
the Queer Brandeis Campaign that provides students with an understanding of privilege. In one
particular exercise, students were asked to use a variety of attributes related to gender, sexual
orientation, race, and other forms of identity to complete the following statements: "1) I think of
others who are (insert attribute) as (fill in blank); 2) Other people at this university think being
(insert attribute) is (fill in blank); and, 3) If I were (insert attribute) I would feel (fill in blank)
(p. 204). Each student placed their responses in a box from which they were then read aloud and
discussed. Exercises like these help students to understand how their identities, and the identities
of others, are perceived and how they can help to combat sexism, heterosexism and other isms
by using their own privilege on their campuses and beyond.

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New Policies
In addition to the Queer Brandeis Campaign, universities across the country are enacting
policies and programs related to the promotion of gender identity and expression outside of the
binary and cisgender systems. While most practices flow through LGBT resource centers, other
programs are facilitated through departments on campus such as admissions. These movements
are excellent examples of programs that other universities should work to enact in order to make
campuses more inclusive for incoming and current students.
Admissions. As more and more students are coming out before they even set foot on
college campuses, admissions offices must provide an accurate, but hopefully positive,
representation of the climate for LGBT students on their campuses. Admissions offices may do
this through a variety of active and passive recruitment techniques. Passive techniques may
include listing LGBT student groups in lists of on-campus organizations both online and in
recruitment materials. Additionally, highlighting LGBT-friendly policies and programs on
admissions websites, may serve as another form of passive recruitment. One example of this is at
Dartmouth College; the institution lists its LGBT student organizations and gender-neutral
housing options as areas-of-interest for students on the admission application (Cegler, 2012).
This type of recruitment plays a subtle, but often effective, role in providing a positive perception
of the campus climate for prospective LGBT students.
While passive techniques may be effective for some students, it may often be appropriate
for institutions to enact more aggressive techniques when recruiting new LGBT students to their
campuses. Institutions may participate in LGBT friendly college fairs, as well as programs that
connect accepted students who have identified as LGBT with a current LGBT student.
Furthermore, some universities have sought out LGBT students and have recruited them because

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of their sexual orientation or gender identity. For example, Western Michigan University sends
current students who identify as gay or transgender, accompanied by a professional staff
member, to high school Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) meetings to talk about their experiences
with being gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender at the institution. These conversations can be
important deciding factors for students looking for friendly and inclusive campuses (Cegler,
2012).
Preferred Pronoun
There is no all-encompassing solution for addressing individuals who identify as
transgender. While some may prefer pronouns associated with their self-identified gender, others
may prefer gender-neutral pronouns or any other variety of options when it comes to selfidentification. Examples of this may be using their or ze and zir as opposed to his,
her, he, or she. To accommodate these preferences, it may be appropriate to ask
individuals to self- identify and share their preferred pronouns during group meetings. Spade
(2011), provides several tips for making the collegiate environment more comfortable for
transgender students including asking about someones preferred pronouns, correcting yourself
when you make a mistake, and correcting others when they make a mistake. It is important not
only that we make an effort to learn others preferred pronouns, but to also encourage our
students to do the same within their own organizations and classes in order to create a more
inclusive environment campus-wide.
When addressing members of the campus community, it is also important to remember
that transgender students may not choose to come out to all members of the campus community
for various reasons. Practitioners should wait for students to self-identify in any situation in
order to avoid outing them to members of the community to whom they may not be as open

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and comfortable with. As student affairs professionals, we should do everything in our power to
make these students feel welcome and included in our offices and at our programs.
Conclusion
Our group contended that support services at institutions of higher education were
insufficient in retaining transgender student populations. While we found literature that detailed
policies and practices that do support transgender students, we would still contend that these
institutions are in the minority. Significant efforts need to be made in order to promote inclusive
campus climates that support access and retention of transgender students. The first step in
creating inclusive environments on college campuses is educating faculty, staff, and students on
gender identity and expression and the heightened risks associated with its intersection with
other identities. Understanding the transgender identity may lead to better understanding of the
issues of access that this population faces, in particular the risk factors associated with
enrollment and financial aid. Once transgender students have obtained access to institutions of
higher education, their persistence and retention may be negatively influenced by the policies
and practices enacted across campus. Student affairs professionals can play a key role in
supporting this population and promoting positive campus climates. Although this may sound
like a daunting task, by avoiding the assumptions regarding gender identity and expression we
can make simple changes that can make transgender students feel more connected to their
collegiate experience.

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