Spring 2024
WHEREAS, Title IX is a federal law prohibiting gender discrimination in educationalminstitutions, which as a result ensures that students have the right to use restrooms and locker rooms that align with their gender identity and schools are not allowed to force students to use any facility that does not match their gender identity and must accommodate by establishing gender-neutral restrooms [1];
WHEREAS, Transgender and nonbinary youth who reported having pronouns disrespected by people in their lives attempted suicide at double the rate of those who had their pronouns respected[2] and Chancellor Sonya Christian stipulated a similar value in Vision 2030, which states California community college’s “commitment to set goals for the system to pursue transformational change to ensure institutions genuinely work for all students,” including those that may experience gender discrimination [3];
WHEREAS, Pronouns are prominently used in the English language and it is offensive to assume students’ pronouns are based on the gender assigned to birth [4] and while the term “preferred gender pronouns” is well-intentioned, it is inaccurate and denies transgender, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming students; Students’ names are not a preference but rather an identity [5] and the population of LGBTQIA2S+ students attending California community colleges has been steadily increasing in recent years, excluding the years of the COVID-19 pandemic [6]; and
WHEREAS, A significant percentage of the transgender population has thought about harming themselves (33%), and more than a fifth of them have acted on those thoughts (22%) so it is integral to support transgender students’ mental health in California community colleges to ensure the safety and health of all students, not just cis-gendered ones [7]; now, therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges encourage colleges to prioritize the visibility and accessibility of gender-neutral restrooms, particularly in high-traffic areas such as the library, cafeteria, registration, counseling, etc to promote inclusivity and signage and explicit markings on the campus directory are encouraged;
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges promote the usage of pronouns, offering faculty, staff, administration, and students the option to include their preferred pronouns on the college websites, school transcripts, campus ID cards, and class rosters, creating a more welcoming environment for all community members and reduce misgendering;
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges work with student body associations to encourage college admissions and records to replace the current
term “chosen/preferred name” with “updated name,” recognizing that the former language is exclusive and inaccurate; and
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges work with its partners to encourage them to offer annual professional development opportunities for faculty, staff, and administrators to enhance their understanding of and sensitivity to gender diversity.
WHEREAS, Transgender and nonbinary youth who reported having pronouns disrespected by people in their lives attempted suicide at double the rate of those who had their pronouns respected[2] and Chancellor Sonya Christian stipulated a similar value in Vision 2030, which states California community college’s “commitment to set goals for the system to pursue transformational change to ensure institutions genuinely work for all students,” including those that may experience gender discrimination [3];
WHEREAS, Pronouns are prominently used in the English language and it is offensive to assume students’ pronouns are based on the gender assigned to birth [4] and while the term “preferred gender pronouns” is well-intentioned, it is inaccurate and denies transgender, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming students; Students’ names are not a preference but rather an identity [5] and the population of LGBTQIA2S+ students attending California community colleges has been steadily increasing in recent years, excluding the years of the COVID-19 pandemic [6]; and
WHEREAS, A significant percentage of the transgender population has thought about harming themselves (33%), and more than a fifth of them have acted on those thoughts (22%) so it is integral to support transgender students’ mental health in California community colleges to ensure the safety and health of all students, not just cis-gendered ones [7]; now, therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges encourage colleges to prioritize the visibility and accessibility of gender-neutral restrooms, particularly in high-traffic areas such as the library, cafeteria, registration, counseling, etc to promote inclusivity and signage and explicit markings on the campus directory are encouraged;
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges promote the usage of pronouns, offering faculty, staff, administration, and students the option to include their preferred pronouns on the college websites, school transcripts, campus ID cards, and class rosters, creating a more welcoming environment for all community members and reduce misgendering;
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges work with student body associations to encourage college admissions and records to replace the current
term “chosen/preferred name” with “updated name,” recognizing that the former language is exclusive and inaccurate; and
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges work with its partners to encourage them to offer annual professional development opportunities for faculty, staff, and administrators to enhance their understanding of and sensitivity to gender diversity.