HRO - Transgender/Transsexual Policy Group

Human Rights Office: Transgender/Transsexual

Transgender/Transsexual Policy Group

[Transgender/Transsexual Policy Group] Introduction
What you can do
Policy Group Members
Local Resources
Information and Resources on Transgender Issues
Trans Accessibility Project

The Transgender/Transsexual Policy Group (TG/TS Policy Group) was established by the Human Rights Office in September 1998. The committee was initially developed to formulate guidelines and recommend policies that would result in the residence system being available to, and comfortable for, transgendered (trans-identified) students and staff. The initial group included representatives from Residence administration and live-in staff, the transgender community, faculty, and the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs. The committee is coordinated by the AntiHeterosexism Coordinator (Human Rights Office).

During the first year of operation, the group educated its members on transgender issues, examined critical areas in residences, investigated work being done at other universities, and identified and compiled resources. Recommendations made to Residences were implemented resulting in the modification of the 1999 application forms (the "male or female" designation was removed to allow greater flexibility in specifying gender) and the inclusion of transgender in the Residence Life brochure (section titled, Special Considerations). A member of the group conducted a workshop on the Policy Group and transgender issues at the CACUSS conference in June of that year. Feedback was reported to be uniformly positive and Queen's was applauded at the closing plenary for its pioneering work in this area. A resource package, initially developed for the workshop by Kathy Beers, was amended for distribution to coordinators and dons in Queen's residences. The office of the Dean of Student Affairs generously assumed the costs of printing the resource package.

The focus of the Policy Group for 1999 - 2000 is support services. Representatives from additional key services on campus have joined the committee to examine the service needs of transgendered staff, students and faculty and the needs of services in relation to transgender issues. The group is developing a pamphlet on transphobia and transgender issues for general campus distribution. It is also planning to offer educational sessions on campus in the future.

What you can do

This committee welcomes your comments and suggestions. You may contact a group member or send your comments to: TG/TS Policy Group, Queen's University, Human Rights Office, Old Medical Building, Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6. If you are interested in working on these issues, please contact a group member to discuss how you might get involved.

Local Resources

Queen's Human Rights Office Old Medical Building 533-6886

The Human Rights Office reading library (available to all students, staff and faculty) houses some transgender resources. The office subscribes to, The Monarch: Canada's Transgender Reader, has booklets/recent documents on gender identity, and carries some recent videos on transgender.

Kingston Lesbian Gay Bisexual Trans-identified Association (KLGBTA) Grey House, 51 Queen's Crescent 531-8981

The KLGBTA carries a large selection of fiction and non-fiction books related to sexual and gender identity. Books may be borrowed by those on- and off-campus provided they show two pieces of identification.

HIV/A113S Regional Services (HARS)
844A Princess Street, Kingston
545-3698

HARS has print resources on transgender, provides safer sex information, and offers support to transgendered individuals who are HIV+.

Health Counselling and Disability Services: 533-2893

Office of the Chaplain: 533-2186