Harvard Gender & Sexuality Caucus Statement on Trans Inclusivity, June 2017
As we celebrate the Pride season for 2017, HGSC would like to highlight our commitment to trans-inclusivity. While violence against trans people continues unabated in our nation, our national political leadership has taken action to roll back protections for trans students. Despite these setbacks, trans visibility and the struggle for acceptance have come to the forefront of the LGBTQ+ agenda. Indeed, we celebrate the fact that being trans is no longer a barrier to running for office.
We feel that our community has reached a tipping point in recognizing the value and dignity of all people and fighting for safe spaces for everyone to express their intersectional identities. At HGSC we commit to continue to advocate for the protection of trans identities throughout the Harvard community.
We commit to support Harvard’s administration in areas where they have made strides in supporting trans inclusivity and take them to task where they have not.
Despite the federal government's failure to protect trans students, we are heartened that both the state of Massachusetts and Harvard itself have policies prohibiting harassment and discrimination based on gender identity, and that resources exist on campus to support trans students. The Trans* Task Force (founded in 1997) is a nexus for the Trans* community (which includes transsexual, transgender, genderqueer, agender, genderfluid, non-binary, gender non-conforming and all other trans* identities) at the College and the wider Harvard community. For undergraduates, the Office of BGTLQ Student Life offers support, resources, and leadership development for bisexual, gay, lesbian, transgender, queer, and questioning students.
We look forward to working with the Trans* Task Force and the Office of BGLTQ Student Life. In addition, we support the call for university-wide resources to support LGBTQ+ students in all of the graduate and professional schools.
Sincerely,
Eleanor Kincaid AB '95 and Kamille Washington AB '10
Harvard Gender and Sexuality Caucus Co-chairs
president@hgsc.org