Did you know that one in every hundred students in our Kent community has said that they identify as transgender or gender non-conforming? However we suspect this number might be much higher.<\/p>\n
13-19 November is Transgender Awareness Week, which aims to:<\/p>\n
Recent figures show that the number of UK students who define themselves as neither male nor female has more than doubled in the last two years. LGBTQ+ rights charity Stonewall explains that people are becoming increasingly confident to\u00a0be themselves<\/a>, thanks to more social acceptance and visibility of different sexual and gender identities.<\/p>\n The big impact of small actions<\/strong><\/p>\n At Kent we hope to further our inclusive community, eradicate prejudice, and support one another.<\/p>\n On this subject, Lynne Regan, a senior member of the Student Support and Wellbeing team on the Medway campus, who also recently completed her Doctorate on the experiences of trans students at uni, explains how small actions of recognition and awareness of trans students can have a big impact:<\/p>\n “Rainbow lanyards are available for staff and students from most college and library receptions at Canterbury and Medway. Designed around the \u2018Inclusion Flag\u2019 which incorporates the Pride rainbow flag with pink, blue, brown and black representing the trans community and people of colour within the LGBT+ community. Wearing the lanyards shows students that they can \u2018bring their whole selves\u2019 to you without fear of judgement or an unsupportive reaction. One of the interview participants in my study stated \u201cI love that many of the lecturers wear these lanyards with the rainbow pattern on them, which signals to the students that they are LGBTQ+ allies and can be approached\u2026 I like that I have someone I can actually turn to very visibly\u2026 It makes me feel very welcome.\u201d<\/p>\n “Another thing you can do is to use inclusive language and respect pronouns. If someone has told you the pronouns that they use, then respect this. Use the pronouns they have asked you to use. Do not assume pronouns based on the way someone looks or sounds.”<\/p>\n Support for students at Kent<\/strong><\/p>\n Experienced hate or discrimination because of your gender identity?<\/strong><\/p>\n You can report incidents of assault, harassment, and hate via the REPORT + SUPPORT<\/a> tool, with or without giving your name. Even if you don’t choose to request support, by reporting an incident you will help to make the University a safer place for all.<\/p>\n Help us create a university community which belongs to all students, and where all students feel they belong by sharing this information on transgender awareness. #InclusiveKent<\/p>\n\n