March 31 is Trans Day of Visibility, an intentional opportunity to celebrate and recognize the valuable contributions of trans community members, but also to reflect on how we can all contribute to inclusion.
This year, I would like to recognize and thank all of the students, faculty and staff at UBC Okanagan who sat on the Trans, Two-Spirit and Gender Diversity Task Force for their work to create a more trans-inclusive UBC.
Launched in March of 2020, the Task Force worked diligently to deliver a set of recommendations that will guide university’s efforts in the area of gender diversity.
As a university, we are committed to advancing equity and inclusion. Yet, when only 58 per cent of trans, Two-Spirit and non-binary (T2SNB) student, faculty and staff respondents to the 2021 Gender Diversity Audit report a sense of belonging at UBC – compared to 79 per cent of their cisgender counterparts – it signals that more must be done to support their full inclusion. To make that happen, however, we also understand that we need to provide more educational opportunities, supportive processes and structures that can help cisgender staff and faculty in particular show up more effectively for trans students and colleagues.
With the release of the Task Force final report and the results of the Gender Diversity Audit on March 30, 2023, I have hope that with this renewed and clear direction of where to focus our efforts, we can make significant improvements to T2SNB students, faculty and staff’s experiences at UBC so that they can thrive.
I look forward to continuing efforts to support the implementation of all the Task Force’s recommendations under the guidance of the emerging Strategic Equity and Anti-racism Framework and Roadmap to Change.
We can all support trans leadership and work to enhance a sense of belonging for trans students, faculty and staff. I encourage you to explore the new Positive Space Foundations course, familiarize yourself with the use of chosen names and pronouns, and well as resources for T2SNB employees and their managers.
If, as a member of the T2SNB community, you have concerns related to your experience at UBC, please contact our office at trans.inclusion@equity.ubc.ca for support.
I encourage you to read the final report and explore some of the relevant resources of interest below.
Arig al Shaibah
Associate Vice-President, Equity and Inclusion
Resources of interest
- Trans, Two-Spirit, and Gender Diversity Task Force, UBC Equity & Inclusion Office
- Gender diversity hub, UBC Equity & Inclusion Office
- UBC trans & non-binary student guide by trans and non-binary students at UBC
- Human rights advising, UBC Equity & Inclusion Office
- Getting support as a transgender, Two-Spirit, and non-binary employees, UBC Human Resources
- Positive Space: Foundations course, UBC Workplace Learning Platform
- Peer advice for incoming trans & non-binary arts students, Faculty of Arts
Relevant events:
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- Check out our Instagram post for events.