Universities continue to support LGBTQ students despite leaked memo from Trump administration

Inclusive diversity is prevalent on northeast Ohio college campuses in 2018 despite a recently leaked report from The New York Times regarding the Trump administration and the transgender community. Cleveland State, Kent State and the University of Akron offer various resources to lesbian, gay, transgender, bisexual and queer (LGBTQ) students to ensure they feel comfortable and welcomed throughout their undergraduate and graduate education despite potential federal policy changes under the current presidential organization.

In a memo obtained by The New York Times on Monday, October 21, the Trump administration is considering narrowly defining gender as a biological, immutable condition determined by genitalia at birth. This would set back recognition and protections of transgender people under federal civil rights law.

Ken Ditlevson, the director of the LGBTQ Student Center believes this will negatively impact the LGBTQ students and allies at Kent State University. “Anything that has an adverse effect on the people we support is not okay, we aren’t going to stand for that,” says Ditlevson.

According to The Times, the Department of Health and Human Services is trying to establish a legal definition of sex under Title IX, the federal civil rights law that bans gender discrimination in education programs that receive government assistance. The department said in the memo that key government agencies needed to adopt an “explicit” and “uniform” definition of gender as determined “on a biological basis that is clear, grounded in science, objective and administrable,” The New York Times said.

This would define sex as either male or female, unchangeable, determined by the genitalia a person is born with, according to the memo. Any dispute about one’s sex would have to be determined through genetic testing, The New York Times said.

Setting back years of progress for the LGBTQ community and leaving thousands of people unprotected, the memo seems to be a regressive step in the development of LGBTQ acceptance.

A 2016 survey of more than 33,000 students by the American College Health Association found 10 percent of participants identified as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, asexual, pansexual, or questioning.

Public acceptance for same-sex marriage has increased in the last decade. Pew Research Center said 56 percent of Baby Boomers favor allowing gays and lesbians to marry legally. Sixty-five percent of Generation Xers favor same-sex marriage and 74 percent of millennials support same-sex marriage.

“People should be able to be themselves and be honest about who they are. I think living your authentic life is very important to finding your own personal happiness,” Ditlevson said.

The growing acceptance is generational but influenced college campuses to reflect the progressive changes in society, which has led universities to establish LGBTQ student organizations.

“We do social events, educational events every year and we have weekly meetings and game nights. We just, kind of, want it to be a place where LGBT students can come feel safe and meet some people that are accepting,” Cayden Seely, president of Queer Student Alliance at Cleveland State said.

Kent State, Cleveland State and the University of Akron have departments and offices specifically designated for diversity and inclusivity. In these offices, one of the resources students benefit from is a student center that serves as the main hub for students who identify with LGBTQ community and those who want to learn more.

The focus of the campus resources is to support students in the LGBTQ community and offer education for students, employees and anyone who wants to better understand the queer community and offer the proper resources to people who are struggling with sexuality, mental health or gender identity, to name a few.

“We have a really great time, we try involve our students” said Ditlevson.

The universities offer mandatory and optional safe space ally training programs. The program was created to “equip students, faculty, and staff with the tools for creating Safe Spaces and welcoming environments for LGBTQ students on campus,” according to Kent State’s LGBTQ student center.

Kent State offers around 23 safe space ally training programs throughout the fall and spring semesters and estimates a yearly average 526 people complete the training.

To track the success of the program Kent State has participants take an exam before and after the training, said Ditlevson. Participants show an increase in knowledge of how to help LGBTQ students along with terminology to use.

Upon completion, program attendees are able to sign a pledge stating they’ve been through the training and are willing to adhere to the standards of the LGBTQ center, acceptance, and various other aspects of the program.

“We offer people the ability to sign an ally pledge and they get a placard the can put in their office once they sign that pledge,” said Ditlevson.

Kent State and the University of Akron offer gender-inclusive housing for students on their housing applications in designated halls and floors, where each application is looked at and then decided on. Students are given priority if they notify student services early on in the application process. This is offered in Korb Hall at Kent State.

Cleveland State offers gender-neutral housing assignments through an application process in Fenn Tower and Euclid Commons. Like the other schools, cases are looked at on an individual basis. This is not an option for romantic couples.

Cleveland State and University of Akron offer gender-neutral restrooms in designated areas. Kent State provides universal restrooms throughout campus, as well.

“This last year we advocated and were able to get on the policy registry that universal restrooms would be integrated into newly constructed and renovated buildings,” said Ditlevson.

With the potential shift of Title IX, funding for inclusive diversity programs could be threatened.

Low enrollment across the three universities led to budget cuts as it is. Though the cuts are tough, with the help of university funding and donations, the schools have tried not to cut the LGBTQ resources.

“We have an emergency fund through the center that is for students in financial crisis and is often times it’s a result of being disowned from their family members,” says Ditlevson. The funds are based on donations from students, faculty and the community and has supported 22 students with over $10,575 in tuition expenses, down payments, book costs etc.

Although budget cuts are inevitable in universities and their departments, the center strives to check every option to make sure their students are getting the best service.

“Our division tried to absorb the majority of those cuts, so instead of it trickling down to individual centers like the Women’s Center, the Multicultural Center, the LGBT center, our vice president tried to absorb that within their own overhead,” Ditlevson said.

However, despite the budget cuts, the LGBTQ center is fully operational and intends to keep running as is.

“The biggest struggle with limited funding is getting everything done that needs done,” said Ditlevson, “It’s never gonna be done. I mean if it does, we’ve done a great job.” 

.Check out my latest story on the LGBTQ communities at Kent State, Cleveland State and The Univeristy of Akron.

I’m touching on all thee universities, what they can do for students AND the leaked Trump administration memo! Stay tuned for the piece!

— Lyric Aquino (@laquinoprof) October 26, 2018

Lyric: Graph, body copy, interviews, pictures, graph

Ashley: Body copy, interviews, story spin,