Leeds University Union acknowledges that there are particular barriers to participation faced by transgender and intersex students across university education and sport.
This can be through the lack of education and knowledge of barriers, appropriate facilities, and a lack of inclusive and comfortable environments within the university.
This aims to set out our policy in ensuring support to all students and staff to enable access to education and sport on campus.
This policy is in accordance with and complimentary to the University’s Equality & Diversity Policy and LUU’s Equality and Inclusion Policy.
Definitions
Definition of Transgender (Trans):
Encompassing term of many gender identities of those who do not identify or exclusively identify with their sex assigned at birth. The term transgender is not indicative of gender expression, sexual orientation, hormonal makeup, physical anatomy, or how one is perceived in daily life.
Definition of Intersex:
Describing a person with a less common combination of hormones, chromosomes, and anatomy that are used to assign sex at birth.The term intersex is not interchangeable with or a synonym for transgender (although some intersex people do identify as transgender).
Policy Statement of Inclusion
LUU is committed to encouraging higher levels of participation in extracurricular activities from all students and staff, and dedicated to upholding the highest standards of equality and inclusion in all areas of activity and sport.
We welcome transgender and intersex students and staff to train and compete (where accessible within NGB or BUCS regulations) with sports and physical activity groups which best fits their gender identity, without requiring evidence of medical transition or hormone levels. In addition, transgender and intersex students and staff are welcome to train and compete within Leeds Sports’ recreational, social sport system, in the sport or physical activity which best fits their gender identity, without requiring evidence of medical transition or hormone levels.
In encouraging and welcoming the involvement of Trans and Intersex students and staff within LUU’s sport and physical activities, we commit to:
Create a Welcoming Environment
Maintain a zero tolerance to LGBTQI+ discrimination, harassment, or bullying.
Streamline and publicise the name-changing process on university IT systems on the Leeds Student Union and university websites to make it readily and easily accessible. Offer an option for students to display their preferred name on university systems as they enrol to avoid any delays. In the meantime, LUU should continue working with affected students and the IDAM Manager to find optimal short-term solutions to challenges if any delays are to occur.
Lobby the university to encourage university staff to pronoun share in lectures, seminars, tutor meetings and email signatures. Offer an inclusive training programme video about different pronouns, why they matter, and how misgendering can impact individuals;
Mental Health Support
Provide tailored mental health support to LGBTI+ individuals within the University of Leeds Counselling and Wellbeing Service.
Financial Support
LUU Exec would work with students from LGBT+ Soc to explore LGBTI+ bursaries at the University, with intersectional disadvantage guiding that work;
Lobby the university to support and increase funding towards the Gender Expression Fund;
LGBTI+ Inclusion in Sport
Lobby the University to ensure gender neutral/accessible changing and showering facilities are available within our sport facilities.
Appoint a staff lead within Leeds Sport for students and staff to contact for questions and advice.
Challenge the specifics of the BUCS Transgender policy to BUCS directly, particularly if LUU are aware of students who are unable to participate due to these restrictions.
Ensure staff are aware of appropriate external and internal services to which they may signpost LGBTI+ students, including information about undergoing hormone testing.
Create and provide inclusion training to committee members and staff within LUU sports and physical activity groups.
Engage with Trans and Intersex students within the LUU LGBT+ Society, Trans Liberation Coordinators and local trans charities to develop and embed educational training around Trans and Intersex inclusion in sport.
Support and platform mixed-gender teams in more sporting categories to increase inclusion of Trans and Intersex students and staff.
Review and refresh data protection policies in line with the equality act regularly to ensure the confidentiality of all trans staff and students.
Promoting annual events to raise awareness of LGBTI+ inclusion in sports and other extracurricular activities in line with national campaigns such as Rainbow Laces, as well as platforming inclusion policies through the LUU website.
Leeds University Union will ensure this policy remains consistent with national equality law through periodic review of this policy, over the course of the next 3 years. Trans and Intersex student representatives from Leeds University Union will be engaged in all policy reviews.
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