Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Trans support
We are committed to gender identity and equality, and value the diversity of our university community.
We are working hard to achieve an inclusive and supportive environment for all trans staff and students, and we expect that every member of our university community will treat others with dignity and respect.
Here at our university, gender identity, specifically for all staff and students whose gender identities do not fit the gender binary of male or female (non-binary people) and those who regard themselves as trans, is a protected characteristic.
Our Code of Practice on Trans Equality and Gender Identity sets out our responsibilities for trans students and staff. We also provide guidance which outlines good practice to support staff who are transgender or who see their gender outside of the gender binary of male and female. We have developed guidance for supporting trans students, which outlines the ways in which our university can support a student who is transitioning and practicalities such as name changes.
It is up to the member of staff or student to choose whether to disclose their gender identity and to whom. We respect the confidentiality of all trans staff and students, and will not reveal information without the prior agreement of the individual. We provide guidance to support staff through transition and a personal support plan should be developed with the staff member. We ensure that staff undergoing surgery or attending identity clinics, voice therapy or hormone treatment specialists are given the time to do so. Similarly, the guidance for students will also include a support plan and provide information on time away from studies for the aforementioned procedures and appointments a transitioning student may require.
Our university has been a Stonewall Diversity Champion since 2014 and is proud to have been recognised in the Stonewall Top 100 list of employers from 2014 to 2017.
Frequently Asked Questions
Please note, these FAQs have been sourced from Stonewall.
Deadnaming is when people refer to a trans person using the name they had before they transitioned. Misgendering is when someone refers to a trans person using the gender they were assigned at birth instead of their real gender. When done deliberately, they’re both deeply hurtful to trans people. If you hear people do this, stand up as an ally and challenge the person saying it, if it’s safe for you to do so.
Understanding gender identity and trans issues can be confusing at first. Nobody is expecting you to know everything right away and it’s ok to ask questions if the person you’re talking to is happy to answer them. Some trans people feel comfortable discussing their identity, some people don’t. If you want to find out more about the experiences of some trans people, you can hear them in their own words.
If you say the wrong thing by accident (which happens sometimes to most people), just apologise. Recognise you’ve got it wrong and move on. We’re all human and people slip up sometimes. As long as you have good intentions, most trans people will appreciate you acknowledging your blunder and help you get it right. It’s important that we have real, honest, respectful conversations.
Cis is short for ‘cisgender’ which means somebody whose gender identity matches the sex they were given at birth. Basically, it means ‘not trans’.
Trans people can and have been using the toilets that match their gender for years without issue. This is another media-generated ‘debate’, and it’s actually having a negative effect on many cis people too; people whose appearance doesn’t fit the stereotypes of male or female are increasingly being challenged for simply going into a public loo. Having facilities that everyone can use – toilets and changing rooms with private space – is really sensible and many businesses and institutions have been taking that approach without incident for a long time now.
More and more people and organisations are recognising the importance of stepping up and being a vocal ally to trans people. Prominent individuals in politics and in the media are already doing it, as are organisations ranging from Lloyds Banking Group, to Tesco, to top-ranked law firms. But there are also lots of small steps you can take to be a trans ally. Whether it’s online or in real life, simply listening to - and supporting - trans voices can make a huge difference.
