After significant pressure from students and staff, the University has finally conceded, launching a crucial revision of their “Trans Equality Policy.” Yet, something’s missing from their draft. At a time when trans youth are stripped of their healthcare and forced to contend with dehumanising “debates” about their rights and freedoms, Transphobia is not mentioned once.
There has been a mainstreaming of the “gender critical feminist” movement within UK politics and media that trans youth must continuously contend with. The University of Edinburgh is no neutral bystander to this explosion of vitriol and propaganda, even allowing organisations to host transphobic events such as screenings of the “Adult Human Female.” The University provides a forum in which trans people can be denied their very existence.
As a result, trans youth are increasingly struggling with their mental health. The statistics are bleak: a 2024 study of trans and nonbinary youth by the Trevor Project found that over 70 per cent and 60 per cent of respondents reported increased symptoms of anxiety and depression over the last year. It’s also found that, over the past year, over 60 per cent had considered suicide, with over 20 per cent attempting it. The outlook is no better when we focus on students. A May 2024 report by the Higher Education Policy Institute found that half of trans and nonbinary students (49 per cent) have considered withdrawing from university.
From the beginning, the Trans Student Policy has decentred trans students. As EUSA’s Trans & Nonbinary Officer, it’s my responsibility to ensure student voices are respected and represented. I was told “no significant changes” could be made by us, that we only had a month to provide suggestions, and most notably, that harassment and bullying are not within this policy’s scope. Their reasoning always came back to the guidance “of internal and external legal advice.” I’ll leave it up to the reader to determine the real motivations behind such legal machinations.
Policymaking is all about balancing risk and return. The risk of expensive legal action sees issues like transphobia sidelined, but coordinated pressure from our community has temporarily delayed this policy’s timeline. The University is even promising “additional discussions” with the legal team.
If this is the case, the previously inflexible roadblock of “legal advice” was perhaps an excuse to sidestep the risky activity of protecting trans youth. But prioritising avoiding legal action over student care, is not a sustainable strategy for a University currently struggling in University rankings. With student experience being at the forefront of the senior leadership team, I want to ask: is it now too risky to protect trans students?
“2016.06.17 Baltimore Pride, Baltimore, MD USA 6762” by tedeytan is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.