We support student development by creating gender and sexuality initiatives that contribute to a healthy campus climate.

Blackburn College offers equitable and safe options for all members of the campus community.  Some of these options include:

Preferred Names and Gender Pronouns

Blackburn College respects the many ways individuals may express their gender identities. It is common for those that identify as genderqueer or transgender to also not identify with historical gender-binary names pronouns such as he/his and she/her. Instead, various non-traditional gender pronouns are currently being used in the LGBTQIA+ community. Some of them include referring to oneself as “xi/xir and ze/zer” as examples. The singular use of the “they” is also becoming more popular.  However, it is also common for those in the LGBTQIA+ community to express themselves using gender-binary pronouns too. Therefore, it is always best to ask individuals what preferred name and gender pronouns they prefer.

Preferred Name and Gender Pronoun Options

Although legal names must currently be used when required by law; such as payroll, financial aid forms, academic records, transcripts, etc., members of the gender-nonconforming and transgender community can request their preferred first name and gender to be substituted on other informal documents and rosters intended for everyday use. These documents may include a college directory of names, housing roster, Work Program roster, classroom roster, student ID card, and other requested directories of information when not in violation of state or federal laws.

Anyone wishing to request usage of a preferred first name or gender must meet with designated officials from the following areas on campus to discuss the scope and limitations of the request.

• Title IX Coordinator
• Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
• Office of Student Life
• Counseling Services
  

Designated officials will meet those requesting a preferred first name and/or gender identifier change. Since the College database system does not currently allow for an automatic change of names and gender identifiers, the College, therefore, cannot ensure that a preferred first name and gender identifier will be used at all times. However, the listed designated officials will inform only those that need to know of the request to use the preferred first name and gender identifier instead. Those that need to know generally include faculty and professional staff members where a legal name is the only documented name for an individual on their roster.

Definitions of LGBTQIA +

L — Lesbian • a woman attracted to women

G — Gay • a man attracted to men

B — Bisexual • attraction to both men and women

T — Transgender • not identifying with assigned gender at birth

Q — Questioning • uncertainty and/or exploration of gender or sexual identity (Sometimes also used for “queer” such as gender-queer)

I — Intersex • being born with both male and female anatomy

A — Asexual • not feeling sexual attraction to any gender (Previously also used for “ally or advocate”)

+   Everything else on the gender and sexual orientation spectrums. Examples may include:

Cisgender: term for people whose gender identity matches the sex assigned at birth

Gender Binary: classifies sex and gender into two distinct categories of either masculine or feminine

Gender Queer: does not classify sex and gender identities based on the gender binary. Also acknowledges that gender identity may be fluid and change over time too.

Pansexual:  sexual attraction, romantic love, or emotional attraction toward people of any sex or gender identity