As study abroad opportunities continue to expand, how can international education administrators make the study abroad experience accessible, safe, and meaningful for transgender and gender non-conforming identified students? How does race and sexual identity intersect with a trans* identity? During this session, we’ll explore methods for engaging trans* students seeking to go abroad, with an emphasis on housing accommodations, health/medical needs, and safety. Using theory, case studies, and personal narratives from transgender and gender non-conforming students, we’ll offer inclusive and transferable implementation practices you can use, from marketing/application to pre-departure, exchange, and re-entry.

1. Here’s the T
Trans Students and Inclusive
Practices Abroad

2. Presenter Introductions
John Carrion (he, him, his)
Assistant Director of Global Housing Administration at New York University
Jacquis Watters (she, her, hers)
Assistant Director for Diversity and Intercultural Development at Maryland Institute College of Art
Executive Board Member, National Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals

3. Why are We Here
“To address issues significant to LGBTQ students is not to alter the
agenda, but to be more inclusive to the
real needs of the participants.”
- NAFSA: Association of International Educators - Rainbow Special Interest Group, 2008

4. Learning Outcomes
● Gain a basic understanding of Trans
students’ identity and definitions
associated with the Trans umbrella
● Gain effective tools to
implementing Trans inclusive
practices into study abroad
processes
● Be able to assist Trans and gender
variant students in reframing their
abroad experience; especially
around housing, health, and safety

5. Agenda
Trans/Gender Variant Living Language
Utilizing A Theoretical Framework
Narratives from Students and Colleagues
Addressing the Study Abroad Journey
Q&A

6. Trans/Gender Variant
Living Language

7. Gender Binary: A system of viewing gender as consisting solely of two, opposite categories, termed
“man” and “woman”, in which no other possibilities for gender or anatomy are believed to exist
Gender Expression/Presentation: The external manifestation of one’s gender identity through
clothing, hairstyle, voice, body shape, demeanor, social behavior and other factors
Gender Identity: One’s internal sense of being man, woman, neither of these, both, or other gender
(s); For transgender people, their sex assigned at birth and their gender identity are not necessarily
the same
Genderqueer: An identity commonly used by people who do not identify within the gender binary;
Those who identify as genderqueer may identify as neither man or woman, may see themselves as
outside of or in between the binary gender boxes, or may simply feel restricted by gender labels
Trans/Gender Variant Living Language

8. Sex Assigned At Birth: The assignment and classification of people as male, female, or intersex
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 sexual
orientation, hormonal makeup, physical anatomy, or how one is perceived in daily life
Trans: Prefix or adjective used as an abbreviation of transgender; Many consider trans/trans*
to be the most inclusive and useful umbrella term
Transition: A person’s process of developing and assuming a gender expression to match their
gender identity
Transsexual: A depreciated (generational) term describing someone who undergoes transition
within the gender binary
Trans/Gender Variant Living Language

9. Trans
Umbrella

10. NORTH AMERICA
Two Spirit (US, Mexico)
Muxe (Mexico)
SOUTH AMERICA
Quariwarmi (Peru,Chile)
EUROPE
Femminello (Neapolitan)
Sworn Virgins (Balkan)
AFRICA
Ashtime (Ethiopia)
Mashoga (Kenya)
ASIA
Hjra (India)
Kathoey (Thailand)
Waria (Indonesia)
Fakaleiti (Tonga)

11. Utilizing A
Theoretical
Framework

12. Bilodeau’s Trans Identity Model (2003)
• Uses a modified version of D’Augelli’s
Life Span Model of LGB Development
(1994)
Existing A
Traditionally
Gendered
Identity
Developing A
Personal
Transgender
Identity
Developing A
Transgender
Social Identity
Becoming a
Transgender
Offspring
Developing A
Transgender
Intimacy
Status
Entering A
Transgender
Community
• Participants were trans-identified
college students

13. Queer Theory (1990)
• Stems most visibly from subcultural
and political activism
• i.e. civil rights movement, gay
liberation
• What is that historical development?
• modernism
• structuralism
• post-structuralism &
postmodernism
• Traces the historical development of
social concepts that are responsible for
shaping the definitions of “sex” and
“gender.”
• expression//identity vs biological
sex
• cisgender
• trans*
• ask me about my asterisk
• Identity politics, non-conformity, and
influence of dominant
heteronormative binary

14. Critical Race Theory (CRT)
• Grew from political and legal
frameworks
• Offers a radical lens to deconstruct
and challenge structural neutrality
(racism is ordinary not aberrational)
• examines issues around race,
racial identity and racism
• Storytelling
• explores hegemonic narratives
of power and privilege
• explores counter narratives from
marginalized racial identities
• Recognizes that there is not one
simplistic, unitary identity
• notion of intersectionality
(coined by Kimberle Crenshaw)

15. Student Narratives

16. What Students Had to Say
● Concerns with housing:
○ dorm placement
○ dorm bathrooms
● Safety
○ during travel
○ in the country(ies)
○ harassment
● Outing and Understanding
● Local LGBTQ life
● The excitement of visiting a new country

17. Colleague Narratives

18. What Colleagues Had to Say
● Not yet a mainstream topic/concern
● Bathrooms are not gender neutral
● Opportunity to offer gender neutral housing but uptake is not sufficient to be
practical
● Students may not disclose the information

19. Study Abroad
Journey
Housing Accommodations
Health/Medical Needs
Safety Abroad
FYIs

20. Housing Accommodations
• Application
• gender neutral housing option
• demographic markers
•
• Physical Space
• halls, apartments, and/or
bedrooms
• bathrooms
•
● Communication
● Option is potentially available
● Safety concerns will be met
• Staff Training
• residence life
• campus security
• facilities and maintenance
• international affairs
• homestays (if you utilize them)

21. Health/Medical Needs
• Access to ...
• medical facilities
• hormone treatments
• insurance
• Local LGBTQ/SOGI life
• university/community center
• peer support/mentor groups
• social environment
• Mental health
• therapy
• medication
• Training/Awareness
• local medical staff awareness
• local medical staff sensitivity

22. Safety Needs
Suffered physical or sexual violence:
at work: 64-65%
at school (any level): 63-78%
----
Discrimination, victimization, or violence
by law enforcement:
57-61%
----
Doctor or healthcare provider refused to
treat them:
60%
• Educating Our Students
• orientations
• local community
• local customs
• local laws
• reality of “checking” oneself
• medical support

23. FYIs
Recruitment/Admissions
Academics and Faculty Preparation
Developing Partnerships
Social and Cultural Programs
Travel Locations
Travel Security
Progression of Title IX

24. Changing Our Practice
Start a Conversation!

25. Questions
Contact Information
John Carrion (he, him, his)
Email: johndcarrion@nyu.edu
Jacquis Watters (she, her, hers)
Email: jwatters@mica.edu