This petition is aimed to urge the College of William and Mary to

reassess their policies regarding transgender students and to

implement more inclusive policies. We ask the College to do this in
three core areas, student health care, housing, and records.
Although transgender students face some of the same challenges that many
college students face with regard to their physical, sexual, emotional, and
psychological health, they sometimes have difficulty accessing traditional
health services due to restrictive policies or uneducated and unwelcoming
staff. In addition, transgender students face unique health challenges by
virtue of their gender identity and gender expression. Thus, it is important to consider the
ways a campus can improve its health services for students of all gender identities and
expressions. The student health insurance is currently underwritten by United Healthcare.
Starting on September 14, 2014 United Healthcare began offering coverage for both
hormone replacement therapy and gender reassignment surgery for individuals who
are diagnosed with gender identity disorder/ gender dysphoria who are over 18
years old. We ask that when the time comes to renew the student insurance plan, that this
coverage be added to the already existing plan. Having hormone replacement therapy
and/or gender reassignment surgery coverage available to transgender students through
the Colleges student insurance plan is important because for many transgender student
this may be the only opportunity for them to receive this type of treatment. By providing
this coverage, the College will be actively showing their acceptance of transgender
students and lessening their discrimination.

We are asking the College of William and Mary for more explicit language
in the adaptive housing policy and to create gender neutral housing. We
want the language of the adaptive housing policy to outline who specifically
can receive adaptive housing (for religious reasons, disabled persons, and
transgender persons). Currently, students of the same biological sex are not allowed
to room together. We are lobbying for a safe space where trans people can room with
people of the same identified gender. We also want to create a specifically LGBTQ
housing space. By providing multiple options for safe spaces, trans students will be able
to thrive in a safe and comfortable environment.

There is currently no policy in place at the College regarding the use of

preferred names and gender for student records, including student
identification cards. Students must legally change their name in order to
change their name on University documents. The College uses the name
and gender information kept by the Social Security Administration due to the needs of
student workers and students receiving financial aid. We ask that the College work with
the Information Technology department and Banner and its parent company to allow
students to change their preferred names on grade lists, class rosters, and other
documents. We also ask Student Services to make changes in the way they approach
gender on forms and applications, to better publicize resources and administration
contacts for transgender students, and to support the creation of student groups
such as fraternities and sororities that are accepting of transgender students.