SGA Re-Words Discrimination Policy

Author: Venessa Wong

On Sunday, April 13 the Student Government Association (SGA) unanimously approved a motion to add an amendment to the Middlebury College Non-Discrimination Statement and Harassment/Discrimination Policy Statement to include "gender identity and expression." The proposal, authored by Kevin Moss, professor of Russian, aims to protect the rights of "transgender or transsexual people or those who are perceived to be of a different gender from that assigned to them at birth" and encourages the College to adopt the policy before required to by Vermont state law. "[We want to] send a signal out that we are indeed interested in promoting diversity," said Moss.
The current policy in the College Handbook prohibits "discrimination in employment, or in admission or access to its educational or extracurricular programs, activities, or facilities, on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, place of birth, Vietnam veteran status, or against qualified individuals with disabilities on the basis of disability."
Said Moss, "Inclusion of gender identity and expression is about the future. There are bound to be trans students and staff in the future. People who identify as trans are becoming more open and more evident in society at large."
The proposal points out that although Vermont's non-discrimination laws do not protect "gender identity and expression," Minnesota and Rhode Island state laws, as well as a number of municipal jurisdictions, 10 colleges and universities and about 15 Fortune 500 companies do so. In 1990-1991, the College added protection against sexual discrimination to the Non-Discrimination Statement. The authors of the bill believe the College should act again before the state does.
Although the proposal mentions diversity as part of its rationale, Moss said, "We shouldn't always ask members of minorities to contribute to a diverse campus. Trans people's contribution may not necessarily be as trans, just as people of color may contribute to the community not just as people of color." Moss is "more interested in educating people about trans issues so that everyone can be a full member of the community. If trans people are harassed or discriminated against they will not be able to participate fully."
On the issue of diversity, Bindery Supervisor Joseph Watson, a participant in GLEAM (Gay and Lesbian Employees at Middlebury), said, "certainly transgender people would contribute to a more diverse campus, but I think of that potential contribution as a positive side effect of including the language in our policy, not the reason to do it."
However, Gabrielle Fonseca '04, a member of the Middlebury Open Queer Alliance upholds the importance of diversity. "I think transexual/transgendered members of the community can contribute much to the diversity of this campus. I view a diverse student body and wide range of opinions as a positive thing and an asset to a small college like Middlebury."
David Edleson, dean of Cook Commons, another participant in GLEAM, points out other benefits of diversity. "People on the margins of what we conveniently call mainstream, bring a fresh (and often ignored) perspective to our campus, our classrooms and our social lives."
The College's Board of Trustees will meet in May to vote on this amendment after consultation with the College's legal counsel.