As part of the annual Social Justice and Anti-discrimination Week of the University of Pretoria (UP), the Faculty of Law hosted webinar on 30 September 2021 to consider aspects related to transgender inclusivity in higher education, focusing particularly on creating safe, accommodating spaces for all individuals.

The issue of transgender rights forms an important part of the University’s Anti-discrimination Policy and has already received attention through the drafting of the institutional Trans Protocol. It serves as a guideline to understand, manage and respond to the needs of trans, intersex, gender non-conforming and non-binary students and staff members. This forms part of the University’s commitment to an inclusive, affirming and transformed institutional culture, curriculum, campus and residence life. The Faculty of Law is similarly focused on encouraging the creation of a safe and an all-inclusive environment for students and staff.

Prof Charles Maimela

Opening the webinar, Prof Charles Maimela, Deputy Dean of the Faculty, pointed out that this topic is a vital part of the discussions pertaining to anti-discrimination in higher education. He emphasised the fact that the Faculty celebrates and values the diversity of its students and staff members, in line with the constitutional values of human dignity and equality as basic human rights.

The webinar featured two speakers: Liberty Matthyse, Executive Director of Gender DynamiX, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) that works in trans and gender-diverse communities, and Busiswe Deyi, a lecturer in the Department of Jurisprudence and part-time Commissioner on the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE).

Mx Matthyse addressed the need to include trans and gender-diverse persons in both basic education and higher education. This relates to issues such as shifting perspectives, curriculum development, and policy change and reformation to reflect the realities of trans and gender-diverse persons, and changing institutional cultures. Addressing such issues is necessary to ensure that trans and gender-diverse people are treated equally and fairly within the higher education sector.

The notion of drafting policy through a gender-neutral lens is an essential component of eradicating discrimination. Understandings around curricular content therefore need to be re-evaluated so that they can shift towards engaging with all persons from a human rights and social justice perspective. The actual lived realities of trans and gender-diverse persons need to be taken into consideration.

Busiswe Deyi and Liberty Matthyse

In terms of gender self-determination, co-curricular activities such as sport and culture should not exclude access to or participation by members of a particular gender. Furthermore, the accommodation of students in university residences and other activities that are done on a gender-segregated basis need to be reconsidered. Any institutional policy framework in the higher education sector therefore needs to consider these aspects when addressing social diversity and transformation. They also need to be taken into account in any inclusive awareness-raising activities.

Mx Deyi, in turn, addressed the issue of access to education within an inclusive culture by delivering a presentation on an awareness campaign aimed at the implementation of the UP Trans Protocol. This trans awareness work of the Faculty allows conversations around the challenges experienced by non-binary persons in terms of access to take place within an institutional platform, preparing the way for a cultural shift away from discrimination against transgender, gender non-conforming and non-binary students and staff members. It is aimed at building a positive and affirming environment within the University as a whole, and introduces new ways of thinking about relevant issues.

The UP Trans Protocol will be implemented through a web page, which includes an information portal that can be used by students and staff members for information on various matters, including gender-inclusive language practices, how to change your gender-associated prefix on official documents, and links to various trans and intersex support resources. The website will be launched during international Transgender Awareness Week, which is observed from 13 to 19 November each year.

The implementation of the protocol is the beginning of a cultural shift that will enable staff members to reorientate themselves in terms of understanding trans and gender-diverse relationships, and support individuals by engaging in practices that are non-discriminatory and gender-inclusive, such as through the use of gender-neutral language.

Mx Deyi concludes how important awareness-raising events such as this webinar are in terms of ensuring that higher education embraces a culture of accessibility, safety and security, and the physical and mental health of all individuals, including those who are members of minority communities. It succeeded in getting people to ask questions about gender-related discrimination, and created an awareness of the way gender is assumed when addressing fellow students and staff members.

The UP Trans Protocol is available at:
https://www.up.ac.za/media/shared/1/ZP_Files/rt115_21-trans-protocol.zp202072.pdf