UM Faculty gets it

As I reported earlier, I'm in my final couple of days of classes, and finals are looming, so I'll be scarce for a bit.  That is frustrating to me because there are so many things I want to comment upon (Jespersen's case -- this is an immensely important case; the KY governor writing discrimination against gays and lesbians back into KY law (and citing trans people as one of the reasons); the IRS' irrational rulings concerning domestic partners and trans folk, etc.).  But, I just don't have the time right now.  Still, I wanted to share the following with you.

Thanks, in great measure to one of our law school professors, Bruce Frier, the University of Michigan's governing body of faculty, called the Senate Assembly, passed a resolution (by a vote of 27-3) calling for the Regents to amend its bylaws to protect gender identity and expression.  The resolution is below the fold. The story in the Michigan Daily is here.

Senate Resolution Concerning Gender Identity and Gender Expression

Whereas transgender persons are vulnerable to discrimination, harassment, and violence;

Whereas student groups have rallied to influence the University Administration and the Board of Regents to include “gender expression and gender identity” in the list of categories protected against discrimination;

Whereas the University Administration has responded to these pressures by including “gender identity and gender expression” as a footnote to the category of “sex” in SPG 201.35;

Whereas gender identity and gender expression are not conceptual sub-categories of sex as presently stated in the University’s non-discrimination policies;

Whereas 52 colleges and universities across the United States have to date changed their nondiscrimination policies to include gender identity and gender expression as protected categories;

Whereas the University of Michigan faculty have not yet spoken in support of these changes through its governing structure of the Senate Assembly;

Therefore the Senate Assembly resolves that the University of Michigan Regents Bylaw 14.06 should be changed to include “gender identity” and “gender expression” as categories in the nondiscrimination policy statement.

Be it also resolved that Standard Practice Guide policy on non-discrimination (201.35) should be changed to include “gender identity” and “gender expression” with all other categories in this SPG, and NOT as a footnote to “sex” as presently written.

Be it also resolved that the Standard Practice Guide preventing discrimination based on sexual orientation (601.6) should be broadened to include “gender identity” and “gender expression” as categories protected by this policy.

Attachments:

Regents Bylaws 14.06

SPG 201.35

SPG 601.6