Gender Identity and Campus Climate

While LGBT students as a whole often face disproportionate rates of violence and harassment, transgender students specifically face compounding rates above what minority students already experience (Jauk, 2013). Authors in the area of LGBT college students often cite a lack of research focus on transgender students specifically (Beemyn, Curtis, Davis, & Tubbs, 2005). Because transgender college students face such unique challenges ranging from editing identification cards to securing appropriate housing accommodations (Beemyn, 2003), the present study sought to synthesize trends in existing literature and subsequently contribute to literature regarding transgender college students. In order to better understand the challenges faced by gender expansive college students, the present study gathered data on gender labels used by students at a rural university in Texas, and assessed their perceptions of general campus climate concerning attitudes towards students who may not identify in a gender binary system, and examined student knowledge of university initiatives to foster gender diversity and inclusivity.