1. Safe Access to Essential Services: Supporting Diversity in Australian Higher Education Institutions
By Dr Erin McLeod
Campus Life Coordinator
Torrens University, Melbourne

2. What are the obstacles?
Transgender students face numerous and significant obstacles within higher education.
There is generally less awareness of the distinct issues which are faced by transgender and intersex people
Almost half of all gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people hide their sexual orientation or gender identity in public for fear of violence or discrimination, with young people aged 16 to 24 being the most likely to hide their sexuality or gender identity (Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society 2012).
Incidences of suicide, depression and drug abuse are much more prevalent among transgender students because of the misrecognition and discrimination they experience.
Studies show that even with a higher education degree, transgender individuals are still more likely to live in poverty or experience workplace discrimination because of their gender identity (Gash 2015)

3. How can policy support transgender students?
A survey of Australian universities has found mixed levels of anti-discrimination policy are in place and that only one in five campuses has kept pace with Federal protections for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) people’ (Chalmers 2015)
A study exploring Australian school policies relating to GLBTIQ students in Australian schools found that GLBTIQ young people in schools which have implemented protective policies are more likely to feel safe when compared to schools without such policies in place. Students at these institutions were almost 50% less likely to experience physical abuse, less likely to self-harm and less likely to attempt suicide (Jones & Hillier 2012).
Australia’s Sex Discrimination Amendment (Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Intersex Status) Act 2013 provides protection against discrimination in schools on the basis of gender identity and expression. All states and territories have prohibited discrimination in education related to transgender issues.

4. Safe access to facilities
In environments which foster hostility and discrimination, even the most basic decisions, such as which bathroom to use, can cause anxiety and opposition.
The Victorian Department of Education and Training (2018) outlines that while bathroom facilities are specific to each institution, careful consideration needs to be given to the use of facilities that are appropriate to a student's preferred or chosen gender.
In a 2015 study entitled, ‘School experiences of transgender and gender diverse students in Australia’, which survey 189 transgender and gender diverse Australian students aged years, ‘over one-third of the students surveyed felt that the changing rooms and toilets at their school were mostly inappropriate’ (Jones, Smith et al.).
One student in the survey stated that being transgender or gender diverse is not a disability, and being unable to use a toilet fitting one’s gender identity can be distressing.
Another, aged 24 years of age, explained how gender-segregated facilities encouraged remaining silent about one’s gender diversity.

5. What changes need to be made?
In recent years, there has been an increase in the local and global laws and regulations implemented in order to protect individuals on the basis of gender identity and expression in education.
There has also been increased coverage on Australian television and news media of transgender students. Important questions raised focus on their safety and welfare on campuses.
Higher education institutions must lead the way in inspiring others to embrace a vision of diversity. This vision must allow for the implementation of policies and procedures designed to improve the student experience, ultimately ensuring that higher education is accessible to all.
This is particularly important when findings demonstrate that having such policies and support services in place are known to make everyday differences to transgender students.

6. References
Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University, Private Lives 2: The second national survey of the health and wellbeing of GLBT Australians (2012), pp
Chalmers, M. (2015). Intersex and transgender students left behind at Australian universities, New Matilda, viewed 27th May 2018, <
Gash, A. (2015). For transgender students, a divided pool of college options, The Conversation, viewed 27th May 2018, <
Jones, T. M., & Hillier, L. (2012). Sexuality Education School Policy for Australian GLBTIQ Students, Sex Education: Sexuality, Society and Learning, 12(4), 437–454.
Jones. T. M., Smith, E., Ward. R., Dixon. J., Hillier. L., & Mitchell. A. (2015). School experiences of transgender and gender diverse students in Australia, Sex Education, Vol. 16, Iss 2. pp
Sex Discrimination Amendment (Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Intersex Status) Act, 2013, (Cth) (SDA Amendment Act) (Aus)
Stark, J. (2017). For some transgender students, the school bathroom is a battleground, ABC News, viewed 27th May 2018, <
Victorian department of Education and Training 2018, School Policy and Advisor Guide, viewed 8th June 2018, <