IncludeME MU drafts new proposal

The proposal would expand the university's non-discrimination policy.

By Jessica Silverman

Published Oct. 16, 2009

IncludeMe MU, a campaign to include gender identity and expression in MU's non-discrimination policy, met Wednesday night with Triangle Coalition to review the new proposal for Chancellor Brady Deaton.

"Our interest in changing the verbiage of the policy is rooted in the injustices that members of the university community with non-traditional gender identities are currently experiencing," the proposal states.

Because the non-discrimination clause does not include gender identity or expression, students, faculty and staff have no protection against failing courses or evaluations, having their employment terminated or being discriminated against because of those things.

Last spring, IncludeMe MU had 82 percent of the student body vote to add "gender identity and expression" to the Missouri Students Association's constitution.

"There's a general misunderstanding about what (gender identity) is," Triangle Coalition Multicultural Liaison Yantézia Patrick said. "People can be harassed based on gender expression if they're an effeminate man or a masculine woman."

Patrick said people don't understand the difference between gender identity and sexual orientation.

Transgender interest group Fluidity President Emily Colvin said gender identity is the gender someone identifies with. Biological sex and sexual orientation are different.

"Expression is who you are," Colvin said. "Somebody can be male but expresses female expression. Someone can have feminine traits but that doesn't mean their identity is female. The typical tomboy's gender is female but their gender identity is not really female."

Erin Horth, TriCo president and a leader of IncludeMe MU, said the campaign protects those who don't perform their gender in ways society sees as acceptable.

Horth said she brought up the proposal to Deaton in the past.

"I had a very informal conversation with Deaton," Horth said. "He brushed me off. I didn't really get a response from him."

The chancellor said he had heard about the IncludeMe MU campaign from MSA President Jordan Paul, but didn't say anything in support, Horth said.

"Deputy Chancellor Michael Middleton did support it, but wasn't optimistic of getting it done in the near future," Horth said.

Horth said the logic of the administration is politics.

"People on the board of curators and the university are afraid to pass it," Horth said. "They're worried about repercussions from the legislature because it's all political."

Horth said if MU includes the phrase in the policy, the government could take some of the school's funding.

"It's conservative views," Colvin said. "Men should wear men's clothes and women wear women's clothes and we should all be good Christian boys and girls."

According to the proposal, 280 other colleges and universities in the U.S. include gender identity and expression in their non-discrimination policies.

The proposal said the English and women's and gender studies departments changed their statements of non-discrimination to include gender identity and expression.

Horth said the chancellor can show support but can't approve the change.

"It has to go to the president and then the Board of Curators," Horth said. "But Deaton has never officially expressed support."

Deaton was not available for comment.