1,000 signatures reached
To: Universities Australia and University Management
Stop Deadnaming at Universities!
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Our Demands:
Collectively we are calling on Universities to take the following actions against deadnaming:
1. Put pressure on external platform developers to add functionalities that allow students to enter and display their true names
2. Ensure University owned, student facing platforms have the functionality for students to enter their true names
3. Ensure all student facing staff have access to students’ true names for student interactions
4. Provide staff with training on inclusive language, including pronoun use and deadnaming and the risks to students when they are deadnamed or misgendered
5. Provide students with a comprehensive guide on how to change their names on all student facing platform.
Why is this important?
Our universities are failing when it comes to building inclusive and supporting learning environments for transgender, gender diverse and non-binary students.
A recent survey of queer students in Australia conducted by the NUS Queer/LGBTQIA+ Department and RUSU Queer Department identified that every single respondent regularly experienced some form of deadnaming at university. The results from the survey revealed that:
83% of students said there was a persistent deadnaming issue at their university
93% were deadnamed on student facing platforms
20% were deadnamed by staff
43% were deadnamed on university accounts
13% were deadnamed on their student ID
With the constant misgendering and deadnaming that occurs on student facing platforms and within classrooms, it is time for this issue to be addressed. We are calling on universities to end deadnaming and change their ways to ensure that the wellbeing of transgender, gender diverse and non-binary students is a priority.
Universities have a duty of care towards their students, a responsibility to provide a safe learning environment that minimises opportunities for psychosocial harm. They need to acknowledge that until action is taken to end deadnaming in Australian universities, trans, non-binary and gender diverse students will continue to be at severe risk of bullying, harassment, physical violence and psychosocial harm. It is time for universities to protect vulnerable students and allow them to bring their whole selves to their studies.