O n Nov. 20, UNC’s LGBTQ Center honored the 81 transgender people who had died from gender identity- and gender expression-based violence since Nov. 21, 2013. The event in the Pit was meant to raise awareness of the violence transgender people continue to face, along with high levels of suicide, homelessness and discrimination.
But it should not take something as drastic as death to make transgender awareness relevant locally. UNC has been the site of gender identity- and gender expression-based violence.
According to a campus climate report by the LGBTQ Center, more than 36 percent of surveyed participants who identified as transgender, genderqueer or intersex reported experiencing verbal harassment due to their gender identity or expression. The same percentage also reported having feared for their physical safety for the same reasons.
Instances of harassment mostly took place in public areas around campus, such as Franklin Street, the Pit and in offices.
UNC has previously attempted to combat anti-trans harassment in residence halls by enacting a pilot program for gender-neutral housing in 2013, which was banned by the UNC Board of Governors before students moved in.
While gender-neutral housing is important for the safety of transgender students, it is not the only way to make the University safer.
