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University of California system implementing statewide gender identity recognition policy

‘Ensures that all students, employees, alumni, and affiliates are identified by their accurate gender identity and lived name on university-issued identification documents and in UC’s information systems’

The 10-campus University of California system is implementing a statewide policy requiring that an individual’s gender identity is fully recognized on college campuses and even within the UC’s medical facilities.

The “Gender Recognition and Lived Name” policy mandates universities acknowledge individuals’ gender identity and preferred name on all university-issued documents by the end of December 2023.

“This policy applies to all university campuses, locations, laboratories, medical centers and health systems, as well as satellite offices, affiliates, and other units controlled by the Regents of the University of California,” the policy states.

The 12-page policy, approved in November 2020, highlights how it will require each university to comply, spelling out detailed guidance on the collection and reporting of gender identity, lived names and sexual orientation.

UC campuses and related facilities must offer at least three gender options on university-issued documents: woman, man and nonbinary, for anyone who has an academic or professional relationship with the system.

Along with a process that amends their gender designation and lived names, if the legal name of a student, employee or alumni is different than their lived name, then it must be kept confidential except on certain financial and legal documents, the policy states, adding a trans person’s legal name is also known as their “dead name.”

The responsibility falls on each UC to continue this process, ensuring they adhere to record protection and electronic information security policies for individuals.

Plus, “Graduate, Undergraduate, and Equity Affairs at the University of California Office of the President is responsible for providing interpretations or clarifications of the policy.”

UC college officials are hopeful the policy will be fully implemented by the deadline.

“We have a campus committee that is working on the issue, and we will meet the deadline. This is an important policy,” Janet Gilmore, director of communications for UC Berkeley, told The College Fix. “The Gender Recognition and Lived Name policy ensures that all students, employees, alumni, and affiliates are identified by their accurate gender identity and lived name on university-issued identification documents and in UC’s information systems.”

When it comes to legal and health insurance documents, “safeguards need to be in place to protect and manage gender identity information; this includes controlling how the gender data is displayed in hardcopies and digital forms and properly training staff who have access to the data about their role as data stewards of UC privacy policies.”

The College Fix reached out to the America’s Frontline Doctors group on how the policy of identifying biological males and biological females by their gender identity might effect UC medical centers’ quality of treatment, but did not receive a response.

MORE: Calif. students now given six ‘gender identity’ choices on college admissions applications

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About the Author
Esther Wickham -- The Kings College