BorderTRANS is a safe space for all students on the trans spectrum. (Illustration by Sarah Faulkner)
Ashton Cook – Staff Writer
[email protected]
UAB’s BorderTRANS support group has expanded to both the Student Health and Wellness Center and the Hill Student Center. Established in 2015, this organization aims to assist transgender students both academically and socially, giving them an outlet of their own through the group.
“BorderTRANS is a safe place where Trans students can come with questions about their gender identity and other issues they may have,” said Kelli Lasseter, the co-developer of BorderTRANS.
According to the group’s flyers, “BorderTRANS is a space for individuals to share their experiences and create community in a welcoming, supportive environment. This group is open to UAB undergraduate, graduate and professional students who identify as: Trans, Transgender, Genderqueer, Fluid, Non-Binary, FTM, MTF, Two Spirit, Intersex, Gender Questioning and Transexual.”
This and other campus groups have been working towards improving support for trans students; however, some have felt that it has still been very difficult for trans students on campus.
“I feel like many UAB students are not informed enough about trans issues and feel as if trans people are not people that they would like to associate with,” said Victoria Graham, a neuroscience major.
Ignorance about trans issues is not limited to the student body, according to Hannah Eckenrode, a junior biomedical science major.
“Because UAB has people, both students and professors, from a diverse background, I have witnessed both negative and positive attitudes from both,” Eckenrode said. “I actually had an issue with a professor’s attitudes and facilitated discussion of the students about trans individuals. On the other side of the spectrum, I have had professors who were extremely accepting and encouraging of trans people. So, with people on campus, it can be a mixed bag.”
However, Eckenrode believes that UAB has taken a strong stance on these issues.
“I think UAB has made great steps, like the inclusion of an all gender restroom in the new student center, and there are also all gender locker rooms in the rec center, as well as being able to put your preferred name in Blazernet,” Eckenrode said. “I have also seen the initiative to stop assuming pronouns of people wearing buttons with their pronouns, or including them in email signatures. […] I think there should be more gender inclusive restrooms in buildings on campus, and be aware of gendering things that aren’t necessary, like the ‘man up to prevent HPV’ signs. But, I think that UAB is definitely making an effort to improve.”
According to Lasseter, the group plans to grow in order to meet trans students’ demands.
“The expansion of BorderTRANS will be dependent upon the needs of trans students at UAB,” Lasseter said. “In other words, trans students will be determining the next step for BorderTRANS’ services on campus.”
A trans-student exclusive meeting will be held by BorderTRANS on Wednesday, March 16, at 6 p.m. in Hill Center room 314. No allies will be allowed at the meeting or into the group.
