Transgender Week of Remembrance

The Biblical witness is clear: Acts 8 names a place for trans people in the church. To that end, the Seminary aspires to work with our trans students to facilitate their presence for training on the campus.

After discussions with a group of trans students and as part of our commitment to hospitality, we are making two changes. The first is that we aspire to have single stall bathrooms in every major building on the campus. We commit in particular to modifying the bathrooms in Scott Lounge and the Refectory by the Fall of 2026 to be gender neutral (hopefully sooner).

The second is that we recognize that year-round accommodation can be especially important for trans students. So, we are modifying our policy around summer housing to operate on a policy of need prioritization. This shift makes it clear that we will support our socioeconomically marginalized students, especially and including trans students who might have challenges in heading back to families of origin, by prioritizing their accommodation needs.

I want to thank the students of the Justice and Reconciliation Society. They have been thoughtful and gracious conversations partners as the Seminary seeks to find a way forward to be increasingly hospitable to our trans students, and increase awareness of and action on trans justice issues on campus.