TRANS STUDENTS OF COLOR & HOUSING SAFETY 1

Transgender Students of Color & Sense of Safety in Differing Housing Situations

Mario Cruz, Azucena Gutierrez, Juan Lopez, Kiana Medina

Department of Educational Leadership, California State University, Fresno

Dr. Jonathan Pryor, HEAL 224

May 11, 2021

TRANS STUDENTS OF COLOR & HOUSING SAFETY 2

Transgender students face a myriad of challenges within the higher education system-

from issues with respecting students’ names and pronouns to discrimination in University sports

teams. The higher education system was founded upon the oppressive systems of racism,

classism, and the gender binary. Although higher education student affairs culture is

continuously evolving to become more equitable and inclusive, transgender students and students

of color are still systemically oppressed and disadvantaged. This can be seen in the housing

experiences of transgender students of color (TSOC). The type of housing experience students

have has a tremendous impact on student success, retention, and graduation, especially for

transgender students of color. This minoritized population of students is at higher risk of

violence and harassment, making safety a priority. This research will compare and explore the

experience and sense of safety of transgender students of color: living on-campus vs. off-campus

and providing student affairs professionals best practices. We wish to explore the following

questions: How do different living/housing situations influence TSOC’s sense of safety? Is

housing for trans students on campus safer than trans students who stay off-campus? Will

having inclusive on-campus housing provide a greater sense of safety for TSOC?

Institutional Data

As we move forward to analyze the impact of housing safety on our transgender student

community, we first must explore the definition of transgender and the information we know

about the transgender community. A transgender person is someone whose gender identity is

different than the gender/sex they were assigned at birth. This includes individuals that identify

as transgender men, transgender women, nonbinary, genderqueer, gender fluid, agender, and

beyond. In the United States, 1.4 million people, 0.6% of the total population, identify within the

transgender umbrella (Flores et al., 2016). Transgender students on University campuses face
TRANS STUDENTS OF COLOR & HOUSING SAFETY 3

difficulties in many ways due to rampant transphobia and institutional barriers. This includes

discrimination, harassment, lack of access to necessary medical care on campus, lack of mental

health support, financial barriers, lack of parental support, gender-exclusive bathrooms and

housing, and much more. Despite the challenges this student population encounters, many

Universities do not measure or track the sub-population of transgender students. Unfortunately,

we cannot report how many transgender students attend California State University, Fresno (and

the entire CSU system), or their academic success and sense of belonging. This missing

demographic data leaves a large gap of necessary information as we seek to understand how to

serve our students. To promote student success and a sense of belonging, we must be inclusive

while surveying to understand the student body holistically. A major barrier with accessing the

data of transgender students is privacy. Many universities collect data of transgender students but

do not publish or utilize any data because they consider gender identity to be private. Another

barrier is that many outdated statistical data systems are not inclusive of more modern language

regarding gender identity and orientation. There is no way to discover if a student is nonbinary if

there is no option to report it on the survey. Although the data is missing on campus, there is no

doubt that there is a population of transgender students at Fresno State and every university.

Applying the national percentage to Fresno State, 0.6% of the 25 thousand students, or 105,

identify themselves as transgender.

Ethnically, Fresno State is very diverse and has a majority population of non-white

students of color. The University is classified as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and an

Asian American/Native American/Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI). Unlike

LGBTQ+ identity, ethnic identity is shared openly, and the data is fully utilized to track success.

We are unable to state how many transgender students of color attend Fresno State. Still, we
TRANS STUDENTS OF COLOR & HOUSING SAFETY 4

hope that our research allows us to dig deeper into the experiences of transgender students of

color to understand better how to support them.

Literature Review

When analyzing the pool of current literature to begin reviewing which components of

the lives of transgender students of color had been addressed, we found a vast array of

information that focused on how the higher education system’s rigidness in accepting,

promoting, and instituting change continues to affect transgender students. The current policies

that most higher education systems employ fail to address the specific needs of transgender

students when it comes to housing arrangements, bathrooms, lockers, the application process,

official records, documentation, and healthcare needs (Beemyn, 2005). These antiquated policies

and their foundation on the binary system allow transgender students to be exposed to

unnecessary encounters of microaggression and heterosexism inside the classroom, on campus,

and within university housing (Johnson et al., 2020). The experiences for transgender students of

color are vastly different as they also have to manage their lived experiences being an individual

of a variety of oppressed identities (Garvey et al., 2019). Transgender students of color have to

deal with the day-to-day discrimination due to the heterogendered norms in a college

environment and the racism due to being a racial minority. Given that “residential life shapes the

experiences of queer and trans students at both institutional-level and individual-level

dimensions” (Simpfenderfer et al., 2020, p. 35), it is necessary to evaluate how transgender

students can experience a safe and engaging environment while living on campus.

Next, we will review how policies and the binary system, heterosexism and

microaggressions, and multiple oppressed identities directly relate to transgender students and

the experiences they encounter in colleges and universities.

TRANS STUDENTS OF COLOR & HOUSING SAFETY 5

Policies and the Binary System

Given that the majority of institutions of higher education are built on the same principles

that continue to propagate the policies of systemic racism and do not seek to include students

who do not fit the mold, it is no surprise to see that transgender students face a variety of

difficulties when living and engaging on campus. Even before setting foot on campus,

transgender students are already made to feel excluded starting with the application process,

legal records, and documents that do not acknowledge the student’s gender identity (Beemym,

2005). When transgender students finally arrive on campus, their gender identity is continually

challenged as the facilities available such as bathrooms, residence halls, and locker rooms, are

designated for them in a gender they may not associate with. Given that “bathroom safety is one

of the biggest sources of anxiety for gender-variant students” (Beemyn, 2005, p. 81). Some

transgender students “avoid using campus bathrooms altogether, and to the detriment of their

comfort and health” (Beemyn, 2005, p.81) it is of utmost importance to create a sense of safety

for transgender students with the most basic and rudimentary need: bathrooms.

When looking at on-campus housing, little has been done to provide a safe living

situation for transgender students adequately. When focusing specifically on transgender

students’ experiences of campus housing Beemyn (2005) found that students faced increased

discrimination due to the gender-exclusive policies and practices employed by the institution.

These policies, which continue to be gender-exclusive, include, but are not limited to: health

care, residence halls, bathrooms, locker rooms, records, and legal documents, public inclusion,

programming, training, and support (Beemyn, 2005). Pryor & Hoffman (2020) state how

colleges and universities continue to reify heterogendered norms in housing practices and even

go as far as penalizing students with housing accommodations that are too expensive. In their
TRANS STUDENTS OF COLOR & HOUSING SAFETY 6

attempt to provide appropriate accommodations to transgender students that allow them to have a

safe and comfortable environment, colleges and universities create single dorm rooms available

to students but at a substantial price that most students cannot afford (Pryor & Hoffman, 2020).

Even though the administration may be acting to allow for the safety of transgender

students while on campus, having separate living facilities that transgender students cannot

afford does not address the root of the problem. Inappropriate housing facilities and the

reluctance to update gendered university policies have a tremendous impact on the development

of transgender students and have a massive effect on their sense of belonging (Blackmon et al.,

2020; Johnston et al., 2020). Beemyn (2005) also notes the unique housing issues transgender

students encounter within college when they are in the process of transitioning while living on

campus. The issues begin to arise when transitioning students, who may have been initially

placed utilizing the gender they were given at birth due to gender-based housing policies, no

longer feel comfortable in the living arrangements. Bleiberg (2003) depicts how same-sex

roommate pairing can be distressing for transgender students and noted the success that mixed-

sex housing had on transgender students living in the dorms in college, thus providing an

alternative whose purpose is to include and not alienate.

Given that the “presence of sexual tension and awkwardness between roommates is one

of the reasons for the current practice of same-sex accommodations” (p. 5), Bleiberg (2003)

makes an observation as to the hypocrisy of forcing transgender students to reside with same-sex

roommates due to the policies being rooted within the binary system. Not only are students

having to traverse the stressful process of transitioning, but they are then faced with the added

stress of not being comfortable in their own homes, forcing them to leave campus residence to

feel safe, or moving to another institution due to negative interactions (Denton & Cain, 2020;
TRANS STUDENTS OF COLOR & HOUSING SAFETY 7

Pryor et al., 2016). Krum (2013) found that gender-inclusive housing better serves the needs of

both transgender and nonconforming students as it does not create a sense of otherness but sees

the student as an entire individual without labels. Given these findings in previous research,

residence life and housing professionals have a unique opportunity to impact the lives of

transgender students while on campus (Kranzow et al., 2015).

Nicolazzo (2016) notes the genderism experienced by transgender students on campus

and the gendered expectations they are subjugated to in their interactions with students, staff,

faculty, and administrators. Not only are the gender identities of transgender students not

acknowledged or respected, but they are them subjected to play the part of the gender people

associated them with being. Overall, current practices established in higher education institutions

are not accommodating to the needs and experiences of transgender students as they relate to on-

campus facilities, on-campus housing, and campus policies. Much can be done to improve on

such aspects in a way that does not augment the feelings of otherness but seeks to create an

environment of inclusion.

Heterosexism and Microaggressions

As noted above, current higher education policies regarding housing limit the number of

options transgender students choose from when looking into finding safe and affordable housing

situations. BrckaLorenz et al. note that “Strayhorn and Mullins (2012) named residence hall

structures and policies as spaces for perpetuating heterosexism and social isolation for LGBQ

residents” (p. 80). Even within their own homes, transgender students are faced with

heterosexism causing them to feel uncomfortable and forcing them into isolation (BrckaLorenz

et al., 2020). In looking at the overall student population, Fanucchi & Taub (2010) found that

negative correlations exist for all students between higher levels of homonegativity and student
TRANS STUDENTS OF COLOR & HOUSING SAFETY 8

satisfaction with residence hall climate. This means that the microaggressions that transgender

students have to endure also negatively impact the other students present when the attack occurs,

suggesting that reducing and eliminating these instances would be beneficial to the student

population as a whole. Kortegast (2017) explains how homonegativity and indirect and direct

harassment directly and negatively impact transgender students, especially when they feel no

support from the housing officials. A student in their study stated that they “feel unsafe. Because

I’ve had just multiple encounters there where people were using derogatory language and

excluding me from activities on the basis of my identity” (Kortegast, 2017, p. 65), but that “it’s

often more of a hassle (to report) than it is going to get me anywhere” (Kortegast, 2017, p. 65).

Because transgender students see that the policies and norms are based on heterosexism, they do

not sense the importance of reporting on the microaggressions as they believe it will not be

beneficial to them.

Johnston et al. (2020) note that microaggressions within college and university housing

also impact students’ sense of belonging and, ultimately, their development while in college. The

pervasiveness of microaggressions experienced by transgender students leaves them unable to

connect with the campus as other students might. They are ultimately unable to develop a sense

of belonging to the institution because they are continually reminded that they are not set up with

them in mind. Longerbeam et al. (2007) found that the campus climate affects student identity

development of transgender students as they are exposed to unwelcoming, threatening, and

unsafe campus environments. Pryor & Hffman (2020) ultimately note how the microaggressions

the discrimination that takes on campus are reinforced by heterogendered structures that have

been created in higher education institutions. When transgender students are inevitably faced

with microaggressions and macroaggressions on campus, they are left with feelings of isolation
TRANS STUDENTS OF COLOR & HOUSING SAFETY 9

and stress. They feel they have no sense of support or encouragement from the administration

that instituted and supported the policies (Nguyen et al., 2020).

Multiple Oppressed Identities

Transgender students of color are left to manage their individual experiences of the

intersectionality of their multiple oppressed identities. Schuh et al. (2016) notes how

intersectionality focuses on understanding how identities connect, influence, and clash with each

other. Given that transgender students of color are both a sexual minority and a racial minority,

their distinctive experiences do not apply to the traditional college student for which the policies

are made for. Duran (2019) found how transgender students of color with multiple oppressed

identities lack resources and representation within higher education. Given how student data is

collected and reviewed, specific data on gender identity is not requested or made available,

limiting the amount of knowledge the administration can have on their own students. Within

higher education and educational contexts, queer and transgender students of color are rendered

invisible, and this invisibility causes a lack of programming and resources to be made available

(Garvey et al., 2019). Transgender students of color are left to experience gender minority stress

(Goldberg et al., 2019), and the sex-segregated restroom’s housing leads to feelings of

invisibility and discomfort. Simpfenderfer et al. (2020) mentions that residential life shapes

experiences of queer and transgender students of color in institutional and individual level

dimensions because it not only impacts their daily lives but within themselves as individuals.

Theoretical Framework

For the basis of our research, we have taken a poststructural approach. We understand

that there are many different points of view, and truth is relative to the individual. Since our

study explored Trans college students of color and safety, we saw the need to incorporate
TRANS STUDENTS OF COLOR & HOUSING SAFETY 10

multiple theoretical lenses to have a deeper and fuller understanding of Trans students of color

experiences on college and university campuses. The theoretical lenses we have used to base our

research include Queer Theory, Critical Race Theory (CRT), and Critical Feminist Theory. Each

of these theoretical lenses takes a critical approach to social constructs and challenges social

norms. Using them all together will provide a more prosperous and deeper understanding of

Trans students of color college experiences.

Queer Theory

Queer theory is a poststructural perspective that emerged from the world of philosophy. It

is a framework that exposes the power structures that prevail among groups and identities that

have been socially constructed. Queer theory deconstructs categories and recognizes how power

displays in society (Johnson & Quaye, 2017). Utilizing Queer theory helps understand gender

identities and sexual orientation. Those who apply Queer theory believe gender and sexual

identities are continually constructed and prioritize understanding identities outside of the

socially constructed gender binary system. The gender binary system is a process where gender

and sexuality are dichotomized, like masculine versus feminine and straight versus gay. Queer

theory provides a space for those identities that are not considered “normal” and an opportunity

to share voices that are often unheard. We use Queer theory as one of our theoretical lenses

because our participants who identify as Trans will share unique and different experiences from

the dominant heteronormative narrative.

Critical Race Theory

Utilizing a CRT lens will better understand students of color’s experiences on college and

university campuses. CRT is a tool used to acknowledge that racism is normal and uncover how

racism is perpetuated through American systems and institutions (Hernandez, 2016). It

TRANS STUDENTS OF COLOR & HOUSING SAFETY 11

originated during the 1970s out of legal studies after the slow implementation of policy for the

advancement of People of Color after the civil rights movement (Patton et al., 2007). The main

point for CRT is to critique the slow movement of civil rights policy and legislation and to

challenge the ongoing racism in American society. Different forms of scholarship have added to

the course of CRT, and disciplines include education, law, social sciences, and ethnic, women,

and gender studies (Jones et al., 2014, chapter 3). Jones et al. (2014, chapter 3) outline the five

central themes or tenets of CRT:

1. Racism is normal and not unusual in American society. This means that

discrimination is woven into the fabric of American culture and permeates into

the daily lives of U.S. citizens.

2. The interests of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) are only

considered and afforded when it is convenient to benefit those in power.

3. Witness as property and rights. U.S social systems have afforded White people

the rights to property and capital, and the implications of have those rights have

influenced and impacted the trajectory of BIPOC communities.

4. The use and legitimacy of counter-narratives. CRT recognizes experiences and

stories from BIPOC communities that have been marginalized and silenced from

the dominant, White narrative in U.S. society.

5. The interdisciplinary perspective. Utilizing a CRT approach provides space for

interdisciplinary methods to analyze race and racism within a historical and

contemporary context.

Taking a CRT approach to our study will provide us a deeper and richer understanding of Trans

students of color. We acknowledge that our participants Trans identity and intersecting racial and
TRANS STUDENTS OF COLOR & HOUSING SAFETY 12

ethnic identity influence their college experience and sense of safety living on campus. It is vital

to ensure we as a research team incorporate CRT as a theoretical lens to our research to highlight

the voices and experiences of Trans college students of color.

Critical Feminist Theory

Critical Feminist Theory or FemCrit has multiple definition interpretations throughout the

years within academia. FemCrit as a theoretical perspective centers gender in the foreground as

the launching point to understanding and ultimately dismantling the numerous, intersecting,

patriarchal systems of oppression (Robins, 2016). Systems of oppression create inequitable

power relations between individuals and communities. FemCrit challenges the patriarchal

narrative and other systems of oppression to affirm the marginalized experiences. FemCrit brings

the call to attention for equality for all. Using FemCrit as a theoretical lens, we acknowledge how

patriarchal systems of oppression influence Trans students of color living on the college campus.

The higher education system was first sought to educate middle-class white men, and this

perspective still permeates the high education system today. As a research team, we saw the

importance of incorporating a FemCrit perspective to uplift our Trans students of color

experiences.

Methodology

We acknowledge that there are many truths, and everyone has a story to share. For our

proposed research, we have taken a qualitative approach to conduct our study. Creswell and

Creswell (2018, chapter 9) explains that a qualitative methodology that relies on image data and

text uses unique steps in data analysis and recalls diverse designs. As researchers, we

acknowledge Trans Students of color experiences are often marginalized, and using a qualitative

approach to this research proposal will capture the challenges and barriers this student population
TRANS STUDENTS OF COLOR & HOUSING SAFETY 13

face when feeling safe in their living conditions. A Narrative research approach, a qualitative

research design, studies the lives of individuals and provides stories about their lives (Creswell

and Creswell, 2018, chapter 1). By proposing a Narrative research design approach, a qualitative

methodology, we will capture the nuanced experiences of Trans college students of color. We

want to contribute to higher education research by sharing the experiences of Trans students of

color, as there is not much data of the voices from this community in the narrative of higher

education student development scholarship.

We are proposing to explore the safe living conditions of Trans students of color who

attend California State University, Fresno State, or also known as Fresno State. Participants will

be self-identified transgender undergraduate students of color at Fresno State. We aim to have a

diverse group of representation within our participant group. We propose exploring how Trans

students’ race/ethnicity contributes to the sense of safety in their living situation and

environment. Our research proposal explores the living conditions of Trans college students of

color both living on and off-campus, and our participants will have representation of students’

experiences living on and off-campus. The ideal participation sample size for our proposed

research will range from 5-10 Trans college students of color. Creswell and Creswell (2018,

chapter 9) suggest a Narrative design to study one or two individuals; however, we are proposing

to include a few more participants within our study to diversify our participant pool.

To reach our participants, we first need to recruit Trans students of color. Jones et al.

(2014, chapter 5) discuss how researchers can gain access to the population they are interested in

researching and suggest relying on relationships, making connections with the gatekeepers and

key informants, establishing report, and building trust with the community. Part of our proposed

recruitment strategy is to connect with the Cross-Cultural and Gender Center (CCGC) at Fresno
TRANS STUDENTS OF COLOR & HOUSING SAFETY 14

State. CCGC is a space on the Fresno State campus to receive cultural and gender programming

support and services. CCGC employs professional and student staff to support programming for

the diverse student communities on campus, specifically for students from marginalized

backgrounds. Our team recognizes the CCGC as our gatekeeper to the student population of our

intended study of research. The staff at CCGC has the means to direct us to student clubs and

organizations, listservs of emails, provide referrals, and the social media presence to advertise

our flyer for interested Trans students of color to sign up to participate in our proposed research

study. To attract a large and diverse pool selection, we will advertise an incentive to participate

in the study. As part of our outreach methods, we will use snowball sampling, where we will ask

students to ask other students to fill out our questionnaire and contract our interview for our

proposed study. We intended to provide a gift card for those who participate in the proposed

research.

Before conducting interviews as our data for our proposed study, we will have students

fill out a questionnaire to gather demographic information and answer questions based on a

Likert scale. Sriram (2017, chapter 5) refers to the Likert scale to measure a variable on a

number scale. There are different variations to the Likert scale, and our group has proposed to

use a five-point scale. We are asking participants to respond to the question, “How would you

rate your sense of safety in your housing situation on a scale from 1-5?” from l-Very safe to 5-

Very unsafe. We have proposed four five-point Likert scale questions for our participants to

answer. We will use Qualtrics to create our questionnaire and to gather our results. Once we have

received the questionnaire results, we will conduct the one-to-one interviews for our qualitative

data for our proposed research.

TRANS STUDENTS OF COLOR & HOUSING SAFETY 15

Our research group is proposing to do one-to-one interview sessions with our

participants. As part of our Narrative design approach to this qualitative study, conducting

interviews with our participants allows us, the researchers, to hear the stories and the lived

experience of the living conditions of Trans students of color. We will make aware to our

participants that we will record the interview. After we have interviewed our participants, we

will transcribe the interviews to capture everything that our participants share with us about their

experiences in college, specifically their sense of safety in their living conditions. As a research

team, we will save all of our interview audio and transcripts on a safeguarded USB drive only

accessible to the researchers to ensure confidentiality procedures and protocols.

As a research team, we will go through our transcripts of the participant’s interviews for

our proposed data analysis, and we will code any major emerging themes. Creswell and Creswell

(2018, chapter 9) suggest that researchers look at qualitative data analysis as a process that

requires steps to be followed. We intend to follow the five-step process that Creswell and

Creswell (2018, chapter 9) provide for researchers to be organized when analyzing and coding

their data. Each researcher on this team will read the transcripts independently, code their

themes, and bring their findings to the discussion in the larger group. Once gathered all together

as a research team, we will code themes into more significant themes. Once in agreement on the

more prominent themes, we will present our findings to the higher education community.

Reflexivity/Validity/Reliability/Trustworthiness

In ensuring qualitative validity within our research process, we would be implementing

specific validity strategies in our work. The first will consist that of clarifying any research bias.

Since our entire team consists of students of color and allies or identify with being part of the

LGBT community, we can see some preferences favor the participants. However, we would
TRANS STUDENTS OF COLOR & HOUSING SAFETY 16

clarify any bias that any one of us brings to this study. Doing so will generate an open and

authentic narrative that will resonate with the readers (2018, chapter 9). Once we clarify our

biases, we will also be practicing reflexivity, including statements of past experiences with the

research problem and tying it into how they possibly played a role in influencing our

interpretations we make throughout the study (2018, chapter 1). We will ensure our biases will

allow us to provide insight into how we have interpreted our findings based on our own

identities.

A threat to our validity will also ensure that the participants' collected statements were

accurately transcribed. The strategy used here would be to provide a rich, thick description to

convey our findings from the interviews (2018, chapter 9). With this strategy, we would ensure

that participants' perspectives and experiences will result in being richer. This strategy will allow

the readers to get that authenticity from their experiences and sense of safety. With the detailed

descriptions, one will fully see what sense of safety or lack thereof do the trans students of color

experience. We will transcribe the interviews as detailed and accurately possible to ensure that

their stories are shared accurately as they shared them to ensure readers realize and acknowledge

what these students go through.

Lastly, to ensure the validity of our qualitative findings, we would ensure that we utilize

member checking. We will share the final report back to our participants to determine the

accuracy (2018, chapter 9). We must use this strategy since we share the narratives of these trans

students of color and their narratives need to be heard as accurately as they shared with us during

the interview process. Doing so will allow the participants to check that our biases did not

misinterpret anything and interpret the findings that will do them justice.

Positionality Statement
TRANS STUDENTS OF COLOR & HOUSING SAFETY 17

As a group, we all agreed that we would be taking a post-structuralist approach in our

research. Using this paradigm, we can contribute to a greater understanding of identity and the

impact of power, privilege, and inequality on identity development (2018, chapter 1). We realize

that there is more to identity than what other paradigms take into account. It is essential that we

see trans students of color for who they are by opening up or perspectives and going against the

social norms that society has ingrained in our minds. Knowledge is contextual and unstable, and

by taking this approach, we can study this marginalized student group (2018, chapter 1). It is

crucial to listen to their narratives to get their perspective and experiences to assist better and

support them, and by doing so, we are giving them a voice and a chance to be heard. Since

members of this team identify as students of color and allies or members of the LGBT

community, we bring and share some of our biases and experiences that shape and guide what

we wish to achieve. As a team, we strive to bring more research into this group of students to

find ways or change our current ways to better support this student group in their need to feel

seen, heard, and safe, whether living on or off-campus.

Summary

Transgender students of color are a growing population that needs further research to find

how to support them better. We must acknowledge that this minoritized student population are

underserved and deal with the challenges of a sense of belonging and safety. The main factor in

our research is based on the sense of safety they feel based on their housing situation, which can

be on or off-campus. To reiterate our research questions, we considered how different

living/housing situations influence Trans students of color sense of safety? Is housing for trans

students on campus safer than trans students who stay off-campus? Will having inclusive on-

campus or off-campus housing provide a greater sense of safety for Trans students of color?
TRANS STUDENTS OF COLOR & HOUSING SAFETY 18

With these questions, we built a foundation for how we wanted to take this research proposal.

Shifting to the reviewed literature, trans students of color face many barriers that trans

students of color face, from genderism, heterosexism to multiple oppressed identities. For these

students, they would think that everything is stacked against them and that they are not

acknowledged or even supported no matter where they live. It is essential to bring these themes

up to acknowledge what these students face and better support this minoritized group of students.

Considering the growing number of trans students of color and their sense of safety depending

on their housing situation will better assist us in knowing where the injustices are and how we

can combat those themes.

We have taken a post-structural paradigm since we all acknowledge that everyone has

their narrative, experiences, and many truths in this world. This paradigm allows us to

incorporate theories such as Queer Theory, Critical Race Theory, and FemCrit Theory into our

work. We can uncover, question, and dismantle the system of oppression, racism, and societal

norms of what is normal with them. By taking a qualitative approach to our research, we can

collect the students' demographics and their sense of safety using the Linkert scale and have one-

to-one interviews with the students. This will provide insight into their world and how they sense

safety, whether living on or off-campus.

Limitations

Taking a look back at what we have seen, some limitations would hinder our research.

The first being that of little research and literature currently on trans students of color. As there is

not enough research, we will add to the literature to find ways to provide a higher sense of safety

on or off-campus for this student population. As institutions collect data regarding their gender,

however, that information is not released. Without that information, it would hinder knowing
TRANS STUDENTS OF COLOR & HOUSING SAFETY 19

how many trans students of color we currently have in the institution. Without that, we would not

directly contact those students and provide the necessary information to provide the data needed

to help them.

Another limitation would be that of trans students of color not fully expressing their

experiences. Many of these students face discrimination and harassment when they are out to the

general public. For many of these students, it is normal for them to remain hidden to avoid that

from anyone. If they do not voice their safety experiences, then it is hard to provide the

necessary support. If anything happens to them and keep it to themselves and not bring it up to

any authority figure, it is not easy to provide the needed support and protection. There needs to

be safe environments for these students to feel safe overall and feel safe to share any negative

experiences to make any changes on or off-campus for these students.

Conclusion

There is much work to do for trans students of color in higher education. As we have

more students transitioning, it is crucial for student affairs practitioners to provide the necessary

support. We have to take it upon ourselves to learn and listen to their experiences and concerns

concerning their sense of safety. When one goes to a higher education institution, one immediate

thought that crosses students' mind is how they feel on or off-campus. We must make these

students feel safe no matter their housing situation. If one does not feel safe at all, how will they

focus on their studies or develop their identities when they fear for their well-being? As student

affairs practitioners, we need to advocate for trans students of color, pushing for social justice

and equity in on-campus housing policies, providing off-campus resources and support, so these

minoritized students feel safe and welcomed in any institution.

TRANS STUDENTS OF COLOR & HOUSING SAFETY 20

References

Beemyn, G. G. (2005). Making campuses more inclusive of Transgender students. Journal of

Gay & Lesbian Issues in Education, 3(1) 77-87. https://doi:10.1300/J367v03n01_08

Blackmon, Z. R., O'Hara, R. M., & Viars, J. W. (2020). Microaggressions, sense of belonging,

and sexual identity in the residential environment. The Journal of College and University

Student Housing, 46(3) 46-59

Bleiberg, S. (2003). A case for mixed-sex university housing policies. The Journal of College

and University Student Housing, 32(2) 3-9

BrckaLorenz, A., Fassett, K. T., & Hurtado S. S. (2020). Supporting LGBTQ+ students with

disabilities: exploring the experiences of students living on campus. The Journal of

College & University Student Housing, 46(3) 79-91

Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed

methods approaches (5th ed.). Sage.

Denton J. M. & Cain L. K. (2020). The impact of the gender binary on two transitioning Trans

men in campus housing. The Journal of College and University Student Housing, 46(3)

60-77

Duran, A. (2019). Queer and of color: a systemic literature review on queer students of color in

higher education scholarship. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, 12(8) 390-400.

https://dx.doi.org/10.1037/dhe0000084

Fanucce, M. L. & Taub, D. J. (2010). The relationship of homonegativity to LGBT students' and

non-LGBT students' perceptions of residence hall climate. The Journal of College and

University Student Housing, 36(2) 24-41

TRANS STUDENTS OF COLOR & HOUSING SAFETY 21

Flores, A.R., Herman, J.L., Gates, G. J., Brown T. (2016). How many adults identify as

transgender in the United States? The Williams Institute.

https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/publications/trans-adults-united-states/

Garvey, J. C., Mobley S. D., Summerville, K. S., & Moore, G. T. (2019). Queer & Trans*

students of color: navigating identity disclosure and college contexts. The Journal of

Higher Education, 90(1) 150-178. https://doi.org/10.1090/00221546.2018.1449081

Goldberg, A. E., Kuvalanka, K. A., & Black, K. (2019). Trans students who leave college: an

explanatory study of their experiences of gender minority stress. Journal of College

Student Development, 60(4) 381-400. https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.2019.0036

Hernández, E. (2016). Utilizing critical race theory to examine race/ethnicity, racism, and power

in student development theory and research. Journal of College Student Development,

57(2), 168–180. https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.2016.0020

Johnson, A. A., & Quaye, S. J. (2017). Queering black racial identity development. Journal of

College Student Development, 58(8), 1135–1148. https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.2017.0090

Johnson, R. B., Cawthon, T., & Blackmon, Z. (2020). LGBTQ+ issues in student housing. The

Journal of College and University Student Housing, 46(3) 8-12

Jones, S. R., Torres, V., & Arminio, J. (2014). Negotiating the complexities of qualitative

research in higher education: Fundamental elements and issues (2nd ed.). Routledge.

Kortegast, C. A. (2017). "But it's not the space that I would need": narrative of LGBTQ students'

experiences in campus housing. The Journal of College and University Student Housing,

43(2) 58-71

Kranzow, J., Foote, S. M., & Hinkle, S. E. (2015). Fostering success for students in transition.

The Journal of College and University Student Housing, 42(1) 124-127

TRANS STUDENTS OF COLOR & HOUSING SAFETY 22

Krum, T. E., Davis, K. S., & Galupo, M. P. (2013) Gender-inclusive housing preferences: a

survey of college-aged Transgender students. Journal of LGBT Youth, 10 64-82.

https://doi.org:10.1080/19361653.2012.718523

Longerbeam, S. D., Inkelas, K. K., Johnson, D. R., & Lee, Z. S. (2007). Lesbian, Gay, and

Bisexual college student experiences: an exploratory study. Journal of College Student

Development, 48(2) 215-230. https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.2007.0017

Nicolazzo, Z. (2016). "Just go in looking good": the resilience, resistance, and kinship-building

of Trans* college students. Journal of College Student Development, 57(5) 538-556.

https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.2016.0057

Patton, Lori D, McEwen, Marylu, Rendón, Laura, & Howard-Hamilton, Mary F. (2007). Critical

race perspectives on theory in student affairs. New Directions for Student Services,

2007(120), 39–53. https://doi.org/10.1002/ss.256

Schuh, J. H., Jones, S. R., & Torres, V. (Eds.). (2016). Student services : A handbook for the

profession. ProQuest Ebook Central

Simpfenderfer, A. D., Robles, J., Drummond, J., Garvey, J. C., Haslam, R. E., Dews, S. D., &

Weaver, C. A. (2020). Campus climate perceptions and residential living among Queer

and Trans students: an exploration using structural equation modeling. The Review of

Higher Education, 44(1) 31-56. https://doi.org/10.1353.rhe.2020.0034

Sriram, R. (2017). Student affairs by the numbers: Quantitative research and statistics for

professionals. Stylus.