UMD Leaders: We Value Transgender, Nonbinary Terps

UMD President Darryll J. Pines, Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion Georgina Dodge, Vice President for Student Affairs Patty Perillo and Director of Athletics Damon Evans sent the following email to the campus community this morning: 

We have witnessed increasing incidences of transgender people publically harassed and ridiculed, and there has been an avalanche of antitransgender legislation proposed in dozens of states. A recent count indicates that there are at least 50 of these bills in 36 states, most of them focusing on health care and sports. While none of these bills has been proposed in Maryland, this spate of proposed anti-transgender legislation has created stress and a climate of fear among our transgender and nonbinary communities.

We are committed to increasing our support for our transgender and nonbinary populations and we oppose legislation or any other actions that would limit or diminish that support. In particular, we are against any action that would deny health care to transgender individuals or limit their participation in sports. For health care and sports, the University of Maryland shows support in several policies and programs.

• Both the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) and the insurance offered to state employees cover most gender-affirming procedures and treatments.
• The University Health Center maintains a website on LGBTQ+ health, aligns with the most up-to-date World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) guidelines and standards, offers hormone therapy on campus, and has published Navigating Your Health and Wellness: A Guide for Transgender, Nonbinary, and Gender Nonconforming Terps.
• Our intercollegiate athletics program follows the NCAA’s policy on the Inclusion of Transgender Student-Athletes. We applaud its recent declaration in support of transgender participation at all levels of sport, via the NCAA Board of Governors Statement on Transgender Participation.
• University Recreation and Wellness (RecWell) encourages participation of transgender and nonbinary people and provides all-gender locker rooms in both the Eppley Recreation Center and Ritchie Coliseum.

Our Counseling Center and University Health Center are here, prepared and supportive of transgender and nonbinary Terps experiencing stress or fear. And if there are any issues of bias or discrimination, reach out to our Bias Incident Support Services (BISS) or Office of Civil Rights and Sexual Misconduct (OCRSM). Also, the LGBT Equity Center maintains a website focused on UMD’s efforts for greater inclusion of transgender and nonbinary Terps. Especially note trans.umd.edu for training and learning, good practices for trans inclusion, and trans resources and policies.

We hold our transgender and nonbinary Terps as valued members of the University of Maryland. We know we must do more, and our trajectory is to advance policies, practices, procedures and resources for our transgender and nonbinary communities.

Sincerely,

Darryll J. Pines
President, University of Maryland
He/Him/His

Georgina Dodge
Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion
She/Her/Hers

Patty Perillo
Patty Perillo Vice President for Student Affairs
She/Her/Hers

Damon Evans
Director of Athletics
He/Him/His