Tips for organizing on high school/college campuses on transgender issues

1. Do you have buy-in from transgender students, staff, and/or faculty?
   • Are they a part of this organizing and if not, is your group talking with local transgender community?
   • How can you make sure that transgender students are not outed during this process?
2. Who is going to be the contact for the administration, student groups, students, and faculty?
   • Be consistent.
3. What does your policy say right now? What do you want to add or change in school policies?
   • Is it adding gender identity and gender expression to non-discrimination policy?
   • Is it adding gender-neutral housing option?
   • Is it adding gender-neutral bathrooms?
   • Is it getting healthcare services to provide transgender healthcare
4. What could be the negative outcome to making changes?

   For example, creating some gender-neutral bathrooms: will administrators then require anyone who transgender to use only those bathrooms?

5. What are you willing to compromise on?
6. Setting the groundwork:
   • Creating collaborations with other student groups.
   • Creating alliances and supporting each other causes and issues
   • Meeting with other student groups:
     1. Educating them about transgender issues
     2. Then telling them what you are proposing and asking them to be on board.
     3. Asking them to send in letters of support, ask for meetings about this with school administrators or attend meeting with your group.
7. Educating your campus community
   1. Holding transgender 101 sessions open to all students
   2. Gathering questions and coming up with talking points (download MTPC's suggested talking points)
   3. Gathering signatures for a petition if necessary
   4. Getting school government involved and onboard
8. Educating the administration
   1. Educating the key staff and faculty before approaching administration
   2. Submitting your proposal in writing and asking for a meeting.
   3. Anticipating the questions and have your answer to them prepared ahead of time.
   4. Follow up in writing upon every meeting or contact.
   5. Use your collaborated groups to follow up with administrators, remember to give them talking points or instructions on what to answer or not answer.

Download our High School/College talking points for more information.