Trans Students and Accessing College
Trans and gender non-conforming students face disparities in access to college due to having on-average lower socio-economic status, being at greater risk for mental health issues, discrimination, suffering unsupportive parents and guardians, power hierarchies, and other systematic problems.
On average, LGBT+ students come from households with a lower socio-economic status, and thus have to use federal loans in a higher frequency- and that likelihood was even higher for trans students. According to a study, while 23% of straight students used federal student loans, that percentage was “33 percent for cis LGBT+ students — and 51 percent for trans students,” this statistic shows one disparity that trans students face, because student loan debt can be burdening (Rummler.) According to Investopedia, a study found that 30% of LGBT+ persons reported having “unmanagable student loan debt,” which could deter students from completing college- or even starting it at all (Flynn.)
College is difficult and confusing to pay for all students- but for LGBT+ students, that struggle can be even more intense- because many young LGBT+ people do not have support from their parents and guardians. Writer Kathryn Flynn cites a survey which found that 60% of LGBTQ+ individuals have little family support. Family support is vital for paying for college, because “on average, parental income and savings covered 45% of students’ college expenses,” a large amount of support that LGBT+ students could be deficient in, thus discouraging them or blocking them from attending college (Flynn.) Not only do LGBT+ students lack financial support from parents, but they could potentially miss out on federal aid altogether which requires parental financial information and a signature.
The financial burden and other stressors add to an above-average level of mental health levels in trans students. Rummler cites the Williams Institute study, noting that, “That extra financial weight sits on top of additional mental and emotional burdens [trans students] are more likely to face,” which leads to lower academic standing. Other stressors that lead to mental health concerns for trans students include “physical structures to official policies to curricula to classroom practices” which exemplify “Cisnormativity and genderism,” according to Goldberg. These ostracizing aspects of student life, Goldberg notes, “... May create chronic stress for gender minorities,” which draws focus from what should be the most important task during college: receiving an education (Goldberg 4.) Mental health struggles can lead to a decline in academic performance, which can cause a school to kick a student out.
Further, trans students not only face a lower level of mental health because of institutionalized genderism, but are at greater risk for dropping out of school completely, due to discrimination. Threats such as harassment and physical assault begin in grade school, and according to the Movement Advancement Project and GLESN, 78% and 35% of trans students have experienced those forms of discrimination accordingly. This type of harassment has reportedly caused “one in six students to leave school,” which means that those students will not receive a highschool diploma and go to college (Goldberg 3.) Then, if these students do get to post-secondary education, they tend to experience “select trans environmental microaggressions” which lead to consequences such as “negative academic outcomes” and low mental health (Goldberg 6.) And, according to the U.S. Transgender Survey, “24% of respondents who were out as or perceived as trans… reported being verbally, physically, or sexually harassed… with 16% of those.. Reporting that they left college because of it,” clearly showing that discrimination leads to academic drop out (Goldberg 5.) The levels of discrimination experienced by transgender students often leads to lower academic standing, and in some cases to trans students dropping out of school.
While in school, students tend to suffer discrimination in silence in order to remain respectable in their department, which can further aid in a deteriorating mental health, which then cycles back to dissuading them from working on getting good grades and finishing a degree. According to Goldberg, participants of a study noted that they were aware of “existing power differentials”, making them “scared to address repeated instances of misgendering,” as a way to [avoid] retribution and possible jeopardy to their academic and professional futures,” forcing students to choose between being themselves and success in their career (Goldberg 8.) Additionally, Roop interviewed a transgender student who had the experience of being outed to a professor, whom they proceeded to lose standing and privileges with (Roop 61.) Currently, there is a lot of risk when it comes to being out as transgender in college.
In general, trans students face difficulties navigating systems, including hardships that other groups of students do not face. As stated by Rummler, students have problems when it comes to legal names- when filling out the FAFSA and when repaying loans. Additionally, on applications like the FAFSA, students have to choose between male and female which, Rummler notes, “can sow confusion in the application process,” and will further cause invalidation and frustration for students (Rummler.)
Noting all the difficulties that trans students have with accessing and paying for college, I must acknowledge one scholarship resource. The Transgender First National Scholarship rewards a transgender student every year with $2,500. This scholarship’s goal is to help transgender students afford higher education. Its website can be found at https://www.onlinedegree.com/transgender-first-scholarship/#apply.