FEMININITY AND masculinity have always been constrained to the gender binary, but transgender individuals break past social constraints. With the growing spectrum of gender, inclusive environments play a pivotal role in championing individuals’ unique identities, thus challenging institutions to embrace such a landscape.
In the Ateneo, recognition of queerness comes in the form of public celebrations like One Big Pride and avenues for knowledge such as the Minor in Gender Studies of the Sociology and Anthropology Department. Additionally, campus facilities such as all-gender restrooms showcase its inclusive and liberal culture.
Outside of these efforts, however, communication of individuals’ queer identities can take the form of gender expression and interactions with their peers. Thus, inclusivity becomes associated not only with community initiatives and offices but also with everyday classroom experiences.
Dismantling the roadblocks
The University has a long history of fostering inclusivity among students, especially through its policies and communities. Before the pandemic, Dollhouse existed as a group that advocated for LGBTQIA+ inclusivity in the Ateneo.
Former Dollhouse member Rica Salomon (AB IS ‘15) recalls that many Ateneans felt that Dollhouse was one of the main communities representing transgender individuals and other LGBTQIA+ members. “It was in Dollhouse when I truly felt free because we were never asked to tone down our queerness,” she says.
While Dollhouse helped Salomon feel welcomed in the University, she still felt restricted in expressing herself when she was asked to appear as her biological sex in the yearbook due to Ateneo AEGIS’ “no cross-dressing” rule in 2014. Salomon explained that the rule was initially placed to deter possible pranks and other acts that could disrespect graduation traditions.
After filing a formal request, the administration immediately approved her petition, having been unaware of the discriminatory nature of the rule. Since then, several other changes have been implemented to progress toward a more inclusive University.
In 2018, the University Gender and Development Office (UGDO) was created to address the need for gender sensitivity in the Ateneo and evaluate its implementation of gender-related policies. A year later, the University Gender Hub was established to work alongside UGDO.
University Gender Hub Point Person of Gender-Affirming Services Mibo Borres, RPm, RPsy expounds that the Hub serves as a “companion” for individuals, advocating for the needs of the LGBTQIA+ community while UGDO develops relevant policies.
One of their joint initiatives includes Gender Sensitivity Training (GST). According to UGDO Director Maria Elissa J. Lao, PhD, the Gender Hub facilitates GST for students, staff, and faculty through modules and orientations, which UGDO revises continuously based on participant feedback.
However, existing gaps in the policies point to the inconsistency in their implementation. For instance, part-time Mathematics Department Professor Sicily Mirasol disclosed that she did not receive any GST modules when she joined the Ateneo.
With this, Borres acknowledges that the current systems are “not perfect,” but asserts that the Hub strives to foster an inclusive environment through its initiatives such as GSTs.
He highlights that the Hub will only be able to effectively respond to their concerns when individuals gain the courage to share their stories. Hence, Borres hopes that the Hub’s “care sessions” continue to provide students and faculty with a safe space to talk about their gender-related experiences and concerns.
On the path of discovery
Due to systemic oppression based on gender and sexuality, coming out of the closet can still be challenging. For Pawlyn Jelai Caoile (4 AB COM), she initially introduced herself in class with her dead name due to fear of discrimination. Upon the encouragement of a professor to embrace her transgender identity, she found liberation in introducing herself as Jelai.
Such manifestation of inclusivity extends beyond students to the faculty as well. For Sicily, the recognition of her transgender identity came easily, as both professors and students addressed her by her lived name. “Professors are already calling me by Sicily instead of my old name. [Aside from that,] the Math department is pretty accepting about the whole thing. Even in emails, I get called Sicily as well, so it’s nice,” she shares.
Beyond lived names, Jelai feels affirmed when her peers ask about her pronouns, signaling their effort to recognize her transgender identity. However, platforms that fail to reflect her lived name and pronouns become barriers in validating her identity within the online space.
Sicily notes that people often get confused on how to address her in emails. While she recognizes that her experiences of being misgendered by her peers are often accidental rather than malicious, she asserts that entry forms for students and employees must ask for their lived names and reflect these in systems like the Ateneo Integrated Student Information System (AISIS) and Canvas.
Currently, UGDO and Ateneo AEGIS allow transgender individuals to use their lived names in the yearbook and during graduation ceremonies. However, approval from their legal guardian is required to reflect this.
Moving forward, Jelai hopes that the University can also reflect her lived name on her school ID and Canvas, as these are the main identifying factors used in communicating with others in the University.
In addressing these concerns, Borres emphasizes that the Hub offers services for individuals to use their lived names in their email handles and Canvas accounts. To further accommodate transgender teachers, the Hub and UGDO have also been pushing for lived names to be reflected on AISIS as well.
However, Borres notes that changing school IDs is more difficult, as they function as legal documents outside University grounds and must comply with existing legal policies. Thus, national systems need to be challenged to expand recognition of transgender identities.
Guiding through the gaps
Although the University has made strides in building a safe space for transgender individuals, policy implementation remains heavily influenced by culture. “Sometimes, even policies will only point you in the right direction. Cultural change takes time, especially if biases are deeply rooted,” Lao explains.
These biases often manifest through alienation, as reflected in Jelai’s experiences. When she introduces herself as a transgender woman outside the University, she often receives derogatory remarks, making her feel apprehensive to express her identity on job applications.
Salomon shares similar experiences, stating that her transgender identity is frequently questioned by others. Growing up in the Ateneo Basic Education unit, she was discriminated against and excluded from certain activities in high school because of her gender expression.
Jelai and Salomon’s experiences reflect only a fraction of the widespread discrimination that the transgender community in the Philippines continues to face. From mistreatment to murder, many still navigate the world with vigilance and fear due to prevailing transphobic biases.
As such, Borres asserts the significance of continued conversations and “safe space discussions” for transgender individuals, allowing concerned offices to be better informed of their needs and experiences.
Currently, Borres says that the Hub coordinates with the University Clinic in helping transgender faculty with their Hormone Replacement Therapy shots. Moreover, the Hub has also opened discussions on how transgender men can safely bind their chests.
Though the University does not represent Filipino society as a whole, its efforts underscore that a gender-inclusive society can grow and exist amid traditionally conservative environments. Lao hopes that the University can truly become a safe space for all with the support of existing offices and an allyship that is “authentic and stakeholder-driven.”
However, institutional change can only be enacted on a larger scale when supported by national policies. “Ateneo [does] not intentionally not want to serve its people, but [it] also has the responsibility to follow the legal requirements outside […] and again, there [is] also the lack of laws that can protect [transgenders’] rights,” Borres says.
With the Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Gender Expression Equality Bill remaining stuck as a mere proposal for 25 years, the broader battle for better protection and anti-discrimination policies for the LGBTQIA+ community remains hard-fought.
Thus, despite the Ateneo’s progress in incorporating gender inclusivity and sensitivity into its policies, eliminating transphobic biases requires more urgent action and greater cultural shifts from officials beyond the walls of the University.
