At UC Merced we are committed to inclusive excellence for all members of our Bobcat community. We thank our sister campus, UC San Diego, for developing the questions and answers below regarding the implementation of the UC Presidential Policy on Gender Recognition and Lived Name. We will add to the questions provided here as they arise.
Is there a California state law regarding gender recognition?
Yes, the California Gender Recognition Act ( California Senate Bill 179) went into effect January 1, 2019. The text of the bill is available here: Gender Recognition Act
What is the UC Presidential Policy on Gender Recognition and Lived Name?
President Drake issued this policy November 6, 2020. The text of the policy is available here UC Presidential Policy
Will there be training and further education about the policy?
Yes, on-line education will be made available through the UC Learning Center. We will send out further information to the campus community once the courses are available.
Why is it necessary to include a nonbinary gender option on university forms and in UC Merced systems?
Until now, individuals whose gender identity is neither woman nor man were forced to choose from one of the two options. Within the University community, offering a nonbinary gender option acknowledges that the binary options are not sufficient to recognize gender diversity.
What prompted the creation of this new policy?
On October 15, 2017, the state of Calfornia passed the Gender Recognition Act (SB 179). The bill contributed to university discussions already taking place about revising procedures and practices to be more gender inclusive, including the 2014 recommendations from the UC Task Force & Implementation Team on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Climate & Inclusion (the LGBT Task Force).
Is the option for individuals to choose a lived name limited to those individuals who are transgender or who have designated a nonbinary gender?
The designation of a lived name may be of interest to a myriad of University community members, including but not limited to individuals who are transgender, whose gender identity differs from that indicated on official documents, who are survivors of abuse and /or trafficking, whose lived or preferred name is a variation or a shortened version of their legal name (e.g. international students, faculty and staff who have adopted different names) or those who have married and have had a legal name changed but wish to retain the name under which they have published academic works.
What are examples of university documents where a legal name is required?
Generally, documents that the University provides to the federal government or in conjunction with a person's Social Security Number require the use of a legal name. This may include, but is not limited to the following:
- Financial aid documents
- Payroll records, medical identification and records
- Federal immigration documents
- Tax forms (e.g., W2, 1095C, 1099)
Does this policy cover student names on academic documents such as transcripts, diplomas and/or dissertation title pages.
Yes, this policy permits the use of lived student names on eligible academic documents which include transcripts, diplomas and dissertation title pages (see Registrar's Website). As provided in Senate Regulations 730, the Academic Senate approves diplomas.
What should I do if a university community member does not recognize my gender identify or lived name?
Report the incident to OPHD. We will work with you and the community member on an informal resolution, however the incident may constitute a policy violation if a formal complaint is filed.
FAQs Regarding Gender Recognition
What does gender recognition mean for UC Merced?
UCM is always working to improve processes, practices and policies in order to serve students, faculty and staff who are transgender, intersex, and nonbinary and to be more inclusive. Additionally, those folks whose gender expression may not correspond with their birth sex are often mis-gendered.
Many parts of employment processes, housing, sports facilities, payroll systems, recreational areas and restrooms and designated by gender in a binary way (men or women), and people across the campus are reviewing and working to update those systems. Some examples include:
- include a nonbinary option in systems which store and use gender
- update name fields to default to lived first, middle and last name, unless there is a legal or regulatory requirement to use legal name
- the UC Path systems (for employees) is aware of the need for this change and have delayed the implementation until the middle of 2024.
What are preferred names, lived names, and names in use?
The above are names, other than legal names, that many people use for a variety of reasons, inclusing:
- It is a shortened / alternate version of their legal name ex. Elizabeth = Liz, Robert = Rob or Bob, Francisco = Paco or Pancho, Jesus = Chuy
- It is a cultural, religious, personal, or familial preference / practice.
- A scholar / student who selects another name for campus use because people mispronounce their given/ birth names
- A given / birth name does not reflect one's gender identity
I think my department, unit or division needs to make some changes to ensure we are being inclusive and recognizing all genders. What should I do?
Reach out to your supervisor. They may need to assess places where your area uses gender in a binary way (i.e male and female, or men and women). All units should ask themselves if they need to ask and know a student's gender.
What's the difference between transgender, nonbinary, and intersex?
About the term transgender: This is an umbrella term used to describe people whose gender identity or gender expression do not match the gender they were assigned at birth. For example, some people who were assigned to be male at birth are female (trans women). Some people who were assigned to be female at birth are male (trans men). Some transgender people have medically transitioned, undergoing gender-affirming surgeries and hormonal treatments, while other transgender people do not choose any form of medical transition. There is no uniform set of procedures sought by transgender people who pursue medical transition. Transgender people may identify as female, male, or nonbinary; may or may not have been born with intersex traits; may or may not use gender-neutral pronouns; and may or may not use more specific terms to describe their genders, such as agender, genderqueer, gender fluid, Two Spirit, bigender, pangender, gender nonconforming, or gender variant.
About the term nonbinary: Gender identity and expression may be thought of in binary terms, such as male and female, men and women, masculine and feminine. Many transgender people fall on this binary. Trans women are women; trans men are men. Some transgender people do not fall on this binary because they identify as nonbinary, agender, gender fluid, gender nonconforming, etc. Nonbinary people's gender identity and expression may not conform to societal norms of masculinity or femininity. Nonbinary people may prefer to be addressed by the pronouns "they/them" in a singular, or simply by their name. Some people use the term "genderqueer" to describe this identity. Queer is a term that is offensive to some when used as a derogatory term, while others have reclaimed and self-defined the word as a form of empowerment.
About the term intersex: Intersex people are born with sex characteristics (including genitals, gonads, and chromosome patterns) that do not fit typical binary notions of male or female bodies. Intersex is an umbrella term used to describe a wide range of natural bodily variations. In some cases, intersex traits are visible at birth, while in others they are not apparent until puberty. Some chromosomal intersex variations may not be physically apparent at all.
For more information, please view this resource.
Do any other states or governments recognize genders other than male and female?
Yes. Oregon created a nonbinary gender option in 2017 through an administrative action applied to drivers' licenses and identification cards. Similarly, the DMV for Washington D.C. began offering an "X" in addition to "M" and "F" in June of 2017. Other countries, like New Zealand, moved in a similar direction in 2016.
What does non-binary mean?
Gender identity and expression may be thought of in binary terms: Male and female, women and men, masculine and feminine.
Many transgender people fall on this binary. Trans women are women, trans men are men. However, some transgender people do not fall on this binary because they identify as nonbinary, agender, gender fluid, genderqueer, gender nonconforming, etc.
- Nonbinary people's gender identity and expression may not conform to societal norms of masculinity or femininity.
- Nonbinary people may prefer to be addressed by the pronouns "they/them" in the singluar, or by their name.
What are the gender discrimination policies of the University of California and UC Merced?
The University of California and UC Merced do not tolerate discrimination based on:
- Gender
- Including nonbinary
- Gender identity and expression
- Including pronouns and preferred names
- Including gender-neutral pronouns
Click here for more information about campus resources available in the event of discrimination, conflict or bias.
How can I be respectful in the use of pronouns?
A quick and easy way to communicate that you have some level of knowledge around our trans, nonbinary, genderqueer, and gender nononforming community is to share your pronouns in signature lines, business cards, name tags and introductions.
For more information on gender-neutral, inclusive pronouns go to Pronouns Matter
