Statement of Support for Transgender/Gender-Diverse Students
As a society, significant strides have been made in removing barriers and improving health care and outcomes for the transgender and gender-diverse population here at UC Berkeley. Individuals are more empowered to disclose their medical concerns regarding their gender identity to their health care providers and are doing so in larger numbers and at younger ages than they have in the past. Recent laws and policy changes are putting this in jeopardy. At UC Berkeley, it is believed health care services should be made universal to all and should not discriminate in any way, whether this be on the basis of age; race; ethnicity; sex; sexual orientation; gender; gender identity; marital status; physical size or ability; religious, spiritual or cultural identity; neurodiversity; socioeconomic status; or veteran status. This is consistent with University Health Services (UHS) commitment to sustaining a welcoming environment where diversity, equity, and inclusion are valued and demonstrated in our organizational practices, policies, services, and programs. We embrace the opportunity to provide quality, culturally competent care that reflects our common desire to feel respected, valued, and welcomed.
Therefore, UHS opposes any policy, at any level, that restricts, limits, or discourages access to gender-related services for transgender and gender-diverse youth and/or adults in our communities. This includes government requirements for data sharing that target gender-affirming care and diagnoses related to gender identity or gender dysphoria. The sharing of these confidential, personal medical data, even when de-identified, erodes trust in healthcare services and interferes with the patient-provider relationship to the detriment of the person’s physical and mental health. The health and well-being needs of all college students, including those who identify as transgender and gender diverse, must always be the highest priority of health care providers and campus health centers.
Originally adapted from the ACHA Executive Committee Statement February 2023 and updated to reflect UHS values.