LGBTQ+ Background

CMC has a deep commitment to establishing a sense of belonging and support for all students’ success

We all have LGBTQ+ people in our lives, whether we know it or not. Supporting CMC’s LGBTQ+ students, staff and community members and understanding the significance of belonging, is crucial as it allows all of us to feel safe and to be our authentic selves, allowing us to thrive socially, academically and professionally.

Transgender, nonbinary and LGBTQ+ youth who have pronouns respected, who are able to change their name and/or gender marker on legal documents, such as driver’s licenses and birth certificates, who have access to spaces that affirm their sexual orientation and gender identity are more likely to have a sense of belonging. By contrast, lack of a sense of belongingness could result in negative emotional experiences such as anxiety, depression, anger, sadness, and loneliness and potentially suicidal thoughts or actions.

These conditions can lead to social behaviors that further interfere with a person’s ability to connect to others, creating a cycle of events that further weakens a sense of belonging.

Belonging is imperative for mental and physical health. When we feel we have support, we are more resilient, often coping more effectively with difficult times in our lives.

When people feel a sense of belonging, they are more engaged, confident, inspired and happier. They also feel more connected. Belonging and connection in the classroom and workplace contribute to success and well-being, particularly for marginalized populations.

This document provides information about the LGBTQ+ community, including sex, gender identity, gender expression, pronouns and guidance on language use, coming out experience and other common experiences that LGBTQ+ people may have.

Key Definitions

Sex Assigned at Birth

Sex assigned at birth is determine by medical staff based on biological characteristics, such as chromosomes, gender organs, secondary sex characteristics, and hormones. Most of us are assigned male or female at birth, although Intersex variations do occur, with approximately 1-2 in 100 people born intersex in the U.S.

Legal Sex

The sex that a person is declared to be according to government records. Individuals can request to change the sex listed on their birth certificate and other legal documents. Individual can choose Male, Female or X.

Gender Identity

Gender identity is one’s internal sense of their own gender, which may or may not align with their sex assigned at birth. When someone’s assigned sex aligns with their gender identity this is referred to as being cisgender. When someone’s assigned sex does not align with their gender identity, they may describe themselves or identify as transgender, non-binary, gender fluid, gender nonconforming, gender queer, two spirit, agender, bigender, pangender, third gender.

Gender Expression

Gender expression is how one presents their gender externally. Gender is expressed with clothing, body language, hairstyles, voice inflection, mannerisms, behaviors, and even interests. There are also complex biological, anatomical and chromosomal variations in the human body which can impact how our gender is expressed.

Gender has traditionally been categorized as binary, i.e. two distinct and opposite categories of men and women and masculine and feminine traits. If a person’s gender expression (the way they appear in terms of gender) seems to be male, we’d typically assume that person is male; if a person’s appearance seems to be female, we’d typically assume that person is female. However, gender does not always follow this binary and a person’s gender expression may not align with their internal gender identity.

Therefore, gender assumptions should be avoided based on the way someone looks or presents themselves. When people are misgendered, they may feel invalidated and unseen. When this happens regularly, it becomes a burden that can negatively impact their mental health.

Coming Out

Coming out is the process by which a person shares their gender identity and/or romantic/sexual orientation with other people. Coming out can also refer to the process of identifying and accepting one’s identity.

Coming out is continuous. A person may be out in some areas of their life but not out in others. Each new environment an LGBTQ+ person enters begins the coming out process anew because we live in an environment where being straight (cis-gender) is the norm.

What should I do if someone comes out to me?

Thank the person for sharing their identity with you. Affirm that you still care about them.

Two important questions to ask:

• How confidential is the information you’ve shared with me?
• How can I support you?

What shouldn’t I do if someone comes out to me?

Don’t ask invasive questions about their sex life, anatomy, or medical history. If they choose to share that information with you, that is their choice and should be respected. Don’t make assumptions about them based on the information they’ve shared. Knowing someone’s gender identity, sexual or romantic orientation does not mean you know everything about them, that information is just a facet of who they are. Don’t “out” the person to others by sharing that information without their permission.

What is “outing”?

"Outing" is when a person's identity is disclosed without their consent.

Never out a person without their consent. Outing someone can put their life in danger, create unnecessary stress and anxiety, and risk alienating that person.

Common Experiences of LGBTQ+ College Students

College can be a time of exploration and discovery for LGBTQ+ students, and may include:

• Sexual and romantic identity exploration
• Gender identity exploration
• Sexual experimentation
• Transitioning and/or coming out (see terms in glossary at the end.)
• Finding and building community
• Challenges related to family resistance/acceptance
• Increased risk of interpersonal violence

Using Gender Inclusive Greetings

Gender inclusive language can create a sense of belonging, examples of gender-neutral greetings include:

• “Hi all”
• “Hi team”
• “Hello everyone”
• “Hi peeps”

Instead of referring to gender when referring to someone you could indicate:

• The person in the purple shirt
• The individual with their hand raised
• The person who just spoke
• The person over here (gesturing)

(Micro)aggressions

(Micro)aggressions are the everyday verbal, nonverbal, slights, jibes, or insults that people in marginalized groups can experience based on race, ethnicity, sex, and gender identity. (Micro)aggressions can impact someone’s overall happiness, their sense of belonging, safety, and ability to succeed socially, educationally and professionally.

Part of the issue is that people who commit (micro)aggressions might not even be aware of what they are doing, due to socialized bias and do not realize they are causing harm.

Examples of (Micro)aggressions that are not acceptable:

• Favoring one gender while ignoring others (sexism).
• Reinforcing gender stereotypes.
• Singling someone out because of their appearance.
• Assuming someone’s gender
• Continuing to misuse pronouns even after a person, transgender or not, indicates their pronouns.