Gender Expression Fund??????

[badgeronthedrums]

So, in the course of doing some research in advance of offspring going to Uni, I discovered that at least one Cambridge College, Trinity Hall, offers its students a Gender Expression Fund.

"The Gender Expression Fund reimburses transgender, gender non-conforming and non-binary students in the JCR for items to help people feel comfortable with their gender expression and to alleviate feelings of gender dysphoria."

FFS.

And that someone has done an FOI request on this. I do not think they answered correctly but never mind. Will link to this in comments because...

...he has also done 76 other requests to colleges and so is doing excellent work here. I haven't had time to go through them all but do dig in:

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/info_request_batch/3553

The really fun bit? It's my old college. They will be getting a letter.

[badgeronthedrums]

This is the T Hall response: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/affirming_lgbt_care_for_students_56

[badgeronthedrums]

But here is the response from Corpus Christi:

"For anyone who may need access to gender-affirming resources (such asbinders and prosthetics), there is a fund reserved by the College to helpfinancially aid this. Students are encouraged to contact their tutor orthe LGBTQ+/Gender Equalities Officer about accessing the Gender ExpressionFund if they require help. All other matters relating to affirming genderidentity are considered on a case-by-case basis."My WTF scale is rising by the second

[duc748]

As the Americans say, your tax dollars at work...

[FrancescaContini]

The most nonsense reason ever to set up a fund. I’d like to think this is a joke but suspect it’s real.

[StephanieSuperpowers]

What if the dreaded cis gender people want to express their gender? Can The Lads express their land gender through funded beer and soccer jerseys?

[Runor]

Do they also run regular ‘opportunities’ for alumni to make donations? I’ll definitely be checking what my college (Robinson - and I think they’ve gone a long way down this road) is up to, thankyou Badger

[FrancescaContini]

You could ask them if they have a fund set up for alumni who are experiencing a horrible menopause 🤷‍♀️ but no doubt they’d use this as a way of signalling their support for the rainbow brigade.

[badgeronthedrums]

@FrancescaContini

The most nonsense reason ever to set up a fund. I’d like to think this is a joke but suspect it’s real.

Google Gender Expression Fund and it turns out they are everywhere. I am losing the will to live. And also to fund a child at university full stop.

[ThreeEggOmlette]

@StephanieSuperpowers

What if the dreaded cis gender people want to express their gender? Can The Lads express their land gender through funded beer and soccer jerseys?

I'd be applying for lash extensions, fillers & a push up bra.

My body doesn't affirm my gender enough and I feel unsafe.

[StephanieSuperpowers]

@FrancescaContini

You could ask them if they have a fund set up for alumni who are experiencing a horrible menopause 🤷‍♀️ but no doubt they’d use this as a way of signalling their support for the rainbow brigade.

I think that's a brilliant idea. I expect though you'd actually have to not be going through a technical menopause to qualify. Imaginary menopause - all over it.

[InvisibleDuck]

From UCL's response:

"Grants can be used to purchase gender affirming products such as clothing,
binders, packers and beauty products. These grants can also be used
towards travel to medical or therapy/counselling appointments."

Beauty products? So if I claim to have a gendered ladybrain but feel that I'm not feminine and beautiful enough, I can get free makeup?

Regressive nonsense.

[VaginaInstallation]

Some universities have a widening participation scheme where they give a contextual offer two or three A level grades lower than the usual course offer. Contextual offers are supposed to level the playing field and so being a young carer, living in care, being a forces child, being the first child in the family to go to uni, living in a deprived area or going to a failing school are all things unis include in their eligibility list. Some include disabilities - physical as well as ASD, ADHD, dyspraxia etc in their criteria for a CO. Again, all about levelling the field. But some unis include having a gender identity.

Simply by self declaring you are non-binary, even just starting the week before you fill in your UCAS form, you are considered as disadvantaged in your education as someone who has been hearing impaired from birth, or who has not been able to stay in the same school for more than a year at a time. But it'll tick a box for the university...

[Chersfrozenface]

I'm quite prepared to identify as Queer Femme.

Where do I apply for my free Louboutins?

[muddyford]

Phew. Can't find my old college doing this, so far.

[FrancescaContini]

@ThreeEggOmlette

I'd be applying for lash extensions, fillers & a push up bra.

My body doesn't affirm my gender enough and I feel unsafe.

😂😂

[FrancescaContini]

@InvisibleDuck

From UCL's response:

"Grants can be used to purchase gender affirming products such as clothing,
binders, packers and beauty products. These grants can also be used
towards travel to medical or therapy/counselling appointments."

Beauty products? So if I claim to have a gendered ladybrain but feel that I'm not feminine and beautiful enough, I can get free makeup?

Regressive nonsense.

Packers??? Is this what I think it might be?

[FrancescaContini]

@badgeronthedrums

Google Gender Expression Fund and it turns out they are everywhere. I am losing the will to live. And also to fund a child at university full stop.

I really wish I hadn’t started googling because now I am seriously doubting the value of studying at a UK university if so many of them are openly endorsing this ideology.

[MountCaramel]

Thank God I went to university in the 1990's when all this shit wasn't so endemic like a virus.

[60andsomething]

What about if you have had cancer? Will they pay for prosthetics then?

[Reallybadidea]

Wonder whether a trans trans woman would be able to access that fund? 🤔

[FrancescaContini]

@60andsomething

What about if you have had cancer? Will they pay for prosthetics then?

Of course not. Cancer is provable. These people only deal in magical thinking.

[songaboutjam]

My old university was shocking for disability accessibility to a point where a student had to drop off my course. There was also at least one case of a student assault not being taken seriously. Racist incidents against international students. A refusal to deal with creepy male behaviour in living spaces.

I would love to know if they have a glitter fund because goodness knows they didn't care much for other demographics!

[badgeronthedrums]

Do you know what really pisses me off too? It's on the women's page.

https://www.jcr.trinhall.cam.ac.uk/welfare/womens/

I genuinely do not believe you can be a feminist and at the same time support women who want to pretend that they are not one because of their own internalised misogyny.

I am very cross and middle aged and am now going to take out my fury by rehoming some pond plants. Watch me go.

Edited to add link...

[BettyFilous]

@InvisibleDuck

From UCL's response:

"Grants can be used to purchase gender affirming products such as clothing,
binders, packers and beauty products. These grants can also be used
towards travel to medical or therapy/counselling appointments."

Beauty products? So if I claim to have a gendered ladybrain but feel that I'm not feminine and beautiful enough, I can get free makeup?

Regressive nonsense.

Do they offer similar grants to support students’ travel to medical or counselling appointments after sexual assault, for bereavement, eating disorders, cancer treatment or any manner of other conditions? I’m going to hazard a guess that support in these scenarios is non-existent.

[FlirtsWithRhinos]

Hang on though..

Being techy and into buying kit is a man-gender-thing right? So it's totally legit that a top end Macbook could be gender-affirming for a trans- or NB- identifying female person.

If I were at that uni I'd definitely be looking to affirm my Agenderity with a nice man-coded mac book 😁