Navigating SMU as a Transgender Student

Written by Joyo Smit

Header & Thumbnail Photo by Karollyne Videira Hubert

University can be a stressful and conflicting time in one’s life. There are schedules to make, assignments to complete, classes to attend, and so much more. Adding the stress of being transgender can make success in a university environment seem impossible. Every trans person will experience the world differently. Some may look like the gender they identify with, called passing, and some may be white and able-bodied. These factors can affect how the world sees and treats transgender individuals. However, this article will give you a general understanding of what to expect at SMU as a transgender student. Whether you are starting your first year at SMU this fall, or a returning student looking for more resources, I hope to share what I have learned with you.

Accessibility

There are several gender-neutral washrooms at SMU. These bathrooms are helpful for nonbinary students, as well as binary transgender students who may feel unsafe in gendered washrooms. The layout of SMU can be confusing at times, and it took me a while to locate all these bathrooms on campus. Below is a map of SMU with the locations of these washrooms marked. If a building has a gender-neutral bathroom, the floor it is on is shown under the building label.

Photo from SMU

Communication

Some individuals who transition decide to change their name to better fit their gender identity. Being called their original name (their deadname), can be distressing for a trans person. Thankfully, there are a few ways to ensure you are referred to correctly during your time at Saint Mary’s University. The main method of accessing online tools at SMU is Brightspace. This website allows you to complete quizzes, submit assignments, view resources, watch lectures, and more. You can enter a preferred name and pronouns into Brightspace, which will then be visible to you, your classmates, and your professor. Click on your name beside the settings icon, hit profile, and set your nickname. You can similarly add a preferred first name in Banner, where you register for courses. Most professors will find their class lists here, so I strongly recommend updating your Banner name. Saint Mary’s issues a smu.ca email to every student using their legal name, which students are required to use email for all school-related communications. You can request your email address to be changed through this page.

Health

Some trans people decide to medically transition to make their physical appearance match their gender identity. This is called gender-affirming care and can include taking hormone replacement therapy or getting surgery. The types of surgery and medical intervention can vary depending on what the person wants and what best suits their needs. Each student at SMU is automatically enrolled in the health plan. Through the Student Health Clinic, students can book appointments with doctors, using the Pomelo Health portal once they create an account. I recommend seeing Dr. Mark Williams, who is well-informed about trans health and ensures medical transition processes go smoothly. The World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) sets the psychological requirements for whether a person is ready to medically transition. If you do not have a WPATH-certified therapist, you can expect to meet with a psychologist to get your letter of readiness. After this, you may start your hormone replacement therapy and/or begin the process of getting gender-affirming surgery, under the guidance of your doctor.

Community

Being transgender in university can make it nerve-racking to try to find friends and a place to belong. It can be hard to know if strangers will be supportive of queer identities or even discriminate against them. Thankfully, there are several ways to find a community in which you are assured of being accepted for who you are. The SMU Pride Society is a great way to meet other queer folks on campus. They host events like board game nights, clothing swaps, and queer peer support. There are also several inclusive courses at SMU that address subjects like gender and sexuality. For example, in Introduction to Women and Gender Studies (WGSS1200), you can expect to write essays and watch documentaries about feminism and trans rights.

There are ways to find a community off-campus as well. In my experience, Halifax is the most queer-friendly city in the Maritimes. It has been ranked 4th in most inclusive queer cities in Canada, and is the first Maritime location to appear. Countless sidewalks are decorated with the Progress Pride Flag. Queer-owned businesses, such as the Glitter Bean Cafe, Venus Envy, One Block Barbershop, Outlaw Country Tattoo, and many more, can be found around the city. The Halifax Public Library often has dedicated displays to queer and trans stories and authors. There are usually countless events happening across the city geared towards the LGBTQ+ community. From drag shows to movie nights to craft markets, there is guaranteed to be something for everyone! Many events can be found here. Weekly events can be found at the top, like Queer Climbs at East Peak. The full calendar of events can be found further down the page.

Being transgender isn’t easy, especially with the added stress of being a university student. Worrying about gendered washrooms, deadnaming, and finding community while also juggling assignments and exams can be a lot to handle. However, Saint Mary’s University is committed to inclusivity and giving everyone an equal chance to succeed. Additionally, the queer community of Halifax continues to flourish while the city at large continues to be inclusive. This allows transgender students to not only survive but thrive - both academically and socially.