• Section 1 - Preamble
• Section 2 - Purpose
• Section 3 - Scope
• Section 4 - Policy
• Section 5 - Procedure
• Student Gender Transition Plans
• Staff Gender Transition Plans
• Staff leave
• Changes to records
• Section 6 - Definitions

Section 1 - Preamble

(1) This Procedure is effective from 19 October 2018.

Section 2 - Purpose

(2) This Procedure sets out how the University supports students and staff undertaking a gender transition.

Section 3 - Scope

(3) This Procedure applies to all students and staff of the University.

Section 4 - Policy

(4) This Procedure is pursuant to the Diversity and Inclusion policy.

Section 5 - Procedure

(5) The University will provide a safe, supportive and inclusive environment for all members of the University, including offering timely, tailored support to students and staff who are transitioning or seeking to transition to their affirmed gender.

(6) Staff with supervisory responsibilities must exercise their leadership and authority to ensure an inclusive learning and work environment that is free from discrimination, victimisation and vilification against trans or gender diverse individuals.

(7) The University aims to foster an inclusive and vibrant culture where all members of the University are treated with respect, which includes being addressed according to the individual’s preferred names and pronouns.

(8) The University will not tolerate discrimination on the basis of gender identity and complaints of discrimination will be managed according to the Discrimination, Sexual Harassment, Victimisation and Vilification (Staff) Complaints procedure  and the Student Complaints Resolution procedure.

(9) Individuals who have transitioned or who are undergoing a gender transition will be treated on an equitable basis in relation to job applications and student admissions. Special arrangements may be made to promote the equitable access and inclusion of transgender students or staff in accordance with relevant legislative provisions.

(10) Information on gender transitioning and supporting a student or staff member who has transitioned or who is undergoing a gender transition is available in the Gender Transition Guide.

(11) The University is committed to the responsible collection and management of personal and health information and recognises that information privacy is one of the foundations of human dignity, including in relation to students or staff who have transitioned or who are undergoing a gender transition. Disclosing information about the gender transition of a student or staff member without their consent may be a breach of the University’s Privacy policy.

Student Gender Transition Plans

(12) Students who have transitioned, are undergoing or wish to undertake a gender transition may contact Student Central or send an email to inclusion@deakin.edu.au

(13) Students will be designated a Student Adviser as a single point of contact in Student Central, within the Division of Student Administration, to work with them to implement their Plan. The Student Adviser will be trained in gender transition support for students and may assist with implementing the Plan.

(14) The single point of contact may support the student regarding provisions on:

1. administrative matters including change of name, title, gender, email address and identity card;
2. supports available to the student for academic, administrative and personal matters.

(15) Detailed information on developing a Student Gender Transition Plan is outlined in the Gender Transition Guide.

Staff Gender Transition Plans

(16) Staff who have transitioned, who are undergoing or wish to undertake a gender transition are encouraged to develop a Staff Gender Transition Plan in consultation with a Diversity and Inclusion Project Adviser by emailing lgbtiq@deakin.edu.au or by completing the relevant sections of the online Staff Gender Transition Plan Form.

(17) A Staff Gender Transition Plan may include provisions on:

1. administrative matters including change of name, title, gender, email address and identity card;
2. communication with manager and colleagues;
3. changes to work arrangements;
4. leave entitlements;
5. supports available to the staff member for personal and work-related matters.

(18) Once a Staff Gender Transition Plan has been developed, the Diversity and Inclusion Project Adviser will contact the relevant HR Client Partner to arrange implementation of the Plan in agreement with the staff member.

(19) Arrangements may be made to provide gender transition training to the staff member’s work team in order to promote an inclusive work environment during and after the staff member’s transition, with the agreement of the staff member.

Staff leave

(20) The University provides a range of leave to assist staff undergoing a gender transition as set out in the Leave and Public Holidays procedure, including:

1. Gender Transition leave. The University recognises the need for additional leave for staff undergoing a gender transition and offers up to 10 days paid leave.
2. Special leave. Staff experiencing difficult personal circumstances may be eligible for special leave as outlined in the Deakin University Enterprise Agreement 2017.

Changes to records

(21) Where a student or staff member request that gender information on their personal record be amended or it is necessary to verify their gender to confirm identity or determine eligibility for a service or an entitlement referred to in the appropriate Staff Gender Transition Plan or for students the Gender Transition Guide the University recognises any one of the following as sufficient evidence of the person’s affirmed gender:

1. a statement from a registered medical practitioner or a registered psychologist;
2. a valid Australian government travel document, such as a current passport, that specifies their affirmed gender;
3. an amended state or territory birth certificate that specifies their affirmed gender;
4. a state or territory gender recognition certificate;
5. a recognised details certificate showing that a state or territory Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages has accepted a change of sex.

Section 6 - Definitions

(22) For the purpose of this Procedure:

1. Affirmed Gender: an individuals’ gender self-identification, rather than the gender that was assumed based on the sex they were assigned at birth.
2. Gender: refers to a person's sense of being as male, female or somewhere in between or neither.
3. Gender transition: the transition towards a permanent and public adoption of the style and presentation of the gender different to that assigned to a person at birth. It usually includes social transition, medical transition and legal transition:
   1. Social transition: the social portion of a gender transition in which a person makes others aware of their affirmed gender identity. This may include changes in hairstyle, clothing, preferred name and pronoun to be used, and use of all-gender toilets.
   2. Medical transition: medical treatments a person undergoes as part of their transition so that their sex characteristics better match their gender identity. It may include hormone therapy and surgery.
   3. Legal transition: legal processes a person undertakes for legal recognition of their changed gender identity, such as changes to their name, birth certificate, passport, driver’s licence, gender details and title.   
4. Transgender or Trans: a person who identifies their gender as different to that assigned at birth. A trans person might identify as male or female, or as non-binary (and relate to terms such as gender fluid, gender queer, bigender, etc). Some women might use terms such as trans woman or Male-to-Female (MtF) and some men might use terms such as trans man or Female-to-Male (FtM) to describe their lived experience. Additionally, Indigenous trans women might identify as Sistergirl, and Indigenous trans men as Brotherboy.