That's not what I was talking about at all. I am talking about legal measures of what constitutes transgender identification. Is just saying it's so make it so? Yes, I think it would be really effed up to pretend to be transgendered, but I also know there are a lot of people in this world who are willing to do really awful things when there's a motive like money involved.

We had a thread on this before. I think the conclusion was that for national groups, unless the person is at the point where they have LEGALLY changed sex (i.e. the driver's license and birth certificate now say Susan instead of Stanley) admitting a student in this situation - no matter if they live as the other sex 24/7 - could interfere with our single-sex status and open up a giant can of worms.

It's not about being closed-minded or not understanding transgender issues, it's about legal ramifications. That's why I pointed out the local status of the groups.

That's what I was thinking about, how each individual state varies when it comes to legal documents and recognizing people. Some states will change name and/or sex, some will amend but keep the original one on file, and some will issue a completely new birth certificate. I know Idaho will only change name, but not sex so all legal documents will have the birth sex listed even with the new legal name.

Since we're Inter/National organizations there could be issues when people go to school in another state or do everything they can to be who they are, and are still held back by paperwork. Bylaws may have to be rewritten because of gender or sex terminology if someone is legally unable to change their birth certificate. Local orgs. can do what they want with much more ease regarding membership and I'm sure we're going to see more local or regional groups accepting transgendered members before the larger councils.

To be honest though I think this is going to be an issue that isn't common as transgendered people, especially teens, are at a higher risk to lose health insurance, jobs, family support, assaulted/victims of crime, and be discriminated in finding housing and employment that this is more likely going to be seen with wealthier, supported individuals at private schools. Trinity is over $42,000 a year for everything and every person I've met who has been in transition or transitioned in the age range of 18-22 was from a wealthy family and attended the majority attended private schools. These students will be pioneers but until we deal with all the other issues it isn't a huge victory.

Another thing to note is that even if someone has had all of the physical treatments and came from a state with new birth certificates the amount of information people put on the internet and that is available can out people and I can't imagine the fall out if a man or woman joined and while they are still in school it came to light they were born with a different name and sex. I'm not even talking transphobia, but of people feeling as if they were betrayed. When we constantly see young adults making party theme choices and choosing a chapter to join before rush and validate it by their age, I don't think finding out your chapter brother or sister was a different gender would go over well.