Tony Merevick, BuzzFeed
August 29,2014
When Nick Hamblin transitioned last summer and returned to college in Golden, Colorado presenting his male identity, he not only had to overcome the typical anxiety and pressures of going back to school, but also had to make sure professors would refer to him by his preferred name and pronouns.
"Really, every semester I have to inform my teachers and give them a bit of Trans 101, so they can get through," said Hamblin, who studies geological engineering at Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colo.
Hamblin, who returned for the new fall semester earlier this month, said he hasn't encountered any problems. "It's actually been fine," he said. Last semester, though, one of his teachers requested to meet with him in person to talk about his name and pronouns — just "to make sure it wasn't a prank," Hamblin told BuzzFeed.
The 23-year-old is among countless transgender students going back to school around this time of the year across the country, who must actively work with administrators and counselors to feel comfortable and accommodated on campus. This is because the needs of transgender students are often overlooked, according to Eli Erlick, a transgender activist and director of Trans Student Equality Resources.
More:
http://www.buzzfeed.com/tonymerevick/the-challenges-transgender-students-face-when-colleges-fail#3ucs5d8
