The Top 10 Trans-Friendly Colleges and Universities

University of Vermont
Burlington, Vt.
Campus Pride Index LGBT-Friendly Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars
Gender Identity/Expression Score: 5 out of 5 Stars

One would be hard pressed to find a more trans aware campus than University of Vermont (UVM).  Since the school added “gender identity/expression” to its nondiscrimination policy seven years ago, its LGBTQA Center has conducted “Trans 101” training sessions for many of the university’s staff members.  The campus has also become more educated about the experiences of trans people through offering the Translating Identity Conference, a student-run trans conference that will be marking its tenth anniversary this fall.  In addition, UVM was one of the first schools to change to its management system software to enable students to use a name other than their legal first name on campus records, and the university offers their software solution for free to other schools with the same management system.

CAMPUS PRIDE is the leading national educational organization for LGBT and ally students and campus groups working to create safer, more welcoming colleges and universities.  Want to find LGBT-Friendly colleges and universities?  Learn more online about Campus Pride (www.CampusPride.org) and the Campus Pride Index for LGBT-Friendly colleges and universities (www.CampusPrideIndex.org).

About The Authors

GENNY BEEMYN is on the advisory board of the Campus Pride Index and is part of the research team of Campus Pride’s Q Research Institute for Higher Education. Beemyn has published and spoken extensively on the experiences and needs of transgender people, particularly the lives of gender-nonconforming students. Ze has written or edited eight books/journal issues, including special issues of the Journal of LGBT Youth on "Trans Youth" and "Supporting Transgender and Gender-Nonconforming Children and Youth" and a special issue of the Journal of Homosexuality on "LGBTQ Campus Experiences." Genny's most recent work, written with Sue Rankin, isThe Lives of Transgender People, which was published by Columbia University Press in November.

SHANE L. WINDMEYER, M.S., Ed., is a leading author on gay campus issues, national leader in gay and lesbian civil rights and a champion for LGBT issues on college campuses. He is cofounder and executive director of Campus Pride, the only national organization for student leaders and campus organizations working to create a safer college environment for LGBT students. Released Fall 2006 by Alyson Books, Windmeyer is the author ofThe Advocate College Guide for LGBT Students, the first-ever college guide profiling the “100 Best LGBT-Friendly Campuses.” He is also the editor ofBrotherhood: Gay Life in College Fraternitiesand co-editor of the books Inspiration for LGBT Students & Allies, Out on Fraternity Row: Personal Accounts of Being Gay in a College Fraternityand Secret Sisters: Stories of Being Lesbian & Bisexual in a College Sorority.