“Trans welcome” – including at ETH
Renate Schubert, Assistant Vice President for Equal Opportunity and Equality Officer at the Equal Opportunity Office, understands the problem very well and points out that a website is being built specifically to provide information to transgender people. “The LGBT situation at ETH definitely falls under Equal’s remit – we will intensify our activities in this area,” comments Schubert.
ETH is not idle: since the spring, the university has been a member of “trans Welcome”, a portal for Swiss employers and companies that welcome transgender people. Equal is receiving an increasing number of requests regarding transgender people. As a result, cooperation with the Swiss Transgender Network is strengthening in order to find solutions adapted to everyone. Many people don't know that in 2013, ETH Zurich became one of the first universities in Switzerland to implement a regulation facilitate the change of name of transgender people on certificates and diplomas.
Big universities are getting more colorful
A survey of leading US and UK universities reveals they are already actively nurturing their LGBT communities. Harvard has an “Office of BGLTQ Student Life,” Oxford has an “LGBT History Month Conference,” and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has a rainbow-colored “You Are welcome here.” “I am convinced that ETH will also benefit from actively welcoming LGBT people, as students who feel safe and accepted, feel better, study, work and seek better,” says Decaminada.
Having a more open dialogue would also help counter the phenomenon that Sabine Python calls the “double stereotype”. The small number of women who study in traditionally male fields, such as mechanical engineering, are too quickly considered lesbians. This not only reinforces the image of lesbian students as “manly” women. It could also make students who do not conform to this stereotype feel uncomfortable because, for example, they are “feminine” lesbians or heterosexual. Removing this stereotype could also encourage more women to enroll in these degree programs.
Rainbow flag at ETH
This weekend, ETH Zurich will display the rainbow flag, symbol of the LGBT community, as a banner on its main building. “We wanted to make a statement and show that our university is tolerant and open to all. The Zurich Pride Festival is the perfect time to do it,” says Renate Schubert. Alessandro Decaminada and Sabine Python are delighted with this gesture from ETH Zurich: “This is a clear statement from ETH that LGBT people are welcome here – great!” L-Punkt and z&h will also have their own booth at Kasernenareal during the festival. Obviously, everyone – of all colors – is welcome.