Trendsetters: Gender-Neutral Spaces Created At This University As Part Of Trans Policy

Hyderabad: Trend-setters National Academy of Legal Studies and Research (Nalsar) is designating gender-neutral spaces as part of a first-of-its-kind trans policy.

This comes almost seven years after the Hyderabad university gave a gender-neutral graduation certificate to a student on request for the first time.

“We are pleased to share that in our endeavour to make our campus a truly inclusive space, the ground floor of GH-6 has been designated as a gender neutral space with rooms allotted to students self-identifying as members of the LGBTQ+ community,” the university posted from its official Twitter handle.

According to Vice-Chancellor Faizan Mustafa, the university aimed to create a safe and inclusive campus for the LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer plus) community, with plans to move towards a gender-neutral hostel in due course.

Even the washroom in the academic block’s ground floor is gender-neutral.

The university is in the process of finalizing a trans policy to address inclusivity concerns of LGBTQ+ community.

The university, in June 2015, agreed to a BA LLB student’s request not to be identified by gender in the graduation certificate, and used the neutral prefix of ‘Mx’. That was the start of the university’s efforts to make the institution inclusive.

“We have requested students to identify themselves and based on their preference, we are creating safe and inclusive spaces for everyone. As per the trans policy that we are adopting, there will be more changes on the campus,’’ Mustafa said.