Push The University and The Union to create a Gender Expression Fund

The fund would be designed to help our Trans+ students financially to cover things often needed like chest binders, packers, breast forms, clothing, and makeup, as well as medical or therapeutic care, and transport to appointments. It could also cover minor cosmetic costs (e.g., haircuts) or ID documents like passports or driver’s licenses. Having a fund like this helps students focus on their studies rather than having to worry about affording basic health and living needs. Many other universities across England also run similar funds and it greatly helps out the trans+ students there. Some of these universities include Manchester, UCL, Leeds, Falmouth & Exeter SU.

The Union can help us set this up by working with Trans+ students at the university to hear their voices about what help they need help with in daily life. The Union already offers multiple grants to UoP Societies, including working with outside companies like Dominoes to offer these grants, so there is the potential to receive the funds needed for this from the union, the university, or outside trans+ charities/companies. The university also runs a hardship fund. However, this fund is extremely limited in who they offer it to, only giving it to the students who receive the maximum maintenance loan. Students who try to apply for the hardship fund are also subject to an intrusive and degrading examination of all their finances, whereas The Gender Expression fund will try to be much more open.