Statement passed by the Indiana University School of Social Work’s
Faculty Senate on Friday, February 2, 2024

 

IUSSW Faculty Senate Statement of Solidarity with Transgender Rights

The faculty of the Indiana University School of Social Work stand in solidarity with the transgender,
nonbinary, and gender-diverse community. Embodying the core principles of social work, including
social justice and respect for the dignity and worth of every person, we recognize the humanity of our
transgender family members, friends, and neighbors. Guided by the discipline’s defining values and
ethics, social workers collectively champion the rights, autonomy, and advance the freedoms of the
gender-diverse community (National Association of Social Workers, 2021). Any violation of their
human and civil rights is a violation of all human and civil rights. Research indicates that violence
against transgender people starts early in life and many experience repeated poly-victimization that
impacts them throughout their lifetime (Felix et al., 2023; Lombardi et al., 2001; Stotzer, 2009). A
national study of transgender adults found that transphobic laws and policies were associated with
increased psychological distress, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts (Price et al., 2023).
Comprehensive research, including contributions from our own faculty, demonstrates the harmful
personal, familial, and social consequences of transphobic public policies and the need to support,
protect, and celebrate transgender, nonbinary, and gender-diverse persons of all ages (BrandonFriedman et al., 2024; Truszczynski et al., 2022).

We call on all people to consider policies and procedures that enshrine the gender-diverse community’s rights, liberty, and choice. We stand with
Indiana University in its nondiscrimination policies and the mission of its Office of Institutional Equity
to protect the rights of gender-diverse persons and ensure their equal access in all aspects of
employment, education, and participation within the University. We celebrate all transgender,
nonbinary, and gender-diverse persons and will continue to advance initiatives consistent with our
professional ethics, obligations, and support for all minoritized people.

Note: This statement is distributed on behalf of the Indiana University School of Social Work’s Faculty Senate
and does not represent an official statement of the Indiana University School of Social Work

 

References
Brandon-Friedman, R. A., Tabb, A., Imburgia, T. M., Swafford, T. R., Fortenberry, J. D., Canada, M., &
Donahue, K. L. (2024). Perspectives of gender-diverse youth and caregivers grappling with legislation
banning gender-affirming medical interventions. Journal of Adolescent Health, 74(3), S8-9.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2023.11.033
Felix, S., Azimi, A. M., & Radatz, D. L. (2023). The consequences of polyvictimization among transgender and
gender nonconforming people. In S. Clevenger, S. Kelley, & K. Ratajczak (Eds.), Queer victimology:
Understanding the victim experience. (pp. 50-59). Routledge.
Lombardi, E. L., Wilchins, R. A., Priesing, D., & Malouf, D. (2001). Gender violence: Transgender experiences
with violence discrimination. Journal of Homosexuality, 42(1), 89-101.
National Association of Social Workers. (2021). Code of ethics of the National Association of Social Workers.
Author.
Price, M. A., Hollinsaid, N. L., McKetta, S., Mellen, E. J., & Rakhilin, M. (2023). Structural transphobia is
associated with psychological distress and suicidality in a large national sample of transgender adults.
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-023-02482-4
Stotzer, R. L. (2009). Violence against transgender people: A review of United States data. Aggression and
Violent Behavior, 14(3), 170-179.
Truszczynski, M., Truszczynski, N., Estevez, R. I., & Elliott, A. E. (2022). Does policy matter? The impact of
state and city anti-discrimination policy on the discrimination experiences of trans and nonbinary people.
Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 19(4), 1786-1794. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13178-022-00762-3