The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 46, No. 3 - 73

The Impact of the Gender Binary in Campus Housing

effect, reinscribing hegemony through their
practices" (Marine et al., 2019, p. 8). No one set
of voices or practices can represent or respond
to all concerns. Continual assessment and
questioning of policies and practices must continue to address all trans students' concerns
and to destabilize the hold of the gender binary
(Marine et al., 2019; Nicolazzo et al., 2018).

CONCLUSION
Taylor's and Ishmael's narratives illustrate
problems and possibilities in university
housing and residence life. The lack of clarity
on housing applications, the failure to assign
students by gender identity, and the policing
of gender by roommates' guests are issues that
extend well beyond Ishmael's experience, reflecting much of the scholarship on trans collegians (Johnson, 2017; Nicolazzo, 2017; Pryor
et al., 2016). Taylor's experience serves as an
example of how oppressive gender structures
like transnormativity, even in otherwise positive circumstances and with positive outcomes,
are present (Catalano, 2014, 2015a, 2015b).
Their stories also suggest that more is needed
than surface-level attention and attempts
to support trans students, such as unclear
options on surveys or self-reported data like
support for LGBTQ students. Rather, HRL professionals need to center trans voices, educate
themselves about the complexities of trans
student experiences, and assess their efforts.
Despite these challenges, Ishmael's and Taylor's experiences in housing are hopeful examples that some HRL units are making efforts
to be trans-inclusive and taking the needs of
trans students seriously. These two students'
narratives can propel HRL professionals to go
even further and closely examine their policies

and practices with trans residents and move
towards dismantling gender binaries in HRL
and universities.

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