Make the Common App more inclusive of nonbinary applicants and their families


Make the Common App more inclusive of nonbinary applicants and their families
The Issue
On the current Common Application, there are no gender neutral terms for siblings or parents. For example, I can only mark down a sibling as a brother or sister --- but what if they don't identify as either? In addition, in their lists of prefixes, they only offer Mr, Ms, and Dr. They need to add Mx to this list to be fully inclusive.
Although the Common App does allow applicants to specify their gender identity, it still requires them to fill out their sex. I don't see why they don't just ask for gender identity in the first place and leave out the question on sex. The notion of biological sex is itself an imperfect construct --- and is largely irrelevant once you have asked for gender identity.
Common App needs to provide gender neutral options in every single place where there are gendered terms or titles. In addition, they should remove the question asking for biological sex. No one should be forced to write that their identity is something they're not.
The Issue
On the current Common Application, there are no gender neutral terms for siblings or parents. For example, I can only mark down a sibling as a brother or sister --- but what if they don't identify as either? In addition, in their lists of prefixes, they only offer Mr, Ms, and Dr. They need to add Mx to this list to be fully inclusive.
Although the Common App does allow applicants to specify their gender identity, it still requires them to fill out their sex. I don't see why they don't just ask for gender identity in the first place and leave out the question on sex. The notion of biological sex is itself an imperfect construct --- and is largely irrelevant once you have asked for gender identity.
Common App needs to provide gender neutral options in every single place where there are gendered terms or titles. In addition, they should remove the question asking for biological sex. No one should be forced to write that their identity is something they're not.
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The Decision Makers
Petition created on July 9, 2020