Thank you for being one of nearly 1500 people who signed on to support in the first 48 hours of this petition! Until the policy is changed, however, this fight is not over! Please help keep this momentum going by sharing the petition with your networks: https://www.change.org/ADiplomaToBeProudOf

Yesterday, I wrote to the UW Faculty Senate for their commitment to expediting this important policy change at the University of Washington. It is my hope that they will be not only receptive but also see the urgent need for this change so that trans/nonbinary graduates can proudly and safely display our diplomas. 

While legal documents like our transcripts will still display our legal names, there are no federal or Washington state laws requiring full legal names be placed on diplomas. In fact, there are many universities both in Washington state and across the United States already allowing this, and even more that allow “nicknames” (e.g., “Mike” instead of “Michael”) on diplomas! Therefore, it is my firm belief that allowing trans/nonbinary students to display our chosen first names on our diplomas is covered by the protections afforded to us by the Washington State Administration Code. Specifically, WAC 162-32-040 has a definition of harassment including:

• Intentionally causing distress to an individual by disclosing the individual's sexual orientation, gender expression or gender identity, transgender status, or sex assigned at birth against his or her wishes 
• The deliberate misuse of an individual's preferred name, form of address, or a gender-related pronoun (except on legally mandated documentation, if the individual has not officially obtained a name change)

Thank you again for your continued support of this important issue, and for sharing the petition with your friends and family.

-Vern