Inter* and Trans* Persons at mdw
One of the tasks of the AKG is to combat discrimination by university bodies based on (among other characteristics) gender, and to advise and support the members and bodies of the University in these matters. In terms of this duty, one of the AKG’s fields of responsibility is to protect intersex, transgender and non-binary people from gender-based discrimination.
Specific discrimination against intersex, transgender and non-binary people includes, for example, the following types of behaviour:
- (Persistently) addressing and/or commenting on a person using the wrong pronoun – i.e. one that runs counter to that person’s self-definition – and/or the wrong name, as well as persistent, intrusive questions about the gender and/or name assigned to them at birth
- Addressing people in a transgender and/or intersex-hostile way and making offensive remarks or jokes
- Asking intrusive questions about people’s bodies and anatomies and/or medical interventions and treatments, as well as non-recognition of their right to physical self-determination
- Questioning and/or denying the authenticity of the identity of intersex and transgender people and of identities beyond the binary classification into “man” or “woman”
- The (persistent) unwanted outing of a person as intersex, transgender and/or non-binary, in front of third parties
Changing one’s name and civil status data at the mdw
Due to the currently effective Austrian University Studies Evidence Act (UniStEVO) and the current programming system of the mdwOnline university administrative system, at present it is only possible for students to change their name and gender data entered in the university system by officially changing their name and civil status, in accordance with the Austrian Name Amendment Act (NÄG) and the Austrian Civil Status Act (PStG).
Confidential contacts
For students: Petra Weissberg (Department of Studies and Examinations)
For staff: José Quiroga (Personnel Management Department)
The AKG supports your concerns and is always ready to advise and assist you.
The AKG supports the "Position paper of the Austrian Student Union on the Procedure for Registering the Gender and Names of Intersex and Transgender People at Universities" drawn up by the NaGeH Group and the Austrian Student Union, and subscribes to their demand for a legal amendment of the University Studies Evidence Act (UniStEVO 2002).
Recommendations
Based on the demands put forward by NaGeH, the AKG recommends that gender-neutral forms of address such as “Dear First Name Last Name” rather than “Dear Ms … / Dear Mr …” should be used in correspondence with students and staff.
In university courses, the AKG recommends that before the start of the semester teachers should offer students the option of changing their name on printed-out attendance lists, or should compile attendance lists where students can enter their first names themselves, to avoid a forced outing in front of the entire class.
Links
Department for Equality and Diversity of the hmdw - Students' Union of the mdw
NaGeH - mein Name, mein Geschlecht, meine Hochschule
VIMÖ – Austrian National Association of Intersex People
