Collide Issue 30: The Middle

essarily believe in what her father was going through.
But now she sees her purpose on campus.
“I think my job is to answer people’s questions, educate
people about it or bring up the topic when other
people don’t because I think it’s important to take the
stigma away,” Lomeli explained, pointing to the negative
stereotyping that can be attached to transgendered
individuals in a Christian community.
The Fight For Acknowledgement
Many Christian universities now have to face the issue
head-on with an updated Title IX. When Title IX
was passed in 1972, it was originally intended to help female
athletes get equal treatment with their fellow male
teammates, according to titleix.info. But that changed in
2014 when it extended to protect transgender students
and faculty.
With the expansion of Title IX to protect students
that identify as transgender, the battle for equality within
universities is becoming more and more evident, especially
at Christian Universities. Title IX now allows
for those who identify as transgender to use restrooms,
locker rooms and dorm rooms with the pronoun they
identify with. It also allows for them to dress appropriately,
or maintain their right to keep their status a secret.
Many Christian universities, however, are putting
in requests to be exempted from Title IX because it goes
against their religious freedom.
APU is commonly considered to be liberal when it
comes to Christian universities, but that does not mean
that many students and faculty are ready for an open
conversation about transgender and LGBT issues. An
anonymous faculty source hopes that there will be more
of a willingness for students to reach out to LGBT community
members and start a conversation.
“You can read all the books and articles you want on
the issue, but it’s not the same as face to face interaction
and getting to know that type of person,” the anonymous
source said.
Because of people like Wilson, conversations are now
slowly starting around the country. Hawaii is finally
starting to restore an identity that was once highly regarded.
“Think about the concept of aloha, which is just unconditional
acceptance and respect, and how it can be
applied to your own community in order to make places
of inclusion for everybody. Because this is really about
everybody having an equal opportunity and finding
their way in life,” Wilson said.
Film Still from
A Place in the Middle
www.theclause.org/collide • 17