Sexual Orientation + Gender Identity Might Be Added To College Admissions Application

[Robinium]

College has always been a time of learning, but it appears that it is now the colleges that are learning. Proposed changes to the Common Application, used by 415 colleges and universities in the United States, may add questions regarding sexual orientation and gender identity to its list. The application is created and run by a national non-profit.

“The Common Application is considering adding voluntary questions about applicants’ sexual orientation and gender identity. The application is used by hundreds of colleges and universities — including many of the most competitive.

“The current norm in higher education is not to ask such questions, even on a voluntary basis. But with more students coming out in high school, and with some colleges explicitly taking steps to recruit gay applicants, some admissions officers and some advocates for gay students want to encourage colleges to ask the questions. But the possible switch could be controversial.

The whole article can be found here: http://lezgetreal.com/2010/08/sexual-orientation-and-gender-identity-might-be-added-to-common-college-admissions-application/

What's the point of this? Do they want to create "closet gays", people filling out they're gay so they get a better chance to be admitted to college and then have to hide their true sexual orientation? Plus they don't write if bis shall get the whole bonus or only half of it. Plus I always thought that you go to college to learn, not to f*ck.

I really don't get it.

[Annika L]

Plus I always thought that you go to college to learn, not to f*ck.


Oh! Ee's so naive!

[Annika L]

Plus they don't write if bis shall get the whole bonus or only half of it.

Or none of it...after all, we're the ones who keep saying, "I'm not gay! ...this is different!"

[Robinium]

Or none of it...after all, we're the ones who keep saying, "I'm not gay! ...this is different!"

Which indeed it is... but if they have this as an option, how are they going to figure out how to deal with it?

[AsianDream]

Which indeed it is... but if they have this as an option, how are they going to figure out how to deal with it?

Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Political and Religious ideas, Gender, Race etc are no business of a College or Employer in evaluating applicants.

No form of descrimination is right (negative or positive) and organisations should not ask for information which is not relevant to the purpose of an application - whether this is for a college, job, credit card or driving licence etc.

Also I'd argue the general principle that Governments in general (data made available to a college included) should have the absolute minimum of information available to them (not just the Chinese regime - but all Governments have the potential to fall under the control of "Bad People")

[Annika L]

Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Political and Religious ideas, Gender, Race etc are no business of a College or Employer in evaluating applicants.

No form of descrimination is right (negative or positive) and organisations should not ask for information which is not relevant to the purpose of an application - whether this is for a college, job, credit card or driving licence etc.

Also I'd argue the general principle that Governments in general (data made available to a college included) should have the absolute minimum of information available to them (not just the Chinese regime - but all Governments have the potential to fall under the control of "Bad People")

Colleges and employers do not generally use this information to *evaluate* candidates. They collect it only from people who are willing to give it, and as I understand it, they use it to determine if there are biases in their hiring processes, or problems with the work environment.

For instance, if a company has only 1% African American employees, there would appear to be *something* keeping blacks away, right? Well, if their application data show that 30% of applicants are African American, but only 1% get hired, then the bias is in hiring, and that can be looked into. If only 1% of applicants are African American, on the other hand, then maybe it's a question that the company's profile doesn't look friendly to black applicants, or there's some other factor that could be addressed to gain more diversity.

The problem is that minorities (like the LGBT, for instance) tend to be paranoid of these practices, and so don't respond to the questions. So although maybe 10-15% of applicants are LGBT, because the questions are voluntary, it *looks* like only 3-5% of applicants are LGBT. So I always answer these questions truthfully.

Yes, some companies do abuse this information...but if they want to do that to keep me away, then I probably *want* to be kept away...and I know that in the end, it's their loss, as I am an *amazing* employee :tong:.

[DuckiesDarling]

As I said in the other thread on this.... I believe it would be used mainly for assigning student dorm rooms so you don't have a preop Transwoman rooming with a female student who might not be so tolerant. It could also affect federal funding for schools. So I see why this is being asked, I would hope in any instance that it was proven an answer on the updated application cost a student a placement at a school that they could hold the school responsible.

[Annika L]

As I said in the other thread on this.... I believe it would be used mainly for assigning student dorm rooms so you don't have a preop Transwoman rooming with a female student who might not be so tolerant. It could also affect federal funding for schools. So I see why this is being asked, I would hope in any instance that it was proven an answer on the updated application cost a student a placement at a school that they could hold the school responsible.

I *think* that if the information was used for those kinds of purposes, DD, then the questions would not be voluntary.

[DuckiesDarling]

Ah, but Annika, asking for it voluntarily is a CYA of mega proportions, don't you agree?

[MarieDelta]

As I said in the other thread on this.... I believe it would be used mainly for assigning student dorm rooms so you don't have a preop Transwoman rooming with a female student who might not be so tolerant. It could also affect federal funding for schools. So I see why this is being asked, I would hope in any instance that it was proven an answer on the updated application cost a student a placement at a school that they could hold the school responsible.

What about rooming a woman with a pre-op transman?

BTW: You should watch "Transgeneration" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TransGeneration)

Its a good look at four transgender college students (2 male and 2 female.)

PS: I have met one of the featured guys and his roommate. Both very nice guys.

[DuckiesDarling]

Either way, Marie, I used it as an example. Unfortunately, even people who are quite tolerant of gays and lesbians have a problem with trans. It's not fair, but life isn't fair.

And I'll check out the link, thanks :)

[AsianDream]

Colleges and employers do not generally use this information to *evaluate* candidates. They collect it only from people who are willing to give it, and as I understand it, they use it to determine if there are biases in their hiring processes, or problems with the work environment.



As in all cases of “self selection” - in terms of statistical analysis – these “voluntary” questions have almost no value – the reasons why people may or may not chose to answer these far outweighing any relevance that those that do respond may have.

In fact this is not really a debate – it is best practice not to ask questions that are not relevant to the purpose of the application etc

[darkeyes]

Oh! Ee's so naive!

..naive indeed.. all work an no play.. just how it shud be..*giggles*