Associations Between Trans-Inclusive Resources and Feelings of Inclusion in Campus LGBTQþ Groups: Differences for Trans Students of Color

Transgender, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming (TNG) college students, especially TNG students of color, often face marginalization and victimization within higher education settings. Implementing inclusive policies and practices may help to mitigate the harmful effects of these experiences and strengthen students’ connections to colleges and universities. Using data from a 2016 online survey of TNG students’ experiences (n = 523), we conducted multivariate ordinal regressions to examine whether knowledge of trans-inclusive campus resources was associated with stronger perceptions of inclusion in campus LGBTQþ groups, particularly in relation to TNG students’ intersecting gender and racial identities. We found that TNG students who knew of a higher number of trans-inclusive resources generally felt a stronger sense of inclusion in campus LGBTQþ groups. This association was moderated by students’ race: White students, but not students of color, reported feeling stronger levels of inclusion in LGBTQþ groups if they were aware that their institutions had a relatively greater number of trans-inclusive resources. Therefore, TNG students of color were more likely to feel marginalized within LGBTQþ groups, even when they reported higher levels of trans-inclusive resources on their campuses. Findings are considered in light of existing research on TNG students’ experiences within higher education settings, and recommendations are made for providing stronger supports for TNG students of color.