RPI is committed to fostering an inclusive & welcoming campus environment where students are respected, supported, and valued. This LGBTQ+ Resource page connects students, faculty, and staff with campus services, educational materials, reporting options, and community resources designed to promote safety, belonging, and well-being.
Whether you are seeking support, information, or ways to be an ally, these resources are here to help you navigate and thrive within our campus community!
Bias Assessment and Response Team (BART)
The Bias Assessment and Response Team (BART) is a nimble, far-reaching, comprehensive committee with the necessary specialties, talent, and knowledge to respond to the emergent needs of the Rensselaer student community as it relates to incidents of bias, hate, or other marginalizing acts.
To report incidents of bias, discrimination, or harassment against faculty and/or staff, please use the Discrimination and Harassment Complaint Form or contact Human Resources via email at hrmail@rpi.edu
Chosen or Preferred Name - Office of the Registrar Linked Here
A Chosen or Preferred Name is the name a student wishes to be known by in the RPI community that is not their Legal Name. Rensselaer's policy covers Chosen or Preferred First Name only. Middle and Last names cannot be changed.
Legal Name Change - Office of the Registrar Linked Here
A Legal Name is the name that appears on your passport, driver’s license, birth certificate, or U.S. Social Security Card. To change the legal name, complete the Change of Biodemographic Info Form listing the current name on record, the updated legal name, and the reason for the change. If in changing the legal name, the person has changed gender they can update that on the form as well.
For your convenience, numerous gender-inclusive restrooms are available throughout campus.
Single-Occupancy Restrooms (Rensselaer Main Campus)
This list was complied by volunteers and is current as of April, 2025. Please help us keep this list current and contact the LBGTQ+ Task Force with any updates to this list attached and linked here as a pdf.
RPI provides a variety of resources for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ+) campus community. The “LGBTQ+ Task Force” is a volunteer group of staff, faculty, and students from Rensselaer who work towards creating a more inclusive and welcoming campus community for LGBTQ+ campus community members and their guests, alumni, and visitors. Members of the LGBTQ+ Task Force work across four subcommittee areas to help create a more inclusive and welcoming campus community: Policy, Curriculum, Events, and External Relations. You are encouraged to join our Discord Channel.
Part of the mission of the LGBTQ+ Task Force is to ensure that all LGBTQ+ campus community members at RPI have the right and expectation of safety in their personal identity and the expression of that identity, whatever it may be, within the bounds of both the law and mutual respect for the differences of other members of the Institute.
Examples of past (and ongoing) LGBTQ+ Task Force projects include: the re-designation of single occupancy restrooms on campus as gender-neutral restrooms; completion of a campus climate index assessment that utilized best practices to determine campus strengths and areas for improvement; utilizing information garnered from said assessment to advise next steps and initiatives; development of an annual Lavender Graduation for LGBTQ+ graduates; and a biennial campus-wide event series.
All activities of the LGBTQ+ Task Force are made possible by generous donations by the RPI community and alumni. Please consider donating by clicking the link here.
For questions regarding the LGBTQ+ Task Force, resources, or support, please contact us at lgbtqtaskforce@rpi.edu.
Rensselaer Pride Alliance
The Rensselaer Pride Alliance (RPA) is a non-partisan student-run organization at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. RPA’s purpose is to provide support and advocacy for all gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, and allied individuals within the Rensselaer community. RPA tries to increase positive awareness of the LGBTQQA community by hosting speakers, movies, and participating in festivals such as Coming-Out Week and AIDS Awareness Week. RPA tries whenever possible to provide educational information on issues concerning the LGBTQQA community as a means to help stop homophobia and transphobia. Click to join their Discord Server.
Trans RPI
With 100+ members of the Rensselaer community (students, former students, and alumni), this “for students, by students” group is open only to trans, nonbinary, and gender-questioning folks in order to have a safe space to create community and support each other through school. If you are interested in joining the Trans RPI Discord Server, please reach out to Tara R. Schuster, Administrator of RPI Rainbow Connection and LGBTQ+ Mentoring Network, at schust@rpi.edu who can put you in touch with student administrators.
LOCAL LGBTQ RESOURCE CENTERS
In Our Own Voices (518) 432-4188
The mission of In Our Own Voices is to work for and ensure the physical, mental, spiritual, political, cultural and economic survival and growth of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people of color communities.
The Vision for IOOV is to set the standard for national LGBTQ+ BIPOC organizations. Seeking to develop the leadership of LGBTQ+ BIPOC. Strengthen the voices of LGBTQ+ BIPOC in order to effectively communicate our perspectives within the larger community. Increase our capacity for combating oppression and marginalization.
Pride Center of the Capital Region (518) 462-6138
The Pride Center of the Capital Region (Capital Pride Center) is dedicated to serving the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community in the Capital District. Based in Albany, the Pride Center has been meeting the diverse needs of LGBT people in a seven county region since 1970.
Our programs, both at the Center as well as held throughout the region, meet the health and human service needs of the LGBT community as well as educate and advocate for those needs in the broader Capital District.
Important Inclusive Language Note on Why This Matters
Inclusive language and respectful practices:
- Reduce harm and distress
- Improve students’ sense of belonging
- Support learning, engagement, and retention
- Align with professional, ethical, and institutional responsibilities
Respecting gender identity is not about ideology—it is about fostering environments where everyone can learn and participate fully. You do not need to be an expert in gender studies to create an inclusive environment. Professional respect, consistency, and willingness to correct mistakes go a long way.
Faculty & Staff Resources to support LGBTQ+ Students
Gender Identity
One’s internal sense of being male, female, neither, both, or another gender(s).
Gender Expression / Presentation
The external expression of one’s gender identity through clothing, hairstyle, voice, body shape, behavior, or other characteristics.
Sex Assigned at Birth
The classification of people as male, female, intersex, or another sex based on anatomy, hormones, and/or chromosomes at birth. We intentionally avoid using the term “sex” alone due to its vagueness and its historical misuse in transphobic contexts.
Physically Attracted To
Sexual orientation.
Emotionally Attracted To
Romantic or emotional orientation.
Sexual and romantic/emotional attraction may be influenced by a variety of factors, including—but not limited to—gender identity, gender expression, and sex assigned at birth. There are also other types of attraction (e.g., aesthetic, platonic). Sexual and romantic attraction are highlighted here as two common forms, not the only ones.
1. Use Names and Pronouns Consistently
- Use the name and pronouns students share with you (e.g., in LMS, class rosters, or email).
- If unsure, use the student’s name rather than guessing.
Correct mistakes briefly and move forward.
2. Set Expectations Early
- Include a brief statement in your syllabus or LMS affirming respectful communication.
Clarify that harassment or disrespect based on gender identity or expression will not be tolerated.
3. Avoid Assumptions
- Do not assume a student’s gender, pronouns, or identity based on appearance, voice, or name.
Avoid dividing groups or addressing the class using gendered language (e.g., “ladies and gentlemen”).
4. Model Professional Responses
- Address misgendering or inappropriate comments promptly and calmly.
Reinforce classroom norms without singling out or shaming students.
5. Share Support and Reporting Resources
- Make students aware of how to report harassment or discrimination (e.g., Dean of Students, Title IX/Sexual Misconduct Office).
Remind students that they have the right to be addressed by their correct name and pronouns.
6. Keep the Focus on Learning
- Inclusive practices reduce distraction and anxiety, allowing students to focus on course content.
Respectful environments support participation, persistence, and academic success.
7. Continue Learning
- Stay informed about inclusive teaching practices through professional development or campus resources.
- Recognize that language and best practices evolve over time.
What is gender?
Gender is how a person sees themselves in the world.
- When someone’s gender aligns with the sex they were assigned at birth, they may identify as cisgender.
- When someone’s gender differs from their sex assigned at birth, they may identify as transgender, gender non-conforming, non-binary, or genderfluid.
What if I don’t know a person’s pronouns?
Avoid assuming pronouns based on appearance. If you do not know someone’s pronouns:
- Use their name instead of pronouns.
- Do not ask directly in public or unsolicited ways, as this can be unsafe or uncomfortable for some individuals.
What should I do if I accidentally misgender or deadname someone?
Mistakes happen. If you misgender or deadname someone:
- Offer a brief apology.
- Correct yourself and move on.
- Avoid lengthy explanations or excuses, which can shift emotional labor onto the person harmed.
How important is it to use someone’s correct name and pronouns?
Research shows that using a person’s correct name and pronouns is associated with significant reductions in depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation, especially among transgender and gender-diverse youth and young adults (Russell et al., 2018). Respectful language is a protective factor for mental health.
What can I do to support LGBTQ+ individuals in class or on campus?
Faculty and staff can:
- Clearly affirm that individuals have the right to be addressed by their correct name and pronouns (Leyva, 2025).
- Include statements in syllabi, LMS pages, or departmental websites explaining:
- Expectations for respectful conduct
- How students can report harassment or discrimination
- Share campus reporting resources, such as the Dean of Students Office or Title IX/Sexual Misconduct Office.
Is a person’s sex assigned at birth essential to the conversation?
Ask yourself: Would this information be shared if the person were cisgender?
If not, there is no need to reference sex assigned at birth. Use the name, pronouns, and gender identity the individual has shared.
Common terms you may encounter include:
- AFAB – Assigned Female at Birth
- FTM – Female-to-Male
- MTF – Male-to-Female
These terms should only be used when relevant and appropriate, and never imposed on someone.
What is it like to be deadnamed?
Deadnaming—using a name someone no longer uses—can have a visceral emotional impact, including discomfort, distress, and psychological harm. Research shows a clear link between deadnaming and worse mental health outcomes (Russell et al., 2018).
This relationship is sometimes referred to as the Hurtful Impact Thesis (HIT).
