Yes. Our admitted students guide (admit packet) identifies student organizations such as Queer Caucus and Queers United in Revolutionary Subversion. We also identify other affinity groups (e.g., Womxn of Color Collective, Law Students of African Descent, Native American Law Student Association, etc.), and the First Generation Professional student group. Student organizations like the ones above, as well as others such trans@berkeley, have the opportunity to receive logistical and financial support to do outreach to admitted students, and to hold events during Admitted Students’ Weekend. (Note: These opportunities are available to any registered group at the law school.)
Under “Prefix” in the Biographical section of the application (the very first question) we include both the the “Mx.” and “Ind.” options. (Ind. stand for “Individual” and is intended to be entirely free of gender, thus an option for agender individuals or others who prefer not to use Mx. for any number of reasons.)
Under “Biographical” we ask the following questions:
What sex were you assigned at birth, such as on an original birth certificate?
___ Female
___ Male
The following three questions in this section are optional. Your answer, or your decision not to answer, will have no bearing on our admission decision. In addition, your response will be suppressed from your application during the review process.
How do you describe yourself?
___ Male
___ Female
___ Trans Male/Trans Man
___ Trans Female/Trans Woman
___Genderqueer/Gender Non-Conforming
___Different Identity
We understand that gender identity may be expressed in a variety of ways. Should you wish to elaborate on your response or non-response to the previous questions, you are invited to complete the section below.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Do you consider yourself to be:
___ Heterosexual or Straight
___ Gay or Lesbian
___ Bisexual
___ Other not listed above
We also allow applicants to submit an optional “Diversity Statement” (in addition to the Personal Statement) with the following prompt: “How will you (your perspective, experience, Voice) contribute diversity in our classrooms and community?”
Yes. We ask for “Preferred or Chosen Name” in the application itself, and our salutations in letters, name tags for events, etc. all are based on that response (not First/given Name).
Berkeley Law requires all faculty candidates to submit a statement of contribution to diversity, which is an important element in the consideration of candidates.
In addition, during Berkeley Law’s hiring process for lateral faculty candidates, a reading group of Berkeley Law faculty performs a check to verify that LGBTQ+ candidates are properly represented in the long list of candidates to be considered for lateral positions.
Berkeley Law has no formal process for identifying, counting, or documenting faculty LGBTQ+ status. However, various informal and voluntary “out-lists” for the UC Berkeley campus exist.
UC Berkeley’s health plans, and family/parental leave benefits, nontraditional family planning and adoptive benefits, are available to all married or registered-partnership couples. UC benefits are available to an employee’s:
Spouse
Domestic partner
Children (biological or adopted, stepchildren, domestic partner’s children)
Grandchildren, step-grandchildren, domestic partner’s grandchildren
Legal ward
https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/compensation-and-benefits/health-plans/index.html
https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/forms/pdf/transgender-health-benefits-fact-sheet.pdf
UC Berkeley’s student health insurance plan provides equal benefits to same-sex couples and different-sex couples. UC Berkeley’s University Health Center was recognized in 2017 as a “Leader in LGBTQ Healthcare Equality” by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.
https://uhs.berkeley.edu/insurance/ship-benefits/insurance-benefits-transgender-students
UC Berkeley’s student health insurance plan covers students and their same-sex spouses/partners at equivalent levels. Transgender benefits include: gender reassignment surgery, hysterectomy, hormone therapy, top surgery, electrolysis of the face and neck, tracheal shave, laser hair removal of the face and neck, fertility preservation, vocal training, and limited travel costs. https://uhs.berkeley.edu/insurance/ship-benefits/insurance-benefits-transgender-students
University Health Services (UHS) gives students the option to meet with a queer-identifying counselor if they choose. Additionally, the UHS has a Trans Care Team specifically to support transgender students.
https://uhs.berkeley.edu/pride
https://uhs.berkeley.edu/trans
In keeping with UC Berkeley campus policy, the Law School Complex has 12 gender-inclusive, single-use restrooms. They are identified on building maps. The signage, which is standard on all of the Berkeley campus, is a dark blue circle with a white triangle inside of it, which has the word “restroom” on it.
https://restrooms.berkeley.edu/home
There is no policy that prohibits the use of a gender-segregated facility that aligns with an individual’s gender identity. The policy applicable to the creation of gender-inclusive restrooms is as follows: (https://www.ucop.edu/construction-services/facilities-manual/resource-directories-rds
/rd4-project-programmatic-guidelines/rd-4-1.html)
Courses vary year to year, and are updated annually in our Prospectus. Recent Courses include:
-Race, Sexuality, and the Law
-Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity & the Law
-Reproduction & Sexuality Seminar
Berkeley Law’s student organization Queer Caucus, founded in 1978, is comprised of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender variant, queer law students and allies. In addition, Berkeley Law is home to the LGBTQ+ student organizations Trans @ Berkeley Law and Queers United in Revolutionary Subversion (QUIRS). All registered student organizations are eligible to receive funding from the student government, to participate in the student activities fair, to utilize law school facilities for their events, and to be listed on the Berkeley Law website. Every student is eligible to apply for up to $200 to attend a law-related conference each academic year. This funding has been used, for example, to support students attending Lavender Law.
Berkeley Law’s Queer Caucus offers two annual summer fellowships of $1000 to Berkeley Law students pursuing specific types of public interest work affecting the LGBTQ community. The Ken Bryan Fund was established in memory of a student who died of complications from AIDS in his second year at Berkeley Law. The fund provides grants for Berkeley students doing AIDS/HIV-related legal work over the summer. The Mary C. Dunlap Fellowship was established in honor of Mary Dunlap, a Berkeley Law alum who made significant contributions as a civil rights attorney. The fellowship supports student work targeting underserved LGBT communities.
Yes, mandatory for all students
Students are given an opportunity to indicate pronouns and honorifics in our school application, on their name tags during orientation, and on their student profile in internal online photo book
Berkeley Law has an Ad Hoc Amelioration Committee, which formed in response to efforts by the Trump Administration to prohibit openly transgender people from joining the armed forces. The purpose of the committee is/was to advise the Career Development Office and/or other affected departments on how best to combat the negative effects of having to allow the military to participate in recruiting activities despite its discriminatory hiring practice.
Students are able to indicate their pronouns on seating charts for professors.
Faculty & Staff Pride Lunch
Lavender Lunch
UC Berkeley’s Gender Equity Resource Center provides resources and events focusing on LGBTQ+ issues, needs and communities.
Available trainings
Staff/faculty identify their pronouns within the signature line on their email.
Admissions provides pronoun banners (e.g., My pronouns are: she/her, he/him, they/them, Ask Me) that adhere to name tags for Admitted Students’ Weekend and Orientation.