trans*, inter* and non-binary realities of life at universities
Infos for TIN* Students Gender Portal
The transition from high school to university is for many an opportunity to fully start living as who they are. Others might only realise during their studies how they want to identify and how they want to be perceived. In any case Bielefeld University wants to be a place where students can fully realise themselves. Hence it strives to reduce barriers for trans*, inter* and non-binary (TIN) students on both institutional and inter-personal levels.
- Changing name and gender markers
At Bielefeld University it is possible to change one’s name and gender marker as soon as legal proceedings following the Transsexuellengesetz or Personenstandsgesetz have been initiated. This change includes official documents, like transcripts and diplomas, as well as student ID. Diplomas that had been issued previous to the legal transition can be traded in for documents with the correct legal name. Such changes are executed by the Studierendensekretariat.
If you have changed the entries for your first name and gender in accordance with the "Selbstbestimmungsgesetz", you can register this change with the student office. This also applies to exmatriculated students who wish to apply for a new certificate to be issued by the Faculty.
Please use the "Application for name change" form, which you can download here, to change your data at the Student Office. Please submit the form with the following documents:- Certificate from the registry office confirming the change of details in the register of births in accordance with § 45 b PStG (certified copy)
- 4-page printout from the register of births (certified copy)
Instead of certified copies, you can also submit simple copies by presenting the original. Please make an appointment with the student office. You can find all contact details here.
If legal proceedings have been initiated but are still ongoing, certain aspects, like the student ID card and the gender marker in the internal data base, can already be changed.
Additionally it is possible at any time to change the university e-mail address so that it entails one’s preferred name, as well as chose a display name for the university’s internal data bases. The display name determines the name shown in BIS/ekvv, Moodle, for online exams, library account, as well as during web-authentication. A description how to change the e-mail address and the display name can be found online.
Change possible at any time
Change possible after legal proceedings have been initiated or submission of legal documents*
Diploma & Transcripts - ✓ Gender Marker (Male ↔ Female)
- ✓ Name in Outside-facing Computerised Systems and Documents (IDM, Student Office, Examination Office)
- ✓ UniCard (Student ID)
✓ ✓ PEVZ entry**
✓ ✓ Gender Marker (To Diverse / Not Specified)
✓ ✓ E-Mail Address (Creation of Alternate Address)
✓ ✓ Name in Internal Digital Computerised Systems ✓ ✓ *Information on changing one’s name and gender marker during ongoing proceedings following the TSG is provided by Doris Mahlke in the student office.
**The display name does not automatically change the name in PEVZ. However, student staff can initiate a name change via the contact for correction request.
- Contact and advisors
Studierendensekretariat (StudSek)
The Studierendensekretariat is concerned with all formalities around studying at Bielefeld University. They are the first stop if one wants to change their name and/or gender marker. Doris Mahlke is especially knowledgeable when it comes to the specific issues of trans*, inter* and non-binary students.Zentrale Studierendenberatung (ZSB)
The zentrale Studienberatung helps students in various kinds of situations. Be it a conflict with a professor, mental health issues or insecurities connected to one’s studies: the ZSB focusses on the specific person and does its best to give good council. The ZSB explicitly offers their services to students of all genders and their counsellors try to ensure an open, accepting and comfortable environment.Diversity
The Prorektorat Wissenschaft und Gesellschaft as well as Department Personnel and Organisation (P/O) 6: Diversity are responsible for the issue of gender diversity on an institutional levelIdeas, questions and issues should be brought to the attention of colleagues there. Contact person is Pia Ortwein.Queer exchange group
The queer group is for people who belong to the LGBTQIA+ community or are still unsure about this. It meets regularly to discuss queer issues, organise joint activities and much more. In addition to joint activities, it invites exciting guests for topic inputs and exchange opportunities. Anonymous participation (via Zoom) is also possible. If you are interested, have questions and/or want to be added to the mailing list, you can contact the group at queere-gruppe@uni-bielefeld.de. Current news can be found here under the heading "Queer Group".- Allgender toilettes and locker rooms
Bielefeld University introduced all gender bathrooms in 2018 after student initiatives. They are located in the main building at C0-126 and U0-123 and in the X building at E0-109 and E1-116. The bathrooms close to the Zentrale Studienberatung at X-E1 have also been turned into all gender facilities. There is an all gender bathroom on Z2-209 in the Z building.
The new med school buildings have several single stall bathrooms accessible to all genders. In R.1 there are two in section A, right next to the wheelchair-accessible bathroom A0, and another one in section D, down the hallway from the women/men bathrooms D0.109/112, right next to D0.52. The all gender bathroom in R.2 is at Z4.-103.
The access to free period products was extended at the start of the winter semester 2022/23 to include wheelchair accessible and all gender bathrooms along with more women’s bathrooms.
In the sport facilities in the main building there are locker rooms which are accessible to all genders.
AStA
Campus TV Uni Bielefeld
Hertz 87.9 Campusradio für Bielefeld- Gender sensitive Language
Bielefeld University has decided to use the gender star (asterisk) in its official communication to give visibility to gender diversity.
Due to technical issues, its use is not possible everywhere. The program Teamchat 2.0 for example is based on markdown. There both the asterisk (*) as well as the underscore (_) have functions and cannot be used for the purpose of gender sensitive language. Here one has to rely on less common alternatives like the slash (/).
- External information pages
Deutsche Selbstorganisationen
- AG nicht-binäre Menschen im NGVT*
- Aktion Standesamt 2018
- Bundesvereinigung Trans* (BVT*)
- Deutschen Gesellschaft für Transidentität und Intersexualität (dgti)
- Dritte Option
- GLADT
- Intersexuelle Menschen e.V.
- Lesben- und Schwulenverband Deutschland (LSVD)
- LesMigraS
- nonbinary.berlin
- Organisation Intersex International Deutschland (OII Germany) bzw. Internationale Vereinigung intergeschlechtlicher Menschen (IVIM)
- Rubicon
- TransInterQueer e.V.
- Regenbogenportal vom BMFSFJ
Wissenschaftliche Netzwerke und Organisationen
- AG Trans* Inter* Studies in der Fachgesellschaft Geschlechterstudien (FG Gender)
- Inter_Trans_Wissenschaftsnetzwerk (ITW)
- AG Inter*Trans_Nonbinary in der Österreichischen Gesellschaft für Geschlechterforschung (ÖGGF)
Wissenschaftliche Tagungen und Konferenzen