Colorado College Job Application Features The Word ‘Queer’

[Jesus Malverde]

A word on job applications at Colorado College has sparked a controversy.

The word “queer” appears in the voluntary gender section responses of the applications and the private school in Colorado Springs stands by the wording.

“I’m a little skeptical of what that could present to potential employees,” Colorado Collage Quinn Webb said.

The options include to not disclose, “male”, “female,” “transgender” or “queer.” The “queer” option is stirring up some controversy. Rex Fuller with Denver’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, And Transgender (LGBT) Community Center weighed in.

“It’s true that for many years lots of people were called ‘queer’ and it was a derogatory term and they find it offensive, but there’s definitely a younger generation that is trying to reform the term and give it new meaning,” Fuller said.

That’s the stance Colorado College is taking. They say the term was added to be more inclusive. Students with the Office of Minority and International Students agree. Student Marley Jamason says the term “queer” is changing.

http://denver.cbslocal.com/2013/11/08/colorado-college-job-application-features-the-word-queer/

[Smarmie Doofus]

1. The term used to imply sexual orientation, not "gender".

>>>As an optional part of our employment application, Colorado College includes the terms ”male,” “female,” “transgender” and “queer” for gender. >>>>>

The following sentence is also confusing:

>>>>>The options include to not disclose, “male”, “female,” “transgender” or “queer.”>>>>>

Is there supposed to be quotes around to "not disclose"?

[Jesus Malverde]

2. I think the "not disclose"

is being presented as one of the choices it is confusing.

Here is another article
Colorado College in Colorado Springs, Colorado has come under fire due to its use of the word "queer" on a job application for a position recently posted on the college's website.

When asked to fill out the section "Voluntary Demographic Data" the application lists five options under "Gender": Not disclosed, Male, Female, Transgender or Queer. John Kichi, a gay Pennsylvania man, brought attention to the college's use of the word after applying for the position of Database Specialist at the school.

As The Denver Post reports, Kichi was none too pleased with the college's use of the term: "I couldn't believe it. I thought I was going to have a stroke," Kichi said. "It's totally from the Dark Ages...If them including it on applications isn't against the law, it should be." However, Colorado College views the matter differently, believing that offering "Queer" as an option when it comes to gender identity is actually an inclusive move that should appeal to the LGBT community:

As far as Colorado College is concerned, using the term on applications is "intended to represent the college's commitment to and acknowledgment of diversity related to gender," according to a statement from the school. "Colorado College is very much committed to diversity, and is very open about sexual orientation."

The school's office of Minority and International Students uses the following definition of queer in its training: "An umbrella term describing people who have a non-normative gender identity, sexual orientation, or sexual anatomy—includes lesbians, gay men, bisexual people, asexual people, transgender people, intersex people, etc."

While the school acknowledges that the term is used as a slur by some, it adds: "Others have reclaimed it and are comfortable using it to describe themselves."

http://www.towleroad.com/2013/11/colorado-college-defends-use-of-queer-on-job-application.html

They do seem to use gender and sexual orientation interchangeably.

[dballance]

3. WTF? Since when did sexual orientation become gender?

Those options for that question make no sense at all to me. If one is a transgender then they're trans. They are either male or female at present despite the gender with which they were born. If one is a homosexual then one is still either physically male or female. If one is questioning or bi-sexual one is still distinctly male or female.

Am I missing something?

[Creideiki]

13. Gender is pretty much self-identified

So, I guess you could throw in queer.

And there are people now identifying as neither male nor female gender or a combination. /crotchety-voice "Kids these days..." /crotchety-voice

[Behind the Aegis]

4. How stupid.

Either they are trying to overreach or they are just flat out stupid.

[joeybee12]

6. +1

[Fearless]

5. Hmmm

Sounds more like people trying to be inclusive, which is an admirable thing, but not quite understanding. So meet them were they are, fill in the content knowledge gap they have, and help them learn. It can either be a teaching moment or a shunning moment. I'd opt for teaching.

[One_Life_To_Give]

7. Well for those of us who identify Gender Queer

this is really a good thing. It's also easy to see how this can upset people who are not accustomed to being around people who don't find either binary nor trans fit their gender. Sorry it makes some of you uncomfortable. But those of us who are both and/or neither find this welcome.

[MadrasT]

9. I am genderqueer (though I simply identify as "nongendered")

But I understand that some people hear "queer" and think it means "nasty slur about gay person".

I think that use of the word "queer" in the context of gender (and not sexual orientation) is unfamiliar to many people.

In other words, "queer" in not yet universally understood to mean "I reject your stupid binary gender classification system".

[Jesus Malverde]

11. The article mentions that this is more popular concept with young people.

Thanks for the education.

[Jesus Malverde]

10. Re-reading the post about the person whose skirt was set on fire I see

Fleischman was born male but does not identify as male or female, instead preferring the term "genderqueer." The high schooler has espoused the legal recognition of "non-binary" gender, and launched an online petition hoping to draw President Obama's attention to the issue.

"My preferred pronouns are the singular they (they/them/their/theirs)," Fleischman wrote in one online posting. "If you find that weird, you can use whatever pronouns you want for me, but I prefer those ones."

Thanks for helping clarify this.

[MadrasT]

8. *sigh*

The effort to provide anything beyond the standard Male-or-Female choice seems encouraging, but they really should have done some more research before they posted gender ID categories that don't really make sense and worse, use loaded terms that are not universally understood.

[Old Union Guy]

12. Why have questions about gender on a job application or any official form at all? n /t