Advisory Committee On Gender Identity On Salzburg Global Registration Forms

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Jan 29, 2018
by Salzburg Global Seminar
Advisory Committee On Gender Identity On Salzburg Global Registration Forms

One immediate outcome of the 2015 session of the Salzburg Global LGBT Forum was the formation of an ad hoc advisory committee for Salzburg Global Seminar and its admissions, communications and IT teams

Concerns had been raised internally at Salzburg Global Seminar and by Fellows before and during the Forum around the declaration of sex and gender during the application process and the use of preferred names. Therefore, at the request of Salzburg Global, a small number of expert Fellows of the Salzburg Global LGBT Forum coordinated in the weeks after the session to provide new options and language for applications for all Salzburg Global sessions – not only those concerning LGBT issues.

Declarations of sex (not gender) are required for visa application purposes, however due to technical reasons, Salzburg Global is unable to process two entries for a person’s legal sex (as stated on their passport) and self-identified gender.

Thus a compromise was found, based on the suggestions of the advisory group: Salzburg Global now includes additional title options in the dropdown menu – Mx., Mre., Other – as gender-neutral titles, which will determine how they will be addressed in official correspondence they will receive from Salzburg Global. The binary “Gender” option on the application form has now been renamed to “Sex” with the accompanying text:

“Salzburg Global Seminar is committed to promoting an open and affirming environment inclusive of the diversity of sexual orientation and gender identity. Binary information about a person’s sex is only necessary for legal purposes to ensure your visa and travel statements are aligned with your passport’s entry.”

Salzburg Global has also added a new field to the registration page that enables Fellows to input their chosen name that is to be used on all informal communication. This is also the name that will be printed on all session material Salzburg Global Fellows receive upon arrival at Schloss Leopoldskron, including their name badge, allowing all Fellows to be immediately identified how they wish.

Although this advisory committee was only formed for this specific purpose, with its commitment to not only diversity but also online security, Salzburg Global will continue to draw on the dedicated Fellows of the Salzburg Global LGBT Forum to provide guidance when needed, such as with the planned expansion of its Fellows-only login area and the launch of its bespoke online directory in late 2017.