Gender Expression and Students’ Lived Experiences on College Campuses

Previous research has documented that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) university students face more hostile campus environments than their heterosexual, cisgender (nontrans-gender) peers. Less is known, however, about the independent relationship between gender expression and students’ undergraduate experiences. This study used undergraduate survey data from a large, multi-campus university system to describe associations between cisgender students’ conforming and nonconforming gender expression and their experience of campus climate, ability to meet basic needs, and academic engagement. The results suggest that cisgender students with non-conforming gender expression are marginalized in the university community, experience a worse climate, and feel less safe on campus on average. In addition, gay and bisexual cisgender men who have nonconforming-gender expression have far more concerns about meeting basic needs.