The term “gender” is quite often used interchangeably and conflated with the term “sex,” when it is in fact important to distinguish between “gender” as primarily reflecting social aspects and “sex” as relating to biological aspects of human traits. Gender comprises a number of specific societal roles, forms of expression, identities, interpretations, expectations, and ways of being that (may) change over time. Ideas that revolve around a static and binary system of gender are anchored in historical circumstances. In 2018 the German Law on Civil Status acknowledged that men and women are not the only gender categories that exist and stipulated that four options are to be provided for gender status registration.

Freie Universität Berlin is a strong advocate of gender equity, which not only means that the university strives to provide equitable access to resources and representation to people of all genders, but also entails a critical reflection on gender as an analytical category that impacts all areas of the institution, from research and teaching, to professional development.

Through its gender equity strategy Freie Universität Berlin strives not only to ensure representation of all genders across different status groups and qualification levels, but also commits to identifying, analyzing, and transforming exclusionary structures that impact people of all genders. Gender mainstreaming forms the basis for how the university handles questions of equity and equality. The primary aim of the gender equity strategy is to create a university where gender equity is promoted and discrimination is actively challenged.

This approach factors in how gender can intersect with other forms of inequality and repudiates gender essentialism and prescribed gender roles. Freie Universität Berlin has thus expanded its understanding of gender from a mere differentiation between men and women to a vision of gender equity that still entails dismantling structural discrimination against women but also takes a more inclusive perspective when it comes to gender diversity outside of the binary model. This means that increased attention is given to the needs of transgender, intersex, and non-binary university members.

Freie Universität Berlin has a strong history of advancing gender equity through its policies and practices and has established a variety of successful structures and tools for promoting women and dismantling gender-based exclusionary mechanisms.

For example, Freie Universität Berlin has consistently held a TOTAL E-QUALITY rating since 2002 for its efforts to establish equal opportunities for women and men in the workplace through its higher education and human resources policies. The Diversity Strategy and Action Plan of Freie Universität Berlin therefore defines specific goals and measures solely with regard to gender identity, prioritizing the strengthening of gender self-determination among trans, intersex, and non-binary university members. You can read more about “Gender Identity” as a dimension of diversity here.