Bristol SU launch new Gender Expression Fund

Bristol Students’ Union have launched a new Gender Expression Fund which will allow students who are trans, non-binary, intersex or otherwise gender diverse to apply for up to £100 to spend on gender affirming products or travel to appointments.

By Tabby Glover, Third year Law

The Students’ Union Full-Time Officer team have set up the initiative to provide trans students with ‘support in their transition and/or their gender expression’. There will be £5000 worth of funding for the initiative this academic year.

The criteria for applying for the fund include:

Being a current student at the University of Bristol;
Being trans, non-binary, intersex, gender diverse, or gender non-conforming;
And not having used the full allocated amount before.

Students can apply on a form on a page linked below.

Bristol SU sets out that successful applicants can use the money for a variety of purposes, including but not limited to, gender affirming products and clothing, as well as funding travel for medical or counselling appointments. A panel of Student Union Officers will meet every fortnight to make decisions about applications. 

This new initiative is similar to gender expression funds set up by other Student Unions across the country, such as UCL and Manchester, which have seen success in supporting trans individuals.

Speaking to Epigram, Jamie, the previous chair of Bristol SU’s Trans Network, said:

'When we launched it, I immediately got so many people telling me how excited and important it would be for them.'

Jamie helped to create the Gender Expression Fund alongside officers of the SU and said that he was ‘so happy’ and ‘really pleased’ with the Fund.    

You can find out more information about the Gender Expression Fund and apply using the form linked here: https://www.bristolsu.org.uk/student-voice/gender-expression-fund