As a queer-person-of-color-identified student at the University of Colorado, I have a good idea of what it means to be on the fringe of society and all the hardships that go along with it.

But when you add not conforming to heteronormative ideals of gender identity and gender expression as it relates to the transgender community, those hardships are only made worse and more numerous.

From an outsider's perspective, the current climate for the trans community at CU is difficult to grasp. One comment that many would probably agree on that I've heard is that acceptance of the trans community is not yet at an acceptable level.

It is hard to know how many trans-identified persons there are on this campus because the personal safety, social and professional implications of being trans make it a difficult identity to freely express.

Tensions on campus are caused by conditions such as:

1.) The small number of gender-neutral bathrooms on campus, which negatively impacts health and a person's sense of acceptance and safety.

2.) The disconnect between the generations and even FTFs and MTMs in their own community: their issues, goals, opinions, rhetoric, etc., which causes in-group struggle and conflicts.

3.) The absence of gender identity and gender expression as a protected minority status in CU policy, which makes dealing with the aftermath of hate crimes difficult.

4.) A lack of education and support from staff and faculty of the university, especially those in health care and administrative positions.

5.) A general negative opinion or naiveté of trans persons and fluidity of gender expression within the GLBTQIA community.

Because of the above conditions and more, the experiences of an individual who is trans identified can be very trying. Even if a person were to choose not to deal with any of the issues that come along with being openly trans, a sense of being isolated can occur.

This is not to say that there is not hope or persons who do care about trans issues on campus. Through Wednesday, there will be installation on the Norlin Quad to commemorate Trans Day of Remembrance, which is held nationally every Nov. 20. There also will be a trans symposium in March.

On the Spectrum Hall in Hallet Hall, gender-neutral bathrooms were completed last spring, after much lobbying and struggle with administrators by students, staff and faculty.

The new Center for Community building currently under construction will have a gender-neutral bathroom. Entities such as the GLBT Resource Center, the Women's Resource Center, the Transgender Genderqueer Task Force and others do make efforts to educate and change the campus climate for the better.

I am optimistic for the future, but in the meantime, I do hear stories from individuals of hate crimes, health concerns, social struggles, of falling through administrative cracks and over all the unnecessary stress caused by the ignorance and unwillingness of others to educate themselves and open up to the fact that we're all humans doing the best we can with what we have been given in life.

Jason C. Palo La Costa is a first-generation, multiracial, gay-identified, homeless junior studying architecture at the University of Colorado.