Beginning this fall, University of California schools are giving new students more options when choosing their gender identity on applications. The options besides male and female there are trans male, trans female, gender queer/gender non-conforming and different identity. Gender identity is different than sexual orientation.

The reason for the change of the applications options, according to officials, is to help serve the student body of each campus.

“When a university has better information on their student population, better decisions can be made about allocating the resources to support students,” said Kate Moser, spokeswoman at UC’s office of the president.

For students who are transferring from community colleges such as Skyline or applying to any UC, this is now an option intended for better support when attending college. Skyline Anthropology Professor Lori Slicton, who teaches a class on sex and gender across cultures, believes this can open new door ways for young people today.

“I believe it’s a step in the right direction,” Slicton said. “I would like to see them to get rid of the box. Sex and gender are biological on a continuum, which is not a box.”

According to the Center for Disease Control, going to a school that creates a safe and supportive learning environment for students can help LGBTQ youth achieve good grades and maintain good mental and physical health.

With schools in the UC system, this will create better resources for students to achieve in a safer learning environment and to have resources to accommodate them.

Samantha Nguyen, a biology major at Skyline, was asked about her response to the new change on the applications.

“I think it’s awesome actually,” she said. “I am happy about that option because there are more options than just the specific categories of male or female.”

A smoother transition is intended for students, also emphasizing that the choice of marking their gender on the application is optional. The voluntary self-identification is for demographic purposes and does not affect an applicant’s chance of getting into any of the universities.

“It all goes back to personal statements, mainly because it’s always been an issue for the community,” kinesiology major Kayla Acedez said. “This is their opportunity to pick a group so they can truly to be themselves.”

“The reality is things are going on a continuum and that is really going to make us all have to look at this,” Slicton said. “That they are providing more options, I think it’s a good thing, because with young people things are constantly changing.”