I have lost faith in KUSU in terms of protecting LGBT rights.

KUSU’s full-time officers launched a referendum this week that proposes a change to the way officers are elected.

Under the new proposals, changes to the part-time officer electoral procedure would mean that the LGBT Officer would have to be part of the LGBT Society.

It would also mean that only those students who are part of the LGBT society would be eligible to vote for that post.

Ryan Boxall, President of the LGBT Society, points out that not all LGBT students are members of the society and that the policy would, therefore, exclude “nearly half” of the LGBT community at the university from being able to vote for the person who represents them.

“There are those LGBT students who might not wish to be part of the LGBT Society because they are not out as lesbian, gay, bi or trans,” said Boxall. “This policy would mean KUSU was forcing these students to out themselves in order for them to be able to vote for someone who represents them.

“I am, as of course I believe a great number of students, fundamentally against these undemocratic changes, and urge everyone to vote against it in the referendum.”

The VP for Student Life stated on February 2 on the Feminist Society Facebook page: “I definitely think that students being represented by a particular officer should be voted in by their cohort. A man voting for a women’s officer? A heterosexual voting for a LGBTQ officer? I think, yes, we should allow part time officers to be voted by its relevant cohort.”

However, Boxall disagreed with her comments: “Many trans students would identify as heterosexual. The VP Student Life want to exclude them from voting, this is offensive and out rightly transphobic.”

He also stressed that he was against the proposed changes as he felt the changes would force students to be part of the society and, therefore, force them to pay to vote.

“Since the announcement of the referendum, I have lost faith in KUSU in terms of protecting LGBT rights,” he said.

The referendum opened to voters on Monday February 2.