Rainbow communities

Changing your details at UC 
It’s important to us that our kaimahi (staff) get your name, pronouns and gender right. By following these steps, you can change these details whenever you need to.

• Login to myUC 

• Click on the name located in the top right corner of the page, then click on "My Profile" from the drop-down  

• Underneath the legal name section, click on the "Other Names" box and fill in your name  

• Tick the "Preferred Name" checkbox 

• Below the name section, you will find Gender Identity and Pronouns sections.

• Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click "Update Profile"    
  Lots of people miss this step, so double check you’ve done it before you close the page.

   

Canterbury Card | Student ID

Your Canterbury Card is your Student ID for all things UC and your ticket to those sweet student discounts!

Once you have updated your details in myUC (see 'Changing your details at UC' section), you can update your Canterbury Card with your preferred name. It’s free and easy to change!

Just follow the instructions below and send UC Rainbow Student Support an email (rainbow@canterbury.ac.nz) with:

• The subject line ‘Canterbury Card'

• Confirm that you have changed your myUC details

• Tell us your Student ID Number and the first and last names you’d like used on the card

• Let us know whether or not you want a new photo

A Rainbow Advisor will contact Security and they’ll let you know when your new Canterbury Card is ready. 

You can also book an appointment with a UC Rainbow Advisor if you need support.

Legal name change

The process to legally change your own name or gender marker can be found on the New Zealand Government website. 

• Information on changing your name: Change your own name | New Zealand Government
• Information on changing your gender marker: Changing your gender | New Zealand Government

Our team of UC Rainbow Advisors can help you navigate this process.

Once you changed your legal name, we can change it in the UC system too. To do this, bring your new birth certificate or name change certificate to Te Pātaka on Level 3, Puaka James-Hight, where the Student Services team can help.

If you have any questions, concerns, or need help navigating these processes, please contact a UC Rainbow Advisor. 

Waitaha | Canterbury has a primary-care, community-based system for accessing gender affirming healthcare, meaning that everything starts with your GP, rather than needing to visit a centralised or specialised clinic. 

For University of Canterbury students, we recommend enrolling with the UC Health Centre to access gender affirming healthcare including Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy and referrals to community providers. 

Qtopia NZ also has up to date information on navigating gender affirming healthcare in Waitaha | Canterbury and what is publicly funded. See Qtopia NZ — Gender-Affirming Care.

At the University of Canterbury, you can use the wharepaku | toilet and changing room that align with your gender or whichever you feel most comfortable in.

Gender neutral facilities

Our UC campus has dedicated gender neutral wharepaku | toilets. These can be found in the following locations:

• Haere-roa (26 in total, with at least 10 accessible during the day)
• Rehua on levels 2 and 7 (11 total)
• Elsie Locke on levels 3 and 6 (3 total)
• Puaka-James Hight on level 3 (2 total)
• UC RecCentre (2 total)
• The Postgrad Living Room Space (3 total)
• Pasifika Students’ House 45 Creyke Road (1 total)
• Dovedale campus in Kotuku (3 total)
• Forestry (Ground floor)
• Disabled toilets are gender-neutral when positioned as an individual facility

The Transgender Voice Clinic provides a vocal training program for transgender and gender diverse people who currently experience vocal dysphoria.

The program is facilitated by UC Speech and Language Pathology students across multiple sessions with the support of trained clinical staff. Each session is designed to provide vocal exercises and a supportive practising environment to gradually build towards each participant's vocal goals. The program can help with both vocal feminisation and masculinisation.

The vocal training program is free-of-charge and can be accessed via a referral from your GP. 

For more information or queries, contact transgendervoiceclinics@canterbury.ac.nz