OXFORD — Last year, Miami University student Kaeden Kass made the decision to come out, to reveal himself as a transgender male, to stop “denying who I was. You know, to live as a happy person.”

It has not been a smooth transition. Not for Kass, not for Miami.

Kass, a sophomore from Cincinnati who plans to have a career in both music and advocacy, applied to be a Miami resident assistant (RA) and got a job offer, but was informed last month that he would have to reside with females because his birth certificate lists him as a female.

“I knew that I might raise some eyebrows,” Kass said, “but I didn’t expect it to be a problem that I wanted to live with people of my gender identity.

“They basically told me they were just going to house me by my sex and totally ignore my gender identity,” he remembered. “I told them that was unacceptable.”

Kass filed a charge of discrimination with the Office of Equity and Equal Opportunity against three Miami officials — Susan Mosley-Howard, dean of students; Gerald Olsen, director of the Office of Residence Life; and Robin Parker, general counsel for the Office of the President.

Miami spokeswoman Claire Wagner, who is the director of the News and Public Information Office, acknowledged that the charges of discrimination had been filed against university staff members.

She said Miami “takes any allegations of discrimination seriously.”

Wagner also pointed out that Miami offers gender-neutral housing to students, and that when this program was announced 18 months ago, Miami became one of only 55 known universities to offer such a program.

A formal statement from the school concerning that program said Miami “recognizes that gender identities are numerous and include man, woman, transgender and others.”

“We understand that sex-segregated housing is not an appropriate option for some students,” the statement said. “We provide gender-neutral housing on a limited basis. Space is limited to two suites in two halls (four students per suite) and one apartment.”

Residing in a gender-neutral environment is not what Kass had in mind. He said he regards himself as a male and wants to live with other males, as simple as that.

“I identify as a male,” he said. “When I was (applying) for housing last year I was newly out (as a transgender male). ... I got put in an all-female dorm. Not just a corridor or whatever, but the whole entire building is women.

“And it’s not that I mind living with women,” Kass said. “I have no problem living with women. But the problem comes when I’m in this space that is deemed all-female. And so naturally I’m assumed to be female. And so my identity becomes invisible.”

Subsection A of Miami’s policy prohibiting harassment and discrimination states that “respect for human diversity is an essential element of the Miami University community. Miami University strongly opposes and will not tolerate harassment or discrimination on the basis of age, color, disability, national origin, race, religion, pregnancy, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status or veteran status. This prohibition extends to discrimination or harassment, based on the protected classes listed above, including the creation of an intimidating, hostile or offensive working, learning or living environment.”

Kass said he thinks the policy is clear and was not upheld in his case, and wonders about the motives that went into the decision to approve him as an RA only in an all-female environment.

“I think they were afraid to do anything controversial,” he said.