Providing Support to Transgender Students On Campus

1926 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Discrimination against transgender rights

As support for the LGBT population arises across the United States, colleges and universities have responded by creating positive spaces and environments for students. However, in some cases, not all populations are served adequately. A population specifically, transgender students, sometimes do not receive the same support gay, lesbian and bisexual students receive. An issue facing LGBT Services at DePauw University is providing adequate services to transgender students. Providing educational programming, gender neutral restrooms, faculty education, and counseling for transgender students could increase support for students who identify as transgender.
Review of Literature
Currently, there is not considerable empirical research about the experiences students who identify as transgender face. The research conducted reveals a poor climate on campuses for transgender students. A significant amount of information published regarding transgender student inclusion discusses strategies colleges and universities can utilize to improve campus climate for students. Few studies have been conducted to verify improvements a campus makes to accommodate transgender students. The literature presented discusses the experiences of transgender students coming out, the climate on campus, and ways colleges and universities can improve the climate on campus.
Experiences Coming Out
Pusch (2005) conducted a qualitative study to examine the coming out and transitioning experiences of college male-to-female (MTF) and female-to-male (FTM) students. Pusch (2005) collected data over a seven-month timespan using a listserv and private emails. Within the listserv, participants introduced themselves and discuss issues important to them with follow-up ...

... middle of paper ...

...B.G. (2005). Making campuses more inclusive of transgender students. Journal of Gay and Lesbian Issues in Education, 3(1), 77-87.
Beemyn, B., Curtis, B., Davis, M., & Tubbs, N.J. (2005). Transgender issues on college campuses. New Directions for Student Services. 2005(111), 49-60.
Dugan, J.P., Kusel, M.L., Simounet, D.M., (2012). Transgender college students: An exploratory study of perceptions, engagement, and educational outcomes. Journal of College Student Development, 53(5), 719-736. doi:10.1353/csd.2012.0067
McKinney, J.S. (2005). On the margins: A study of the experiences of transgender college students. Journal of Gay and Lesbian Issues in Education. 3(1), 63-75.
Pusch, R.S. (2005). Objects of curiosity: Transgender college students’ perceptions of the reactions of others. Journal of Gay and Lesbian Issues in Education, 3(1), 45-61. doi:10.1300/J367v03n01_06.

Show More
Related

  • Engagement/Understanding: Social Work (Competency 6)

    1442 Words  | 3 Pages

    The perspectives from transgender youth is critically missing in many discussion, research, intervention and implementation strategies. Transgender youth, are misunderstood, misrepresented and excluded from conversations, decision making, and policy execution when in actuality they should be involved. Shelton & Bond (2017) elucidates that although there is a growing body of research that examines LGBTQ youth homelessness, gaps in knowledge about the specific experiences of transgender and gender-expansive homeless youth remain. Studies focus largely on transgender youth in the context of the methods and measures in studies. Hence, including transgender youth within research on sexual minorities, rather than allowing them a distinct category of inquiry, can replicate the common misreading of transgender people as

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Simone Weil's Response To Qualitative Inequality

    702 Words  | 2 Pages

    “Qualitative study that paints a picture of what life is like for transgender people, Wyss (2004) interviewed seven transgender high school students and asked them about their experiences at school. … Many report that not just other students harassed them but that people they even considered friends would either help or join with assailants during physical attacks. Two of the students were set on fire in school. There were also constant threats of sexual assault, or coercive sex, or physical assault, both verbal threats and notes left in lockers.”

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Trans Women At Smith

    989 Words  | 2 Pages

    The eye opening article utilized for this analysis is titled, “Trans Women at Smith: The Complexities of Checking ‘Female’” ,written by contributing writer, Sarah Fraas on August 24, 2014 (pg 683-685). Fraas starts off by introducing the audience with a school that accepts trans women, Mills College, and talks about how glorious this decision is. The author then begins to talk about other schools not as accepting as Mills, especially Smiths College. She spews many facts and analysis on the issues trans women face today throughout the article including how transgender women are not gaining enough support to succeed, most transgendered women are neglected in school, and the fact that many have been accused of being a woman for the “wrong” reason. She also mindfully includes the image of a woman of color holding up a sign saying, “Support your sisters, not just your CIS-ters!”. The author utilizes this image to show people that we are all one whether we

    Read More

  • Sociological Concept Of Deviance

    1474 Words  | 3 Pages

    Over the course of this paper, we will take a comprehensive look at information regarding the transgender community issue in reference to four key sociology concepts. First, we will review information highlighting how transgender people come to the forefront of the public eye as well as the bathroom uproar continuously sweeping the nation. Next, we will examine the facts showcasing how transgender people go against the social norm of associating gender with a person’s given birth sex. Thirdly, we will review information showcasing the cultural inconsistencies throughout the nation when it comes to the acceptance of transgender people. Fourthly, the material will showcase the actions transgender people must face in several states throughout

    Read More

  • Intersectionality In Education

    1016 Words  | 3 Pages

    Intersectionality is an analytical tool that can assist policy makers in creating programs and policies to help combat inequities on campus. Intersectionality explores new research and policy approaches to understand the connections between structures that shape diverse populations (Hankivsky, 2014). The acronym LGBT gives evidence that people who identity cannot be placed in a single category. Not only do they suffer injustices because of their sexual orientation, but also for their race, gender, ability, disability, and age. No written policy in higher education is without use of intersectionality framework. It is a necessity because of the diverse student body attending institutions of higher education. Intersectionality requires focus on points of intersection, complexity, dynamic processes, and the structures that define our access to rights and opportunities, rather than on defined categories or isolated issue areas (Symington,

    Read More

  • Transgender Rights in America

    890 Words  | 2 Pages

    Living life as a transgendered person is not easy. There are very few times when someone comes out as transgender and their lives are still relatively easy to manage. There are a copious...

    Read More

  • Intersectionality Reflection Paper

    758 Words  | 2 Pages

    After learning and reviewing the action continuum chart in this class it brought a specific quote to my mind, “if you’re not a part of the solution, you’re a part of the problem,” while I was aware of other forms of oppression, I only really involved myself with topics and intervention tactics that dealt with racism and sexism, as these were the two areas directly affecting me and my life. One of the topics in this course that stood out to me was the discussion on transgender oppression, before coming to college, information about the transgender community and even sectors of the LGBTQ community was somewhat taboo to me..

    Read More

  • Personal Narrative: My Expectations Of A Transgender

    100 Words  | 1 Pages

    Like any other ordinary teenager, I have the desire to be accepted by my peers. However, living in a society that excludes others who do not meet the expectations of norm can make fitting in a challenge; especially towards someone like me, a transgender teen. For the most part, not many people know this about me. Holding me back, with shame I must admit, is the intense fear of being rejected by others. Yet, on a daily basis I must confront this anxiety and risk placing myself in a position where my identity meets constant subjection to someone else’s judgement.

    Read More

  • Persuasive Speech On Transgender Community

    764 Words  | 2 Pages

    We, as human beings, should be involved in the idea of supporting rights and equality for transgenders because they are one of us no matter what they believe. It definitely matters to the audience to aware of since discrimination against transgender is still a susceptible issue, not only defense against gender minorities, but also against human rights generally. If we do not start correcting this problem, our family members or children may experience the unavoidable consequences of it themselves in the future. We need to fight to protect the rights and safety of transgender nonconforming students to be treated with respect at school as well as their parents.

    Read More

  • Sexual Identity Development

    1068 Words  | 3 Pages

    Bilodeau, B. (2003, October). Genderqueer: Understanding transgender student identities. Presented at the American Educational Research Association Research on Women in Education Annual Conference, Knoxville, TN.

    Read More

  • Transgender Surgery and the Separation Between Mind and Body

    2512 Words  | 6 Pages

    Sheridan, Vanessa. The Complete Guide to Transgender in the Workplace. Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger/ABC-CLIO, 2009. Print.

    Read More

  • Being Transgander: The Experience Of Transgender Identity Development

    909 Words  | 2 Pages

    This study included people with and without sex changes and looked at the mental and physical development of these transgender individuals. Most participants described how they felt “different” for as long as they could remember. Most participants also discussed how as they developed they participated in acculturative processes that blurred the line between male and female roles/ characteristics. In these situations simply learning to be transgender through modeling or societal expectations was not the

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of The Restroom

    1359 Words  | 3 Pages

    The school and work place environments are becoming more aggressive because one person rights outweigh a whole slew of people that have their own civil liberties on safety and privacy. Everyone in the public communities will not accept transgender using opposite sex bathroom. While the Title IX Education Amendment that protect transgender choice to use the restrooms of the opposite sex should be defended, the privacy, respect and consideration for others should be supported; therefore, it is important that this amendment get revised so that no one can misuse the context of the term sex, for the protection of the youth own developing sense of self and influence to want to change due to the newest sexuality

    Read More

  • Essay On Unisex Bathrooms In Schools

    766 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the United States, more than 700,000 people have identified themselves as transgender. These statistics include people of all ages from the children to the elderly. In several surveys conducted in U.S. schools, several children were identified as transgender. For instance, in a 2015 survey in Dane County, 1.5% of the students were transgender (Hoffman). With the revelation, there is a call for unisex bathrooms to accommodate all these students. For example, a nine-year-old student was denied access to the female bathroom in Queensland (Hosking and Sun). This shows that transgender people sometimes go through a hard time; especially in societies where being a transgender has not been accepted. Statistics show that transgender people often become victims of bullying. For instance, 22 women were murdered in 2015 due to being transgender (Goodyear). Additionally, a report by The National Transgender Discrimination Survey shows that more than 40% of transgender people have attempted suicide because of the lack of acceptance in the society (Grant, Mottet, and Tanis 2). Although unisex bathrooms will not eliminate transphobia, it will be a start to ensuring their acceptance in the future. Stereotypes associated with transgender people will be crushed at an early age, giving an opportunity for their acceptance in the

    Read More

  • Informative Essay On Transgenders

    1200 Words  | 3 Pages

    Finally, a state assemblyman sponsoring a bill to make a law in California that grants more rights for transgenders there named Tom Ammiano says, "'Transgender students deserve equal access to everything in public education. You can't discriminate just because you're uncomfortable with a young man transitioning to become a young women,'" (Lovett 1). Making a law for more rights for transgenders will help those who are uncomfortable with transgenders become accepting of them. With this new law for transgenders, cisgender people will learn to have tolerance for

    Read More

More about Providing Support to Transgender Students On Campus

Open Document