Trans People in Higher Education

Genny Beemyn is Director of the Stonewall Center at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. They have published more than a half dozen books, including A Queer Capital: A History of Gay Life in Washington, D.C.; The Lives of Transgender People (with Susan Rankin); and Queer Studies: A Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Anthology (coedited with Mickey Eliason).

"…an important and timely book." — CHOICE"Weaving personal narratives and research studies together in ways that highlight the full diversity of trans individuals, Trans People in Higher Education serves as an urgent call to action for higher education to play a leadership role in catalyzing broad social change around trans rights. In the process, Beemyn offers an invaluable resource for creating a trans-welcoming and trans-supportive environment on college and university campuses." — Lynn Pasquerella, President, Association of American Colleges and Universities"Beemyn's advocacy and research on trans people in higher education is groundbreaking, and this edited volume is no exception. Through a mix of narratives and personal accounts, as well as the findings of research studies by major scholars in the field, the book paints a rich portrait of the variety of trans identities and experiences on college campuses today, along with recommendations for how campuses can create a more inclusive environment. The volume is an extraordinary resource for all who are committed to creating campus communities that are welcoming and affirming for trans students, faculty, and staff, and for those who simply want to learn more about the experiences of trans people on college campuses today." — Kristin G. Esterberg, President, State University of New York at Potsdam"For more than two decades, Genny Beemyn has been at the forefront of higher education research and policy advocacy regarding trans issues. Beemyn has given us yet another stellar contribution to those fields with this new anthology, which showcases an impressive cohort of emerging voices as well as a burgeoning body of high-quality scholarship. It's the best, most comprehensive overview to date on the timely topics it addresses." — Susan Stryker, author of Transgender History, Revised Edition: The Roots of Today's Revolution"Trans People in Higher Education combines the powerful accessibility of compelling personal stories with the complex and often harsh findings of qualitative and quantitative research to demonstrate the continued need for trans-affirming campuses, from policy to classroom engagement. Despite more than two decades of positive changes in academic institutions, trans and nonbinary students, faculty, and staff continue to struggle for acceptance and equal access. This timely book shows that, in challenging the constricts of the binary gender system, helping others develop skills for culturally competent interactions, and expanding campus-wide policies, these individuals offer academia the best gift of all: learning opportunities and the inspiration to do better." — Willy Wilkinson, author of Born on the Edge of Race and Gender: A Voice for Cultural Competency

• IntroductionGenny Beemyn The Voices of Trans Students, Staff, and Faculty 1. An Unescorted Male: Transcending Gender at a Southern Women’s CollegeLisa N. Johnston and Caden J. Campbell 2. Transitional Matriculation: Losing (and Finding) Yourself in Higher EducationAnnabelle Talia Bruno 3. Read between the Lines: Teaching and Learning while Nonbinary TransAlandis Johnson 4. "I Am Because We Are": Holding a Mirror as a Trans EducatorS. Simmons 5. "Do You Get to Choose How Big Your Penis Will Be?": Transitioning as FacultyC. Ray Borck 6. Typing My Way Out of the Cisheteronormative Closet at a Community CollegeKei Graves 7. On Being (In)Visible in the Academy: A Trans Scholar’s NarrativeJackson Wright Shultz Research on Trans People and Trans Inclusion on College Campuses 8. How I See Me, How You See Me: Students Navigating Gender Outside the BinaryKasey Ashton 9. Trans College Students’ Experiences: Institutional Discrimination and Empowered ResponsesTre Wentling 10. Higher Educational Experiences of Trans Binary and Nonbinary Graduate StudentsAbbie E. Goldberg 11. Get over the Binary: The Experiences of Nonbinary Trans College StudentsGenny Beemyn 12. (In)Visibility and Protest: Trans Men, Trans Women, and Nonbinary Students at New England Women’s CollegesShannon Weber 13. An Examination of Trans College Students’ Sexual HealthJames M. DeVita and Katrin A. Wesner 14. Microfoundations of Trans Academics’ Experiences: A Sense of Paranoia and HypersensitivityErich N. Pitcher 15. From "My Absolute Worst Nightmare" to "I Couldn’t Ask for Anything More": Trans Individuals’ Interactions with College Administrators, Professors, and Others with Institutional PowerKristie L. Seelman 16. Rising like a Phoenix: One Institution’s Journey through Trans and LGBTQIA InclusionMatthew Antonio Bosch and Dana Pursley A Guide to Trans TerminologyContributorsIndex