Being gender variant in a post secondary environment
I am not alone at Fanshawe, I am confident
of that fact. In fact, I know there are others
who are transgender at Fanshawe. They
just aren't that visible. Some are stealth (living
in their true gender) and others such as
myself are closeted. I have met people from
both groups.
In our journey toward self-realization, each of us has to face and overcome our fears. Only then can we go forward. One of the overwhelming facts in this journey has to do with age. The younger the transperson the greater their chances at completing this journey. This is true because of the human and financial costs of "transition". Young careers allow for time and resources toward transition.
Many people are of the opinion that the "younger" generations are more tolerant of diversity. While I cannot argue that position to either confirm or refute it, I do believe that there is a greater tolerance of diversity but not acceptance. There is a difference. I also believe that today the same can be said for the older generations, but for different reasons.
Younger generations are more tolerant due to pop culture where cross-dressing is accepted as "part of the act." Older generations are more tolerant due to political correctness and legislation both within and without the workplace. None of this adds up to acceptance, nor does it promote diversity. Rules, policies and procedures mean nothing if they aren't visibly promoted. We have these in place, but do we actually have the promotion?
What isn't understood by most is that cross-dressing and gender variance are not the same thing. They are in fact very, very different. Gender identity is a core feeling that one does not truly belong to their biological gender. There are very solid medical clues arising from duplicated blind research study explaining this but they are theories not unlike many others we accept as fact. We accept these as fact simply because we cannot discredit them.
Our life on campus should be energizing and enlightening to a world many will never see. This comes from discovery of new ideas in learning. It also comes from the discovery of new people, many of whom have lives very different from our own. So, why isn't the transgender population visible?
The commonality to this is in one word: fear. We fear what we don't know and what we don't know, we shun. This can be in the form of either overt discrimination or worse, covert discrimination. This also applies to the transgender community, only their fear is for their personal safety both physical and mental.
My credibility as a professor would be seriously compromised both with my peers and my superiors as well as my students were I to actually expose myself for who I truly am. To do this of course would have great impact on my effectiveness as an educator despite a long and very successful history.
What can be done? Without an open and welcoming environment that has to necessarily start at the top, very little. Yes, the general population can become more open and welcoming, but without the leadership at the top that presents change as both necessary and welcomed, the status quo will remain. It is an unfortunate fact of life. The remaining question begs to be asked if the administration of our colleges truly have the strength of their convictions to open the doors to the transgender population. Only time will tell.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
In our journey toward self-realization, each of us has to face and overcome our fears. Only then can we go forward. One of the overwhelming facts in this journey has to do with age. The younger the transperson the greater their chances at completing this journey. This is true because of the human and financial costs of "transition". Young careers allow for time and resources toward transition.
Many people are of the opinion that the "younger" generations are more tolerant of diversity. While I cannot argue that position to either confirm or refute it, I do believe that there is a greater tolerance of diversity but not acceptance. There is a difference. I also believe that today the same can be said for the older generations, but for different reasons.
Younger generations are more tolerant due to pop culture where cross-dressing is accepted as "part of the act." Older generations are more tolerant due to political correctness and legislation both within and without the workplace. None of this adds up to acceptance, nor does it promote diversity. Rules, policies and procedures mean nothing if they aren't visibly promoted. We have these in place, but do we actually have the promotion?
What isn't understood by most is that cross-dressing and gender variance are not the same thing. They are in fact very, very different. Gender identity is a core feeling that one does not truly belong to their biological gender. There are very solid medical clues arising from duplicated blind research study explaining this but they are theories not unlike many others we accept as fact. We accept these as fact simply because we cannot discredit them.
Our life on campus should be energizing and enlightening to a world many will never see. This comes from discovery of new ideas in learning. It also comes from the discovery of new people, many of whom have lives very different from our own. So, why isn't the transgender population visible?
The commonality to this is in one word: fear. We fear what we don't know and what we don't know, we shun. This can be in the form of either overt discrimination or worse, covert discrimination. This also applies to the transgender community, only their fear is for their personal safety both physical and mental.
My credibility as a professor would be seriously compromised both with my peers and my superiors as well as my students were I to actually expose myself for who I truly am. To do this of course would have great impact on my effectiveness as an educator despite a long and very successful history.
What can be done? Without an open and welcoming environment that has to necessarily start at the top, very little. Yes, the general population can become more open and welcoming, but without the leadership at the top that presents change as both necessary and welcomed, the status quo will remain. It is an unfortunate fact of life. The remaining question begs to be asked if the administration of our colleges truly have the strength of their convictions to open the doors to the transgender population. Only time will tell.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
