Abstract
In this anthology, Genny Beemyn sets out to educate students, staff, and faculty about the experiences of trans people in higher education. Beemyn’s goal is to improve the lives of trans students, staff, and faculty on college campuses by educating the entire campus community. As Beemyn clearly demonstrates, “Works about the lives of trans students, staff, and faculty, especially by trans people themselves, can help create more trans-inclusive college environments” (xi). With this goal in mind, in the introduction, Beemyn provides a brief history of trans-inclusive policies on college campuses and an overview of the current research on trans people in higher education. For anyone unfamiliar with this history and research, Beemyn provides an excellent and concise starting point to delve into trans issues in higher education.
Following the introduction, Beemyn organizes the anthology in two parts: (1) personal narratives from trans people in higher education and (2) emerging research about trans people in higher education (written largely by trans academics). Overall, I found three major strengths that set this anthology apart. First, as Beemyn states, allowing trans people to speak for themselves is a major improvement and necessary step in fully understanding trans people’s experiences. Second, the book includes a range of topics that have been understudied in the current literature on trans lives. Most importantly, Beemyn includes research that examines the lives of nonbinary trans people and how ignoring this group leaves many nonbinary students, staff, and faculty to continue to suffer the inequity of a highly binary gender system that shapes higher education. Third, Beemyn’s approach in this anthology, especially allowing trans students to have their voices heard through personal narratives, provides space for much needed standpoints on the topic and allows readers to see the world through the lens of those who are oppressed in the higher education system. As Collins (2009) and others clearly demonstrate, being oppressed requires the oppressed to see the world in new ways. Trans people provide an “outsider within” (Collins 2009) perspective that is vital to understanding trans experiences within higher education.
Although providing personal narratives in this anthology is a strength, especially for anyone unfamiliar with the topic, some of the narratives failed to add anything new to the field and unnecessarily lengthened the book. Despite the length, there are many important recommendations in the narratives, and seeing the importance of these changes from a personal standpoint adds to this anthology’s call for action. If you’re only going to read some of the narrative section, the most helpful narrative in the anthology is Borck’s “‘Do You Get to Choose How Big Your Penis Will Be?’ Transitioning as Faculty.” Borck, a sociologist at a community college, clearly demonstrates the difficulties of transitioning in front of students, staff, and other faculty, while simultaneously acknowledging the privileges of transitioning to be a man.
Like the narrative section, the research section was long and became redundant at points. However, the suggestions offered were extremely important and comprehensive. If you only have time to read a few of the research pieces, Beemyn’s piece, “Get over the Binary: The Experiences of Nonbinary Trans College Students,” adds the most to the current literature. This piece provides excellent and much needed research on gender-nonbinary students in higher education. It is a fantastic one-stop for solutions to making colleges safer and more welcoming for all trans students, and likely all students. In addition to Beemyn’s piece, I also highly recommend DeVita and Wesner’s piece, “An Examination of Trans College Students’ Sexual Health,” and Bosch and Pursely’s piece, “Rising like a Phoenix: One Institution’s Journey through Trans and LGBTQIA Inclusion.” The first is an excellent research article that provides important information showing why intersectionality matters when considering trans people’s experiences. It also provides many important suggestions for moving campuses forward. The latter piece walks the reader through one institution’s process of becoming more inclusive and is an excellent guide for macro, institutional-level changes that will improve the lives of trans people on college campuses. Overall, Beemyn provides a vital resource for all who are affiliated with higher education, from undergraduate students to presidents of colleges and universities. This book is a must read and the recommendations should be incorporated on every campus as rapidly as possible to make higher education safe and welcoming for everyone.
