Susan's Place Transgender Resources

This question came to my mind when I found out recently about Prof. Joy Ladin, who 'came out' and began transition shortly after getting tenure. I dug up some more and came across examples of those who transitioned just after completing a PhD (Susan Stryker), before getting tenure and got into trouble for it (Rachel Tudor), or long after getting tenure (Deirdre McCloskey).

I've often read on this site that universities are among the best places to transition, but always thought that applied mainly to students, and that too undergraduates. But what about graduate students and faculty?
Since one of my major concerns regarding transition is how to preserve my career, I have also been asking myself whether I may want to change my career path, and whether academia is an option. I have considered getting back to studies and into academia earlier (even without the trans angle), but it can make even more sense now if it is a safer place to transition.
I understand that this varies by country, university, field of study etc, but any experiences or anecdotes regarding this are welcome.

Well.
I am Professor Cindy Macardle BSc (Hons) PhD RCPA FFs

Head of a clinical unit, have had 15 PhD students and about 80 peer reviewed papers. I was awarded a University Medal for teaching 4 months after transitioning 'on the job'.

My rejection has been zero from my colleagues and students.

I'm an Academic at Flinders University and run 4 Pathology labs with a staff of 30.

I work with people with leukaemia and lymphoma. No patient has had an issue with me.

I'm in case people didn't know: I am Australian  :laugh:

Go for it.

I have worked off and on as an adjunct faculty member when I needed money, and in fact was teaching a computer science class for a semester when I transitioned. The college was super accommodating, and although I haven't done more than subbing in a couple of years at least, they still have me on the Diversity Committee and want me to come in and address people at meetings and whatnot.

It's worth noting that I'm talking about undergraduate and graduate students, though; I started my career (very briefly) teaching elementary age kids, and I have no doubt I would have been drummed out of *that* school, which was in a much more conservative town than I am now.

I live in a fairly liberal area of the US.

I'm currently exiting academia (not faculty, in a field where tenure-track jobs are all but impossible to obtain, which is part of why I'm leaving). My take is that in the US, in principle, this is one of the best occupations for LGBT support. Colleges and universities tend to be well ahead of other employers in terms of codifying antidiscrimination. I'm in a state among the worst for LGBT acceptance and protection, but the university I work for explicitly protects both gender identity and expression. That's great.

However, I think there's a big asterisk to all this positivity: the tenure process. For reference, in the US most professors are hired as assistant professors and have a nominal 6-year tenure clock. If that runs out, they lose their job. In practice, most go up for tenure after 4-5 years---if they're not ready then, it's unlikely they are going to make it anyway. The tenure decision process is quite opaque, and most places there is no reason given for a denial. Even by employment discrimination standards it is really hard to demonstrate that discrimination took place.

So I think for someone who can transition post-tenure, academia is pretty much ideal. For those earlier in their career, it's not necessarily so hot.

Thank you all for the replies.

Cindy, I knew about you and thought of putting your name up there along with Prof. McCloskey. :)

Jenna Marie and Jennifer, yes I have read similar stuff about academia in general being very accommodating but the opacity of the tenure system being a problem. Prof. Stryker's case mentioned above seems like an exception, but I don't know if that's because she is into Gender Studies.

The nice thing about universities is that they have a varied mix of lifestyles, races, religion etc. You will also be dealing with kids that are no longer little and might have parents who feel that a transgender teacher is going to "poison' their little minds.

Although the students I went to college with didn't know me as anything but male, I was still doing some transitioning during my first couple years and had to go to faculty to explain why I couldn't take gym. No one so much as flinched, and one mentioned that there was someone on staff who was a transgender. Unless your university is extremely conservative, I think they should be fine with it. After a couple of turn overs, (kids graduating and being replaced by new ones), and eventually your transition will become a rumor or go away all together.

sam1234

I agree with virtually everything written in this thread. Academia is a great profession for a trans person, but the tenure process is a miserable experience for everyone. I say that as someone who is very likely going to earn tenure in the very near future, and is going to go full time soon after. My chair and a few of my colleagues know, but the provost is not aware of my being transgender, and he won't know until I get written confirmation of his decision. I suspect he'll be fine with it, but on the off chance that he is biased, I want that letter.

That's the problem with the tenure process almost everywhere. Until you get let into the club, you are at the mercy of the administration and the tenured faculty, and the process is so opaque that bias is virtually impossible to prove. I do have employment protections for gender identity in my university system, but all someone needs to do is claim that I fell short in some area of my tenure application, and there's almost no way to prove that they wanted to get rid of me (for any reason). The criteria for tenure are typically too subjective to pin down, even if administrators claim otherwise. That's just the nature of the beast.

Now that I'm very near the end of my wait, I do think that it was worth it to stick with academia as a career, and to wait until tenure to fully come out and transition. Job security and a long summer out of the classroom is perfect for transitioning. But the simultaneous wait to transition and wait for tenure beat the crap out of me. I almost gave up on my career a few times, and honestly, that's fairly typical. Many people drop out of graduate school or go ABD. Still others get stuck in a rut of adjuncting and temporary positions and never get a tenure-track position. And it's more common than you might think for a tenure-track professor to get disillusioned by the process and give up, or just burn out. Add being transgender on top of all of this, and that's a lot of pressure to bare.

I'm not saying that it's a bad career. I love to teach at the college level, and I honestly feel like I am making an impact on my students' lives. The pay could be better, but I live a good life. If you can make it through the gauntlet, it's a very good way to spend your working years. And yes, I do think that academia is a very trans-friendly career. But go into academia with your eyes wide open. There will be times when you just want to give up, and plenty of budding academics are forced to give up, often through no fault of their own. There just aren't enough tenure-track jobs available for everyone who is qualified.

Thanks Sam and Danielle.

Sam, those protests from parents can be a problem, but hopefully not much at the university level.

Danielle, all the best for your tenure decision. I hope it works out for you.
I think whatever I've read about the tenure process is exactly what dissuades me from academia, but then I think that most companies can also be quite opaque regarding promotions, layoffs etc. But I'm also not sure if waiting 10 or more years for an uncertain outcome before deciding to transition is an option for me. :-\

Quote from: cindy16 on April 08, 2015, 04:28:10 AM
I've often read on this site that universities are among the best places to transition, but always thought that applied mainly to students, and that too undergraduates.

Here's a great blog post from an intersex transgender man who is a tenured professor on his experience: http://trans-fusion.blogspot.com/2013/07/on-teaching-trans-gender.html (http://trans-fusion.blogspot.com/2013/07/on-teaching-trans-gender.html)

I transitioned while attending the same University he teaches at and my experience as an undergraduate student has been significantly different from his a tenured professor. 

Quote from: skin on April 09, 2015, 01:20:04 AM
Here's a great blog post from an intersex transgender man who is a tenured professor on his experience: http://trans-fusion.blogspot.com/2013/07/on-teaching-trans-gender.html (http://trans-fusion.blogspot.com/2013/07/on-teaching-trans-gender.html)

I transitioned while attending the same University he teaches at and my experience as an undergraduate student has been significantly different from his a tenured professor. 

Thanks. That blog post is really touching.
Although most of my education so far (and in future, if at all) has been (will be) in 'technical' fields, we did have a few courses where social issues were discussed, and a few privileged students often reacted the same way saying the professor was biased and so on.

Btw, just curious, but how exactly was your experience as an undergrad student different? As in, was it better or worse?

I will post a few comments.

Firstly I do now get other academics asking me if they can suggest to one of their students to come and talk with me as they suspect that their student may have gender issues and they are worried for them. They care about the students as all teachers should.

I have been asked to intervene if a student has had problems with their undergraduate colleagues, advice on toilets and pronouns etc. Of course I help out.

I will also post (again!) of when I came out. One week I was a him giving my lecture series to 300 students, next week I fronted them as me, wearing a nice skirt and top, nice boots and of course my new name, heading my first  slide.

I got some snickers. They didn't hurt me, I expected them.

At the conclusion of my talk a female student came to me and asked if she could ask a personal question? Here goes I thought. "Where did you get your boots, they are really nice and I want a pair like them?" was the question.

When I was given my teaching medal, a few months after coming out. The Dean said "I want to congratulate a woman who has been a valuable member of our staff for many years. She has always lead by example and the care and duty she has given to her students and her colleagues has always been exemplary, I give you Cindy" The audience, most of whom had not been told of my transition, just went nuts. I was deafened by the applause.

In my experience academia has been a wonderful environment for both staff and students to transition.

Quote from: cindy16 on April 09, 2015, 02:49:03 AM
Btw, just curious, but how exactly was your experience as an undergrad student different? As in, was it better or worse?

It's been better. Changing my name and gender was a smooth, easy process. I have been treated with nothing but respect from my classmates, instructors, and the campus auxiliary staff - even the military beneifits office has been very supportive. I am currently taking a gender studies course and if anyone opposes transgender people they don't say so out loud. And bathrooms have never been an issue.

The one thing that is a sticking point is the healthcare situation is as bad for students as he described for staff.

Thanks Cindy and Sarah. It is very reassuring to hear such experiences.

Dr. Judith Butler, PhD --

http://complit.berkeley.edu/?page_id=168

Judith Butler is Maxine Elliot Professor in the Department of Comparative Literature and the Program of Critical Theory at the University of California, Berkeley. She served as Founding Director of the Critical Theory Program. She received her Ph.D. in Philosophy from Yale University in 1984. She is the author of Subjects of Desire: Hegelian Reflections in Twentieth-Century France (1987), Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity (1990), Bodies That Matter: On the Discursive Limits of "Sex" (1993),

She is also active in gender and sexual politics and human rights, anti-war politics, and serves on the advisory board of Jewish Voice for Peace.

Butler's work in critical theory is primarily "Feminist Post-Structuralist" but she makes a powerful argument for "Non Hetero-Normative" -- That physical sex, sexual orientation, gender ID are all aspects of one's ontological perspective. Heavy wading for the most part, but "Bodies That Matter" is probably most accessible, shortest, and most recent work.

Butler is leading edge gender studies . . . feminist, "orientation liberationist" -- Work is highly regarded by the academy and so this perspective should carry over into university policies regarding "non hetero normative" students and faculty.

I've never encountered issues with university policy, except that that seem to think I'm counted as "male" in the minority hiring stats.

This i

Thanks Allison.

From what I know of Dr. Judith Butler, she is lesbian but not trans, am I right?
I haven't read her work but would want to some time. It will be interesting to know how her views evolved since her earliest work until now, especially with more knowledge of trans people and cases like David Reimer's (which it seems she addressed in 'Undoing Gender') coming to light.
Btw, I think Berkeley (and the West Coast, generally) is a much safer place for LGBT+ people.

My experience during my postdoc in the U.S. about 10 years ago says that it does matter. Certainly, it should have changed thereafter, but basically academia people will worry whether the gender issue may distract you from researching and teaching. I also had some problem because of my crossdressing and ->-bleeped-<-. Most people will not say anything bad to you, but your ->-bleeped-<- will not do anything good for your career either. It is always possible that it can be a serious issue in your academia career.

College students here in my country are very open-minded and accepting, but professors worry that my crossdressing will make some problems among students. Actually, on the contrary, the major problems always arise from old, senior professors. They just cite others to justify their own belief.

I got tenure last year. Yes. Frankly speaking, it relieves me a little bit. For example, nowadays I do wear fishnet in the campus (no female professor or student wear fishnet in the campus). Some people jokingly comment that probably I wear the shortest skirt among all female faculty members in my country.

barbie~~

Quote from: Cindy on April 08, 2015, 06:06:59 AM
Well.
I am Professor Cindy Macardle BSc (Hons) PhD RCPA FFs

Head of a clinical unit, have had 15 PhD students and about 80 peer reviewed papers. I was awarded a University Medal for teaching 4 months after transitioning 'on the job'.

My rejection has been zero from my colleagues and students.

I'm an Academic at Flinders University and run 4 Pathology labs with a staff of 30.

I work with people with leukaemia and lymphoma. No patient has had an issue with me.

I'm in case people didn't know: I am Australian  :laugh:

Go for it.

Soooo can you help me understand this microbiology class?!  ;D

Thanks Barbie.
That thing you said about older professors is true here too, but there are some younger people as well who are not so open-minded, and often the most vocal.

Quote from: cindy16 on April 10, 2015, 12:42:47 PM
Thanks Barbie.
That thing you said about older professors is true here too, but there are some younger people as well who are not so open-minded, and often the most vocal.

Hierarchical societies are not so much desirable in the modern, rapidly changing period, but can be good for some people for some reasons.

Students here are very obedient to teachers and professors, compared with western countries. Even if they do not like my wearing skirt, they do not complain. They only can do anonymously during the evaluation period after the semester, but still I have not got any complaint. Just a few students suggested a better fashion type for me. Yes. At first, students think I am a very feminine and pliable person, but later are dismayed at my masculinity and aggressiveness in teaching and researching.

As long as your professional performance is excellent, nobody will complain at you. Because I am transgender, I tried to perform better than other cis-people in my work places.

barbie~~

Quote from: barbie on April 10, 2015, 12:56:38 PM
As long as your professional performance is excellent, nobody will complain at you.

Good point. Thanks.

I have been a publicly elected college trustee for 5 years and my community college was completely supportive when I started transition while in office.  I have been able to help change both policy and practice to the point there are now "out" transgender students on campus.  We also dealt with the bathroom issue by creating some that are unisex and lockable.  Our State of Oregon has statewide gender ID and expression protections.  Our college also nominated me to the national trustees diversity group where I am working successfully to change policy at the national level.

I would say, like others here, that academia is one of the very best places to be a transgender person.  I also agree that education is a major part of the solution for the ignorance that surrounds us about transgender people and issues.  Like many colleges we have courses and programs in gender studies, women's studies and even a Lives in Transition program.  Our public college is easily the most respected and supported unit of government in this county.  We don't have to be sports fans to be college boosters :D

Thanks Tessa. Good to hear about another positive experience.

Quote from: Tessa James on April 11, 2015, 03:04:47 PM
I have been a publicly elected college trustee for 5 years and my community college was completely supportive when I started transition while in office.  I have been able to help change both policy and practice to the point there are now "out" transgender students on campus.  We also dealt with the bathroom issue by creating some that are unisex and lockable.  Our State of Oregon has statewide gender ID and expression protections.  Our college also nominated me to the national trustees diversity group where I am working successfully to change policy at the national level.

I would say, like others here, that academia is one of the very best places to be a transgender person.  I also agree that education is a major part of the solution for the ignorance that surrounds us about transgender people and issues.  Like many colleges we have courses and programs in gender studies, women's studies and even a Lives in Transition program.  Our public college is easily the most respected and supported unit of government in this county.  We don't have to be sports fans to be college boosters :D

Retired grad student / instructor at Portland State University, OR -- Yes to the above. Most places have some sort of accommodation for rest facilities. Mostly I just gnash my teeth and use the one where I can stand and swing a gun if it gets out of control. (LMAO, hyperbole . . . )

Dr. Judith Butler, Ph.D. UC Cal, Berkerley, "Literary Crit / Gender Theory" -- best works I've ever picked up on gender, identity, social conventions regarding gender ID.

The academy is on top of this!

Most of the discussion so far has been around liberal arts. I believe that all to be correct.  However, when one looks at the hard core sciences, the view changes.

The problem doesn't seem to be the University or the policies but in getting grants to fund the research.  In the US and several other countries, transitioning kills the funding. 

Sorry to write that. 

Hugs,


Jen

Quote from: JLT1 on August 08, 2015, 02:49:56 PM
In the US and several other countries, transitioning kills the funding. 

Sorry to write that. 

Hugs,


Jen

Yes. I agree that it can happen. Fortunately I have never had that problem. I frequently visit governmental offices to provide advice or participate in workshop. Of course, I have never been on HRT, but anyway I transitioned.

barbie~~

I can't say what it is like within an academic institution.  But I was recently at a scientific symposium where the keynote talk was given by a (fairly obviously) transgendered woman. 

What was remarkable was that there was, as far as I could tell, 100% acceptance among the audience.  Lots of people discussed the presentation afterwards.  Not a single comment was about her gender.  All the comments were about what an excellent presentation it had been. 

It seems to me that education is a major factor in acceptance.

Quote from: KathyLauren on August 09, 2015, 02:21:28 PM
I can't say what it is like within an academic institution.  But I was recently at a scientific symposium where the keynote talk was given by a (fairly obviously) transgendered woman. 

What was remarkable was that there was, as far as I could tell, 100% acceptance among the audience.  Lots of people discussed the presentation afterwards.  Not a single comment was about her gender.  All the comments were about what an excellent presentation it had been. 

It seems to me that education is a major factor in acceptance.

I don't know whether it means acceptance or not, but a few people asked me which gender pronouns I prefer to be called. Actually they did not seem to be interested in my gender identity, neither in my other stuffs.

Yes. I sometimes preside or present in a session during international symposiums.

(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/262/19816993374_0f9a9799a0_b.jpg) (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/357/19817032274_0174bf7bab_b.jpg)

However, I agree that trans* people can get some unfair treatment in funding, especially within a close circle. Some aged people can be very conservative or stubborn.

barbie~~