Being from France and a student, I'm curious about how transsexualty is viewed in university courses such as women's studies (in your home country).  Here at home transgender issues are slowly becoming popular topics in social work schools, but the subject's still taboo amongst some colleges and universities.  I, myself, don't really have a 'position' on transsexuality particularly because (I'm transsexual) but also because I believe that we should have equal rights and responsibilities that are not affected by gender, sexuality, race, religion or anything else.  Having said this, I'd be thankful if you shared your comments or experiences on the subject.

Transsexuality is now widely covered in womens and gender studies courses in North America.  While at first these hot beds of feminist thought were largely bigoted (and yes that is the right word) towards transsexuals, they have come a long way and are now for the most part extremely enlightened on the issue.  Even intro courses cover transsexuals from an intellectual understanding that is not found anywhere else, save for queer studies programs.  Kate Borensteins books, Julia Serano's essays, and many other writings from transgender writers are now part of the required reading for these courses. 

Academia, especially gender and womens studies programs, are ahead of the curve with regards to intellectual discourse regarding the transgendered and transsexuals.  I could go on, but the universities in North America tend to be very progressive for the most part, especially gender studies programs. 

Quote from: Amy T. on May 09, 2007, 11:19:49 AM
Transsexuality is now widely covered in womens and gender studies courses in North America.  While at first these hot beds of feminist thought were largely bigoted (and yes that is the right word) towards transsexuals, they have come a long way and are now for the most part extremely enlightened on the issue.  Even intro courses cover transsexuals from an intellectual understanding that is not found anywhere else, save for queer studies programs.  Kate Borensteins books, Julia Serano's essays, and many other writings from transgender writers are now part of the required reading for these courses. 

Academia, especially gender and womens studies programs, are ahead of the curve with regards to intellectual discourse regarding the transgendered and transsexuals.  I could go on, but the universities in North America tend to be very progressive for the most part, especially gender studies programs. 

That coincides with what I have heard too.

Well... in my own university experience, I've taken a couple of women and gender studies courses. Trans issues and the ideas of gender identity are not frequently mentioned to be honest. In general, they may make passing references in relation to the social construction of gender, and of men and women transcending gender boundaries, but trans-centric topics or courses are extremely rare.

There's a course I've wanted to take called the psychology of gender, it hasn't been offered in ages. There's one class out of 50 on my schools course list that makes a mention of trans anything.

Now admittedly, transpeople are a very very small minority, but I'd always thought it would be a very insightful area of study that would reveal a lot about sexuality and gender.

I don't know what people are saying about it, but I go to a large, fairly progressive university that is generally very up to date with all their course offerings and teaching material, and trans topics have hardly made much of a mark. There's a little bit of academic discourse I'm sure, but I think its severely hindered by the relative lack of actual transpeople in academia.

I know it's covered a bit here. My girlfriend (who's still in University) mentioned that they had a class discussion it. I don't know the details, but I'll have to ask her. It was before she met me, too. She also wrote a paper on TS the semester before she met me.

My friend recently had an intro course, and she said it was entire two week section of her course.  She said it was not covered as in depth as she would have liked though.

It really does depend on where you go to school as well. 

My women's studies program is probably one of the most trans-positive in Canada!
We have two trans-specific courses: Intro to Trans Theory & Transexual & Transgender Cultural Production
We also have a few courses on issues of the body, in which trans issues come up A LOT, such as: Deviant Bodies & Feminist Perspectives on Body Modification
The acting principle of our department is a well known transsexual theorist/activist (her name is Viviane Namaste)!
As well out of a staff of 20 profs (tenured/part-time/sessional) we have 5 trans-identified folk!
In any given class it is guarenteed to find at least one or two trans-students!

So yeah....my perspective is a lil' skewed I think!  I'm sure it's not like that at a lot of other places!

xoxo
Patty

Quote from: GQPAT on May 18, 2007, 09:58:43 AM
My women's studies program is probably one of the most trans-positive in Canada!
We have two trans-specific courses: Intro to Trans Theory & Transexual & Transgender Cultural Production
We also have a few courses on issues of the body, in which trans issues come up A LOT, such as: Deviant Bodies & Feminist Perspectives on Body Modification
The acting principle of our department is a well known transsexual theorist/activist (her name is Viviane Namaste)!
As well out of a staff of 20 profs (tenured/part-time/sessional) we have 5 trans-identified folk!
In any given class it is guarenteed to find at least one or two trans-students!

So yeah....my perspective is a lil' skewed I think!  I'm sure it's not like that at a lot of other places!

xoxo
Patty

The numbers may be higher than most, but its not that skewed.  Obviously places like UC Berkley in North America (where Julia Serano is a biology professor) tend to have larger populations and more indepth perspectives.  Or ultra liberal schools like Evergreen, which is a queer mecca.  But in general the subject is gaining ground.  The one person I know goes to a satelite school in Illinois, and probably the least known in the Illinois Public University system, so it was not large by any means.

At my college, the department is "Women and Gender Studies," and it's covered in the intro courses, FTM as well as MTF.

At MIT, according to the readings for the Spring 2005 "Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies", ->-bleeped-<- is covered in 1 out of 26 lectures. 

http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Special-Programs/SP-401Spring-2005/Readings/index.htm

The subject matter seems to be swayed towards FTM based on the authors.  Doesn't seem like a trans lovefest for the MTFs 

We have a special department for transgender students here in Amsterdam, and it is governed  by the gender & women's studies dept.