Supporting Our Trans Students in Higher Education: Perspectives of a Transfeminine TA

Transitioning into a university lifestyle can be a stressful experience for students. Some are leaving home for the first time, while others may be the first in their families to pursue higher education. In such cases, students must build new connections and support networks while simultaneously learning how to balance workload with their personal lives. For transgender students, challenges like these are compounded with a host of unique concerns: “Will instructors respect my correct pronouns and chosen name? Will my cisgender peers accept or exclude me, based on my gender? Can I feel safe expressing myself on campus?” Being a transfeminine person, these are worries I know all too well.

For many readers, some of the terms I used may be unfamiliar, so let us define them to be on the same page. Chemistry majors will be familiar with the Latin prefixes of “cis” and “trans”. Cis means “on this side”, while trans means “across from”. Therefore, cisgender refers to someone who continues to identify with the same binary gender (man or woman) they were assigned at birth, based on anatomy. In contrast, transgender refers to anyone who does not identify with the gender they were assigned at birth. A trans person might identify as a man or woman, or a nonbinary, a gender identity outside of, or not strictly confined to, the category of “man” or “woman”. It is also worth noting that “gender identity” and “gender expression” are related but distinct terms. “Identity” is one’s internal sense of how they relate to gender, and “expression” is externally observable traits, such as clothing or personal pronoun choice. Expression can be conforming to gender roles and expectations or nonconforming – which is also true for cisgender people! In relation to my own identity, being transfeminine means I was assigned male at birth, but my true gender aligns, at least in part, with being a woman. This aspect of my identity is expressed by using she/her and they/them pronouns, among other ways.

One last concept that informs all issues faced by trans students is that of cisnormativity. “Cisnormativity” is the false set of beliefs that gender is an immutable trait determined solely by anatomy, that one can only be a man or a woman, that men and women should each act in certain ways, and that defying social expectations around manhood or womanhood is wrong and undesirable (Simmons & White, 2014). As this belief is pervasive throughout society at large, it naturally influences university culture and life. In a Statistics Cananda survey on gender-based discrimination in post-secondary institutions, 22% of trans respondents reported to having been mistreated, insulted, ignored or excluded, and when asked whether they felt safe, or not fearful, of who they were perceived to be, only 33% of trans students agreed or strongly agreed (Statistics Canada, 2019). Feeling consistently unwelcome and unsafe can lead to a student dropping out of a program they may have otherwise excelled in.

With all these considerations, what can we as teaching assistants and instructors do to practically support our transgender students? Here are a few suggestions based on my experiences and understanding of good practices.

While sharing pronouns during introductions has become more common in recent years, its uptake is not ubiquitous. Consequently, the burden of disclosing personal pronouns can fall on the student, leading to a stressful dilemma. If a student chooses to give their pronouns where no one else does, that immediately puts attention on them and their identity and could negatively impact their peer interactions, or even safety. On the other hand, not speaking up means enduring incorrect gendering (being called “he”, when one wishes to be referred to as “they”, for example), which is an emotionally exhausting experience. As an instructor or TA, you can alleviate this burden by offering your pronouns first and inviting students to share theirs. When a student shares their pronouns, make sure to write them down and practice learning them as you would their name. Before a course begins, you may also offer students the option to share their pronouns and preferred name over email, which may be a less stressful alternative for some.

Other actions you can take to support trans students include ensuring your course policy explicitly states gender identity and gender expression as being protected from discrimination. Consistent misgendering of one student by another is a form of harassment and should receive appropriate consequences. Additionally, familiarizing yourself on Dalhousie’s +2SLGBTQIA+ student resources and providing those to your class helps your trans students find community on campus. I also recommend seeking out professional development workshops on trans or broader +2SLGBTQIA+ topics. These can be great opportunities to learn from qualified +2SLGBTQIA+ educators and can spark new ideas for supporting students. Attending local workshops helps to increase the demand for more, on related topics. In so doing, more instructors and TAs at your university get the opportunity to learn as well, which can help make more classes on campus safer for your trans students. Should you not find any offered, advocate for some!

Trans issues have become highly politicized in recent times and some instructors may be afraid of saying “the wrong thing”. I believe an important lesson to teach our students is that to truly learn something new, we need to be willing to make mistakes. Such a mindset is what is needed here. If you mess up, politely apologize, avoid being defensive, and strive to improve. Genuine effort will be apparent and likely appreciated by your students. Remember that everyone, cis and trans, benefits when we choose to push back against cisnormativity—it is one of many ways we may create a more compassionate classroom in which all our students can thrive.

References

Simmons, H., & White, F. (2014). Our many selves. In L. Erickson-Schroth (Ed.), Trans bodies, trans selves: A resource for the transgender community (pp. 3-23). New York, NY: Oxford.

Statistics Canada. (2020). Students’ experiences of discrimination based on gender, gender identity or sexual orientation at postsecondary schools in the Canadian provinces, 2019 (No. 85-005-x-No.001). https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/85-005-x/2020001/article/00001-eng.htm#r8