Kimberley
06-09-2008, 09:18 PM
Over the past year, my appearance has changed (although I am sans hormones for the moment.) Anyway I notice I am getting sideways glances more often and at one point in a coffee shop a guy with a really ugly look on his face, started toward me then changed his mind. Anyway it all adds up.
So I decided to check the diversity policy of the college in detail. Now, the college has a large community of LGB in the staff and faculty and the administration have been supportive of them. As we all know, being trans strikes at others sense of self, and then is often interpreted as an affront. This applies to everyone except us it seems. I know it is our battle to fight.
Anyway, I sent a note off to the diversity adviser/counsellor identifying myself as part time faculty and being trans. My concern is obvious. I need to know that if a situation were to arise, would the college support me? (It is worth noting that most of my students have attitudes fueled by testosterone.) We did have one T-girl come out a couple of decades ago and she found her contracts werent renewed so I want to be sure this isnt going to happen with me if it gets that far.
Next I get super "hidy ho neighbour" reply, an invitation to lunch, and her assurances that all is confidential. Of course it is; she is a registered counsellor. Duh.. Anyway to shorten the story a bit, she ended up sending me a manual she had been working on for diversity training. Okay it was 98% heavy on the LGB side and typically light on the trans. Not surprised. She asked me to write a section on trans for it which I did. Now it is down to lunch with her on Thursday.
So, I guess they have their LGB community and I will be the token t-girl. lol. If the policies are as strong as she claims I will feel a lot better about all this. Too bad I dont make enough to fund transition. Ugh!
There is hope.
So I decided to check the diversity policy of the college in detail. Now, the college has a large community of LGB in the staff and faculty and the administration have been supportive of them. As we all know, being trans strikes at others sense of self, and then is often interpreted as an affront. This applies to everyone except us it seems. I know it is our battle to fight.
Anyway, I sent a note off to the diversity adviser/counsellor identifying myself as part time faculty and being trans. My concern is obvious. I need to know that if a situation were to arise, would the college support me? (It is worth noting that most of my students have attitudes fueled by testosterone.) We did have one T-girl come out a couple of decades ago and she found her contracts werent renewed so I want to be sure this isnt going to happen with me if it gets that far.
Next I get super "hidy ho neighbour" reply, an invitation to lunch, and her assurances that all is confidential. Of course it is; she is a registered counsellor. Duh.. Anyway to shorten the story a bit, she ended up sending me a manual she had been working on for diversity training. Okay it was 98% heavy on the LGB side and typically light on the trans. Not surprised. She asked me to write a section on trans for it which I did. Now it is down to lunch with her on Thursday.
So, I guess they have their LGB community and I will be the token t-girl. lol. If the policies are as strong as she claims I will feel a lot better about all this. Too bad I dont make enough to fund transition. Ugh!
There is hope.