Transgender Issues
What SSAOs Need to Know
BY RONNI SANLO AND BRENT BILODEAU
You may remember the movie “Boys Don’t Cry.” It portrays
the life story of Brandon Teena, a young man who was raped
twice and subsequently murdered when his friends “discov-
ered” that he was not anatomically male. When police
interrogated Teena after the first rape, they fixated on his gender iden-
tity, wanting to know why he “acted like a guy,” rather than focus on the
violent crime perpetrated against him. The rapists were released from
police custody and sought Teena out again—this time to kill him.
Teena’s murderers felt they had been tricked by this “dyke who dressed
up as a guy.” In a drunken frenzy of gender paranoia, the murderers had
to prove to themselves and to Teena that he was “really” a she.
Such violence is intrinsically related to fear and prejudice
and to the unspoken societal mandate to suppress what it
means to be a “real woman” or a “real man.” One’s “failure” to
conform to current societal standards often provokes reactions
in the workplace, from verbal harassment to physical violence.
Ironically, standards of what it means to be male or female in
the United States are socially constructed and change with the
generations. Think about it. The clothing that Benjamin
Franklin and George Washington wore—typical for men of
stature in their day—would likely cause today’s savvy student
affairs professionals to smirk.
It is crucial that all employees enjoy a workplace free from
fear and ignorance. To facilitate that freedom, we offer an
overview of definitions and terms related to gender identity, a
summary of critical issues for transgender employees, and
recommendations for addressing discrepancies for campus
education, health care, facilities, and policy reform. The
themes addressed in this article may also help frame overall
campus efforts. We must also note that campus GLBT (gay,
lesbian, bisexual, and transgender) faculty and staff and
student communities may have comparable needs regarding
transgender inclusion.
