Trans* in College: Transgender Students' Strategies for Navigating Campus Life and the Institutional Politics of Inclusion

by Z. Nicolazzo, Stephen John Quaye (Afterword), Kristen A. Renn (Foreword)

With recent estimates of the trans* population in the United States showing three to six times as many trans* people under the age of 18 as there are over the age of 18, the work Z Nicolazzo undertakes in this book should be required reading for educators at every level of instruction. Gender is changing in ways we can scarcely comprehend, and millions of students already live lives that break the gender binary and contest what Nicolazzo calls 'compulsory heterogenderism.' We owe it to those students to acknowledge their reality, and reflect it in our pedagogy, curriculum, and institutional practices.--Susan Stryker, Associate Professor of Gender and Women's Studies, University of Arizona, and founding co-editor of Transgender Studies QuarterlyA must-read resource for higher education administrators, faculty, and those providing support services. Summing Highly recommended."--CHOICEWINNER of 2017 AERA DIVISION J OUTSTANDING PUBLICATION AWARDCHOICE 2017 Outstanding Academic Title

Genres: Nonfiction, Queer, LGBT, Education, Social Justice, Academic, Transgender

232 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 29, 2016

Reviews

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gave this book 5 stars because it is really good. However, I do need to point out that it is written for a very an audience of campus professionals, not something you are going to pick up for a bit of light reading. However, if you have an interest in the topic, I highly recommend it (not only because the company I work for published it, mind you). The author is trans* and the book reports on a critical collaborative ethnography, in which the author works with a small group of trans* folk on a single campus to describe their experience and what it reveals about (as the subtitle puts it) "transgender students' strategies for navigating campus life and the institutional politics of inclusion."

Even within this small group, the variety of trans* identities and experiences is quite astonishing, so this will be eye-opening even for those of us who may think we are familiar with trans* stories. There are some heartbreaking stories of how hard college life can be to navigate if you are not Jack and Jill Normal from Binary Gender Town. I think college, and life in general, can be hard for anyone. So then imagine how much more complicated it gets if you are say, African-American, or disabled, or not identified with either binary gender, or all three, while also a young person trying to get through college and figure out life. Fortunately, the author (and the other subjects of the study) have some ideas about how colleges can do better, and I know many people will read this book in hopes of doing better by the trans* students on their campuses.

P.S. I was happy to see the author evoke the "epistemology of love" advocated by Parker Palmer and Arthur Zajonc in their 2010 book "The Heart of Higher Education," which I had the good fortune to work on.

[David Ernst · Rating 5 out of 5]

This account was very well written and investigated. Keeping it in context of the study size and length, Z was able to extract some very interesting responses from the students at CU and to extrapolate very interesting connections and departures. This should definitely sit on the bookshelf at the ready for SA professionals as the trans* population's role on college campuses becomes increasing salient and evident.

[Billy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Detailed but easy to read.
An excellent and thought-provoking book based on Nicolazzo's case studies with various students (in the US) from hir dissertation.
Really liked the chapter on 'Compulsory heterogenderism'.
Ties in with work from Butler, Stryker, Hines, and Pearce.

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An insightful ethnography on transgender college students, their varied perspectives and identities, and how those of us with any power in the system can do better.

[elijah ! · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing. I loved it. I would recommend to trans people in college wanting to relate about experiences they've had. Of course, I'd love if educators and other school faculty read it.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent resource that I read during my lunch breaks at work. I enjoyed the narrative approach and learned so much about the lives of trans* students on campus through their stories. I also appreciated Nicolazzo's definition and exploration of resilience as a verb. Nicolazzo used the phrase "practicing resiliency," which spoke to me as I have seen the navigation of resilience be dependent on context and level of safety. These are all concepts I think about on a regular basis and I appreciate Nicolazzo putting into words something I've never fully been able to articulate.

The discussion about the ability of "best practices" to uphold the oppressive status quo was fascinating to me, as it isn't one I've come across before but makes complete sense. Movement away from "best practices" towards systemic change feels daunting but necessary.

Excellent resource for anyone who wants to support trans*, NB and/or gender diverse students on college campuses.

[Orpheus · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a trans student currently trying to navigate university and academia, this book was a breath of fresh air. Many of the issues that the book brought up were relevant to me and seeing how other people dealt with them was both helpful and encouraging. As an anthropological study, I really enjoyed it.

[Maggie Bolden · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best and most educational book I have EVER read, about anything but especially about trans* and queer subjects. I developed a much deeper understanding and feel like I can engage in proper discourse and justice around this topic now. I am so thankful for Nicolazzo’s work. MUST READ if you work in higher education but honestly if you even just wanna be a decent human being. 10000/10.

[Shana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is a great introductory book for folks looking to learn more about trans* identities. The author makes the conversation approachable and works to help people who don’t know much about the topic understand. The qualitative data is very interesting and engaging.

[Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The methodology and analysis leave something to be desired, but it contains important ethnographic data about an underserved community: trans collegians.

[Chloe :D · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was kind of awkward to read. Personally, * after trans at every mention of it made it really awkward. I read it because I was kind of curious about the transgender experience in college, but honestly, this book was not really what I was looking for. I have personal connections to this book because I will be going to college in a couple of years. There were quite a few terms that I did not know which has never happened to me and I have read quite a few other books about transgender experiences, but it was fine because there were a lot of notes and a glossary. The book was not what I expected or what I was looking for, but it was not a bad book.

I like how the book used a variety of transgender people instead of just transgender men and women. They also included agender, genderqueer, nonbinary, and someone in a gray space. This is pretty important and sets it apart from many other books because many of the other books I have read only wrote about trans women or men. Many books don’t recognize the idea of nonbinary, agender, genderqueer, and more genders as under the transgender umbrella.

I honestly wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone. This book just doesn’t have much that the internet doesn’t provide and the * after every mention of trans makes the book super awkward to read. The book is decent if it is really impossible to just look everything up and you still want to know about the transgender experience in college, but considering that you are reading a Goodreads review, you probably have access to the internet. The book was fine, but Google searches are way better for getting information on being transgender in college.

[Ginny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book for my HIED 820: The College Student course. It is a critical collaborative ethnography of trans* students on a college campus. Nicolazzo is trans*, which I think brings a unique perspective to the study. The ways in which trans* students experience both the explicit and implicit aspects of college life is deeply important and not something that higher education professionals discuss often enough. As someone who does not know much about the trans* culture or trans* experience, I learned a lot from Nicolazzo's book. I enjoyed the way that student voice is interspersed with the research findings. I also appreciated the glossary in the back, as someone who has admittedly not done enough reading on trans* culture.

I gave the book four stars because I think it's repetitive. Granted, I myself have never conducted a critical collaborative ethnography and then written a book about it, so I have a deep respect for Nicolazzo's effort and talent. Please take my small piece of criticism with that in mind. Perhaps it comes from my own naivete about trans* folk and culture. This book certainly prompted me to explore trans*-related literature more fully, in an effort to better serve my students.

[Geoffrey Bateman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This study is a must-read for anyone—faculty, staff, or administrator—working in higher education today and who wants to understand the oppression that trans* students face on our campuses, as well as the powerful ways they practice resilience and create networks of kinship to survive. It’s a qualitative, ethnographic study that explores the experiences of nine trans* students on one campus. Nicolazzo takes their experiences and situates them within larger theoretical and empirical findings to great insights, paying especially sensitive attention to intersecting identities and structures of privilege and oppression. The final chapter includes especially thoughtful suggestions on how those of his who work in higher education can work to create transformed campus environments that could foster the flourishing of our trans* students.

[Libia Marqueza Castro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Z Nicolazzo approaches the writing of this book with love and justice for not only the participants of this study, but for the entire trans* community. This book has further emphasized the personal and professional work I need to do in order to be a champion for trans* students and un-gendering spaces on a college campuses. As a queer, cisgender woman, I know there is A LOT of unlearning I need to do regarding gender and sexuality (yes, sexuality. I may be queer but I can easily oppress my own community and trans* folks who often get conflated with sexuality) and Z gives us a wonderfully written, scholarly approach to moving beyond what we know and accept to be true in our field of higher education.

I highly recommend this book for folks who want to unlearn “compulsory heterogendered” practices and become a better human and practitioner for trans* students.

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A vital resource as an administrator, especially, one who focuses on Orientation and welcoming all students to campus. Nicolazzo’s work not only provides foundational information, if that is what the reader needs, but by using the words of members of the trans* community it clarifies the myriad issues that exist: (in)visibility, binary gender discourse, and kinship. Once made aware of these issues the book makes some practical recommendations on creating a truly trans*-inclusive campus.

[Devon Boudreau · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read for my gender in education class and it was great. While I understand Z's point of not defining terms for the reader it was a little frustrating for someone who knows little about trans* society and hope that this would be an amazing resource for me to develop as an ally

[AJ Ladner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book because it gives me something tangible to give to others when engaging about what it's like to be trans* student in the higher education environment. This book is an imperative read for anyone thinking about going into or currently working at a higher education institution.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very educational. This book challenged some of my pre-conceptions and I am a better advocate for all students because of it. I definitely recommend the book but it is based on a study and as such it is an academic read more than a fun and engaging read.

[K O · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought it to be very relatable and felt understood in a sense by hearing stories of other trans college students. The study was conducted a decade ago now and I am just finding this book but some of the quotes frm the interviews were really meaningful.

[Margy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastically accessible in its language, this piece should be a mandatory read for all higher education professionals.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Important book for student affairs practitioners and other folks who work in a higher ed context.

[Beth E · Rating 3 out of 5]

I could use some more ideas about how to help transgender students feel comfortable at college.

[Errrrrrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

The summary does an excellent job of telling you what this book is about, so I won't repeat it here. I will say that even though this is an academic book and will probably largely be read by an academic audience, you don't need a deep knowledge of trans* studies to appreciate and understand this work and the experiences navigating a university that the nine trans* students in the study relate. Dr. Nicolazzo does an excellent job of explaining the literature and how this study fits into it, and explaining terminology (even going so far as to provide a glossary of terms in the back of the book). Anyone should be able to read and understand this book. It's well written, tells you what you need to know and gives you the context you need, and is on a very important topic.

Highly recommended for anyone who wants to learn how trans* students navigate college spaces, and administrators or instructors who want to serve their students (and I mean all their students, not just trans* students) better.

[Mills College Library]

378.198 N641 2017