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Gender and Sex on the College Campus: Emerging  Trends and Challenges

MATTHEW A. COONEY, PHD

LISA K. PENNINGTON, PHD

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Agenda

Positionality

Context of LGBTQ Collegians

The Case of the New College of Florida

Resources and Strategies 

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Positionality

POSITIONALITY IS THE CONCEPT THAT OUR PERSPECTIVES ARE BASED ON OUR PLACE IN SOCIETY AND WHERE WE STAND IN RELATION TO OTHERS SHAPES WHAT WE SEE AND UNDERSTAND. (SENSOY & DI’ANGELO, 2017).

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Positionality

Pedagogy

Social Justice

Political

Administrative

Personal

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Positionality

Love

Pedagogy

Social Justice

Political

Administrative

Personal

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Personal Positionality

Let’s identify/consider different aspects of our own positionalities. 

*Please note these are not things about your personality (responsible, outgoing, shy, etc.) but are often things you cannot control.  With a few aspects, like your job, you may have some control. 

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Female: certain expectations and stereotypes about women; concerns about things like safety and wage gaps.

White/Passamaquoddy: I may not always think or or be aware of how things are for people of color; I know I have white privilege; I am used to seeing myself reflected in society.

Middle class: basic needs are met; steady paycheck; health insurance; savings.

Able bodied: I don’t always pay attention to whether buildings are accessible for everyone.

American: I expect certain freedoms; I can travel freely; I expect a certain amount of comfort in everyday life.

Southern: bad history; southern accent=dumb.

Cisgender, heterosexual: my relationships are considered the norm by society; I have no worries about not identifying with the gender assigned to me at birth or being seen with my partner in public.

Geographic location: suburbs of a major US city; access to any good or service I could want; travel is easy.

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Positionality

“Whoever our students may be, whatever the subject we teach, ultimately we teach who we are”- Parker Palmer 

-What does this mean for us as educators?

-How can positionality influence us in the classroom?

-What are our positionalities?

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Positionality: Locus of Control

Governmental Polices

Community's Perspective

Administration's   Perspectves

Students' Perspective

Classroom/

Department 

Relationships

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Positionality: Locus of Control

Class materials and resources

Expanding on curriculum

Diverse perspectives

Classroom environment

Classroom

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Positionality: Locus of Control

Data collected 

Statements and actions  

Environment 

Resources 

Department 

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Context of LGBTQ Students

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Context for LGBTQ Issues

32.6%

…of LGBTQ people who attended a four-year college reported experiencing assault, bullying, or harassment

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Context for LGBTQ Issues

33%

…of LGBTQ people “seriously considered suicide in the past year, and 7% reported a suicide aFempt in the past year "

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Context for LGBTQ Issues

71.9%

LGBTQ people were 71.9% less likely to experience a sense of belonging on campus

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Florida

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Florida

  • Requiring the State University System Board of Governors (BOG) and State Board of Education (SBOE) to review and realign general education core courses to make sure they provide historically accurate, foundational and career relevant education; not suppress or distort significant historical events or include a curriculum that teaches identity politics;
  • Prohibiting higher education institutions from using any funding, regardless of source, to support DEI, CRT, and other discriminatory initiatives

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Source

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CASE STUDY: �FLORIDA AND GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS

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Case Study

Governor Ron DeSantis has authority to appoint members to Florida public universities’ Board of Trustees

  • Five appointed by the board of governors
  • Six appointed by the Governor
  • Faculty senate president
  • Student government president

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New College of Florida

  • Florida’s public, liberal arts college
  • “Left” leaning student body and curriculum
  • Low graduation and retention rates

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New College of Florida

  • DeSantis Appoints six new, conservative trustees
  • Florida Board of Governors appoints a trustee who is also conservative
  • The new board immediately fires President Patricia Okker
  • Interim president appointed: Richard Corcoran

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New College of Florida

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Resources and Strategies

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Framework for Equity and Justice in Higher Education Administration (Kezar & Posselt, 2019).

Clear definitions of equity and justice

Mindful administrative practice

Wisdom in judgement

Critical consciousness about power

Knowledge of self and positionality

Student centeredness

Routinizing mindfulness and wisdom

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Administrative Considerations

Avoiding the Oppression Olympics (Kilgo, 2020)

Compliance is NOT enough (Kulbuga & Spencer, 2019). 

Compositional diversity vs. Equity and Justice (Stewart, 2022)

Limit the focus on non-performatives (Ahmed, 2006)

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Teaching Considerations

  • Familiarize yourself with strategies to make your classroom inclusive and supportive.
    • Students are aware of and capable of discussing LGBTQ topics.
    • Sexuality and gender is multifaceted. Be aware of language. Learn preferred pronouns and terms.
    • Discipline when necessary and be consistent particularly if students are using slurs intentionally.
    • Talking about LGBTQ topics does not = talking about sex.
    • It’s better to be an imperfect advocate than a silent bystander.
    • Integrate LGBTQ books within your classroom library.
    • LGBTQ characters/historical figures = whole people with multiple interests/identities.
    • Relationships, not labels.
    • Do not place burden on LGBTQ students to explain LGBTQ topics.
    • Allow for free response and discussion time-students need to process and express themselves.

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Teaching Considerations

  • Have a plan for discussion.
    • Discussion rules. Practice.
    • Be aware of and use interrupter phrases when students make harmful or questionable comments (Hadley Dunn).
      • Please consider the impact of what you are saying.
      • That’s not funny.
      • That is not ok with me.
      • I didn’t realize you think that.
      • I’m going to stop you there.
      • Hold on, I need to process what you just said.
      • What you just said is harmful.
      • We don’t say things like that here.

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Teaching Resources

  • Continue to learn, ask questions, and educate yourself.

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