Women's College Student Affairs Administrators and Transgender Students

304 Pages·2014·0.91 MB·English

Navigating Discourses of Discomfort:
Women's College Student Affairs
Administrators and Transgender
Students
Author: Susan B. Marine
Persistent link: http://hdl.handle.net/2345/649
This work is posted on eScholarship@BC,
Boston College University Libraries.
Boston College Electronic Thesis or Dissertation, 2009
Copyright is held by the author, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise noted.
BOSTON COLLEGE
Lynch School of Education

Department of Educational Administration and Higher Education
Program in Higher Education

NAVIGATING DISCOURSES OF DISCOMFORT: WOMEN’S COLLEGE STUDENT
AFFAIRS ADMINISTRATORS AND TRANSGENDER STUDENTS

Dissertation
by
SUSAN B. MARINE

Submitted in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy

May 2009
Copyright
2009
Susan B. Marine
©
All rights reserved

i
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

My journey from my very first doctoral course in Fall of 2003 to the end has been
overwhelmingly positive, thanks largely to the kind, generous, and steadfast family and
friends who have supported me through this process. I owe each of them, and many
others not mentioned by name here, more than words could ever express.

First and foremost, my family. My mother, Marjorie, has been my rock through
this process, always expressing her faith in my abilities and her pride in my work. I
would never have entertained the idea to undertake doctoral work if it were not for the
inspiration she provided through her own scholarly commitment. Seeing her books and
papers spread out across the dining room table when I was a young girl, and watching her
persevere while working full time and raising me and my sister, was the most inspiring
example I could ever ask for. My father, James, endowed me with love and reverence for
higher education, and I have learned much from the luminous example of his
distinguished career, evidenced by both the care for and devotion of his former students.
My stepmother Judy, also a consummate educator, has been a constant and kind
supporter, always asking about my work and offering support in the long days and nights
of writing. My sister Cindy, truly my best friend and confidante, and her husband Glenn,
have offered endless love and kindness while ‘Auntie Sue’ was in the final throes of this
project. I hope someday my example might inspire my beloved nieces (Cameron Lynne
and Susan Brooke), my nephew (William Blake), and my God-daughter (Abeba Grace) to
have faith enough to act on their own dreams.

To my committee, whom I have considered the ‘intellectual scaffolding’ of this
project, I thank you. Karen Arnold has been unfailingly kind, and has helped me to think
harder about the core questions of feminist educational practice throughout this whole
experience. Jim Mahalik’s integrity and commitment to asking deep and necessary
questions about men’s lives and experiences will continue to be a beacon of inspiration
for my own work. And to my chair, Ana M. Martínez Alemán, who has both nurtured
and challenged me from the moment I first entered her classroom in Fall of 2003, thank
you for seamlessly modeling feminist intellectualism, and for your invaluable investment
in my learning, now and in the future.

I am tremendously grateful to the NASPA (National Association of Student
Personnel Administrators) Foundation for grant support to complete the travel necessary
for this project, and to the Myra Sadker Foundation, and David Sadker, for their
generosity also. I have been truly humbled to be a beneficiary of Myra’s awesome legacy
of change, and hope that my work faithfully represents an effort to carry it forward.

To the talented and dedicated women’s college student affairs administrators in
this study who entrusted me with making meaning of their words and faithfully
representing their perspectives. Their enthusiasm for their work, their creativity about
how they do it, and their thoughtful dedication to it inspired me at every turn. To my
friends in the transgender and trans ally community – your example of commitment is
truly inspirational. Special thanks to Cameron, Susan, the Trans Task Force at Harvard,
and Shannon and Hadley at “Translate Gender,” for the work you do, the lives you lead,
and the eminently principled way you do both, which has informed this study richly.

Throughout my five years of ‘double duty,’ my many friends at Harvard College
have made the journey possible. I am especially indebted to my superlative colleagues
Bridget and Sandy, and the talented and committed student interns at the Harvard College
Women’s Center. Judith has been the most supportive and generous supervisor and
colleague through this whole experience. Paul has been a constant cheerleader who, along
with his husband Jason, have been the very best neighborly support team and friends
Karen and I could ever hope for. The faculty, staff and students of Harvard’s Committee
on Degrees in Women, Gender, and Sexuality provided me with the most inspiring
community of teachers, learners, and activists, and for that I am deeply humbled.

One of the greatest gifts in my life is the community of adored women I call my
‘second family’: Chris and Michelle, Deb and Michelle, Joni and Cecilia, and Krissy and
Lyn – who have seen me through it all with abundant good humor and with no
complaints. To Fran, for encouraging me to consider Boston College in the first place,
and for giving me a sense of what it might bring, and to Sheryl for being a role model of
calm abiding, always. To Alisha, for her endless long distance love and support, and
generosity during my research travels. To Jeff, for caring and laughing with me. And to
my dear Kathleen, with whom I really began this journey seventeen years ago in Bowling
Green, Ohio -- a very special thank you for helping me be a better and more confident
learner and scholar through your shining example.

I have been blessed to be mentored and cared for by many exceptional scholars
and administrators in higher education and feminist social change work, including Jack,
Rick, Phil, Martha, Carney, Carolyn, Kimberly, Katie, Paul, Cindy, Gabrielle, Giavanna,
Xenia, Marsha, Joanna, Jennifer, and Nancy. Many thanks for all you have meant to my
growth and learning, in the past, present and future.

To the ‘other two musketeers,’ my cherished comrades Katie and Harry, who
have been the most amazing fellow travelers I could ask for. Walking step by step down
this long road with both of you has been such a privilege. Thank you for being my
teammates and most valued advisors through it all.

To my precious dog Tanner, who has seen me quietly and lovingly through so
many days and nights at my desk and on the couch, papers and files akimbo, while I
worked feverishly to finish, especially in January 2009.

And finally, to my beloved wife Karen, my foundation and companion in all things in
life. This project could never have happened without her proofreading, idea vetting,
formatting, and endless support for my travel, writing, and mini-sabbatical.Her devotion
to seeing me through to the end of this journey, whatever it took and asked of both of us,
has confirmed my suspicion that I have truly won the life partner lottery. My eternal
gratitude will never truly suffice. She in these pages as much as I, and they are so much
the better for it
DEDICATION

For all those working for social justice, and for all those whose lives are testament to the
power of truth-telling.

“The moment of change is the only poem.”

- Adrienne Rich
iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Abstract p. 1-2

Chapter 1
Introduction p. 3-4
The American Women’s College: Its Origins and Today p. 5-16
Diversity and Exclusion in the History of Women’s Colleges p. 16-21
Transgender Identities p. 21-29
Who are Transgender College Students? P. 29-30
Transgender Student Presence at Women’s Colleges p. 31-42
Contested Space: Tensions Between Feminists and
Transgender Rights Activists p. 42-48
Rationale for this Study p. 48-50
Study Overview p. 50-53

Chapter 2: Review of the Literature

Introduction p. 54-56
Women’s College Outcomes p. 56-66
Transgender Students: Issues and Challenges p. 66-76
Student Affairs: A Profession’s History p. 77-80
Student Development: The Core of Student Affairs Work p. 80-82
Statements of Student Affairs Professional Practice p. 82-86
Student Affairs and Social Justice p. 86-89
Student Affairs and LGBT Issues p. 89-93
Professional Preparation of Student Affairs Practitioners p. 93-95
Feminist Student Affairs Practice p. 95-100
Conclusion p. 101

Chapter 3: Methodology

Introduction p. 102-103
Paradigmatic Approach: Feminist Epistemology p. 103-104
Methodology p. 104-106
Researcher Positionality p. 106-109
Feminist Method: In-depth Interviewing p. 109-110
Purposeful Sampling p. 110-115
Table 1: Participant demographics p. 113-114
Institutional context p. 115-119
Table 2: Material indicators examined related to
research question, by college p. 118
Confidentiality p. 119-121
Interview Procedure p. 121-122
Data Analysis p. 123-124
v
Data Triangulation p. 124-126
Intercoder Agreement p. 126-127
Pilot Study p. 127-128
Limitations p. 128-129
Summary and Conclusion p. 130

Chapter 4: Findings

Introduction p. 131-133
“One of Ours Too: Positive Regard for Transgender Students p. 134-144
Negotiating the Institutional Context of women’s colleges p. 144-165
“She is Everywhere: Language and Imagery in the Women’s College
p.145-150
“Everyone Can Be Who They Are Here”: Free Expression at
Women’s Colleges p. 150-155
“What do they see when they see us?: Image and Reality at
Women’s Colleges p. 155-161
“They Don’t Want to Deal With It: Peer Resistance to Transgender
Student Presence p. 161-165
“Engendering Trust”: WCSAAs as Supporters of Transgender Students p. 165-175
Table 3: Actions taken to support transgender students at women’s colleges, by
category p. 166
“Making a Case for Change”: WCSAAs as Advocates for Transgender
Students p. 175-181
“I’m Not Sure I Am On Board”: Ambivalence Toward Transgender
Students p. 181-183
“Being the Bridge”: Feminist Identity and Women’s College Work p. 183-192
Summary and Conclusion p. 192-194

Chapter 5: Discussion

Introduction p. 195
Implications for theory
Philosophy of practice: An ethic of care p. 196-203
Philosophy of practice: Social justice p. 203-204
Philosophy of practice: feminist student affairs work p. 204-208
Implications for policy
Off the record: Policy and power at women’s colleges p. 209-213
Our bodies, ourselves? what makes a woman at women’s colleges p. 213-220
Toward the future: Policy alternatives to either/or at
the women’s college p. 220-224
Implications for practice
Advancing a commitment to social justice p. 225-229
Learning and teaching about transgender issues p. 229-233
Trans-forming the coeducational institution p. 233-236
Act, reflect, adapt: The scholarly practice of student affairs p. 237-238
vi
Chapter 5, continued

Emerging Contested Ground p. 239-241
Summary and Conclusion p. 242-247

Appendix A: Consent Form and study recruitment letter p. 248-251

Appendix B: Data collection instrument p. 252

Appendix C: Textural Composite Description p. 253-256

References p. 257-295

TABLES

Table 1: Participant demographics p. 113-114
Table 2: Material indicators examined related to
research question, by college p. 118

Table 3: Actions taken to support transgender students at women’s p. 166
colleges, by category
vii
ABSTRACT

The contemporary American women’s college boasts an illustrious history of providing
superior education for women, one that leads to significantly more positive educational
outcomes for women than a coeducation college experience (including graduate degree
attainment, persistence in science and mathematics, and achievement of high-level
positions in many career fields). Recently, a small but vocal group of students who
identify as transgender and who are living as male, genderqueer, or transitioning to live
as male have emerged as a visible sub-population in many highly selective women’s
colleges. In this qualitative, phenomenological study of the perceptions of student affairs
administrators (n=31) regarding their perceptions of and experiences working with
transgender students, these key facilitators of student growth and development expressed
beliefs and actions that characterized them almost uniformly as supporters of transgender
students. A smaller subset of participants (advocates) took decisive and change-oriented
action on their campuses, resulting in a shift of policy and practice. The data indicated
that there appeared to be coherence between these two identities and adherence to a
philosophy of feminist and/or womanist identity and practices. By effectively navigating
what one participant named ‘discourses of discomfort’ about transgender students on
campus, participants demonstrated professional identities typified by an ethics of care and
social justice in their work, as well as demonstrating practices that were defined by
normalizing belonging for transgender students. Implications for practice include
continued attention to advancing social justice at women’s colleges, enhancement of
learning and teaching about transgender lives and identities at women’s colleges, and
increased commitment to trans-formation of coeducational college environments. Further
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