Transgender week raises awareness

When charters were submitted last year the Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Union (LGBU), a student organization, changed its name to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Union (LGBTU).

This week, events were scheduled to explain the meaning of the "T."

"It is part of a national trend to address transsexual issues in the LGB community. In understanding how gender works in LGB people's view of themselves, gender is a big part of being gay," said Cara Wick, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) community coordinator in the Multicultural Resource Center (MRC).

The week began Monday with a presentation by Holly Boswell, OC '72, on gender spirituality and transgender activism. Other events included a film screening of "You Don't Know Dick," which included interviews with various members of the transgender community.

A group discussion with Trans Family of Cleveland was also scheduled. Trans Family is a group of transgender people formed to support each other and help other individuals looking to explore transgender issues.

Members explained that gender is a complex issue that is often looked at in simplified terms. Family member Vanessa Ward said, "Nobody is 100 percent female or 100 percent male. Everyone is somewhere in between, although most of us don't realize it."

The week's main event was an address by author and activist Leslie Feinberg Thursday night. Feinberg's presentation on the state of the Transgender Liberation movement attracted a standing room only crowd to King 306.

When charters were submitted last year the Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Union (LGBU), a student organization, changed its name to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Union (LGBTU). According to Wick, students expressed early in the year that they needed to address more fully the issue of adding the label of transgender to the organization.

"I define transgender pretty basically: 'trans' means to cross a border, so you are saying you are crossing gender borders. It means not to exist in a bipolar masculine/feminine world that society upholds," said Wick.

First-year Bogi Lateiner, one of the organizers of the week, said she felt that the campus needed more education on transgender issues. "We have heard from a number of other colleges about the week. I have heard that this is the first trans awareness week ever held on a university campus," said Lateiner.

According to Lateiner, "The only images students have are the people on Maury Povich, and those are very one-dimensional portrayals. The weeks' purpose is to educate people about different aspects of the transgender community."

Wick said attendance for the first few events has been solid. "People have been asking a lot of questions, which is good. I like this week because it relates to everyone in the Oberlin community and we can all learn something," she said.

Wick said the week was planned to coincide with Drag Ball and includes a visit by His Kings, drag kings from Columbus who will be performing at Drag Ball on Saturday night.