On Campus, Rethinking Biology 101

New York Slimes ^ | 3.7.2004 | Fred A. Bernstein

[NYC GOP Chick]

George Ruhe for The New York Times

NEW ACTIVISM Luke Woodward, center, and Claire Caleshu, right, both students at Brown University, are seeking a better environment for transgender classmates like Luke.

[NYC GOP Chick]

Yep, my alma mater strikes again!

At Smith, the women's college in Northampton, Mass., students voted last year to eliminate female pronouns from the student constitution at the request of transgender students. "She" and "her" were replaced with the phrase "the student."

Laurie Fenlason, a college spokeswoman, said that "the vote was undertaken by the students as a gesture of good will toward a handful of fellow students."

But the change was not without controversy. "It contradicts the whole point of having a women's college," said Esi Cleland, a Smith sophomore. "I am opposed to it, because there's something to be said for a women's college, and a lot of us come here because we choose to be in an environment where women are the primary focus."

I'm still not sure what the point is of having a women's college if they're going to admit students who are men pretending/claiming to be women...

[facedown]

The circus has truly come to town.

Sheesh...

[raloxk]

there is no greater moral rot in the unired states than at top tier universities

[billorites]

Chair of the English dept. at Colby College in Hooterville, ME decided he was a she.

So, he had his genitals mutilated and is making a career out of being a tranny poet.

Wierd sh*t.

Wife didn't take it well.

[aruanan]

Zachary Strassburger, a sophomore at Wesleyan University, in Middletown, Conn., said he "came out" to his parents as "trans" in the 10th grade. (Luke and Zachary, who were born female, asked to be referred to with male pronouns.)

Hmmm, trans, but want "male" pronouns. Perhaps being trans, they should adopt names such as Pat, Terry, Micky, Bobby, and Laurie.

[secret garden]

Laurie? That's purely female, not androgynous.

[Cathryn Crawford]

On Campus, Rethinking Biology 101

Is this why I can't pass??

[MegaSilver]

Okaaaaaaay....

There's a HUGE difference between intersexuality and transgenderism. HUGE.

[MegaSilver]

Okaaaaaaay....

There's a HUGE difference between intersexuality and transgenderism. HUGE.

[Scenic Sounds]

Is this why I can't pass??

LOL. Suuuuuuuure, Cathryn. You, who got all A's last semester!! ;-)

[Cathryn Crawford]

You know to what I am referring!!

[SpyGuy]

As to whether he will have further surgery, Luke said he hasn't decided. "This is often the first thing people ask me — about whether I'll get surgery `down there,' and I think it is really weird," Luke wrote

What? Slicing off your breasts and calling yourself a man isn't weird?.

We are creating a society of freaks and letting them dictate the downfall of our society. (I was going to write the downfall of our "civilization," but I'm not sure we can call it that any more.)

[Scenic Sounds]

Usted habla español hermoso y su biología es excepcional.

[Loyalist]

Why do these people consider sexual preference to be an immutable characteristic, but sex itself to be an artificial societal construct, freely changeable almost at will?

[Cathryn Crawford]

Gracias. ;-)

[farmfriend]

Now he and several other Brown students are pressing the university to create more single-stall bathrooms, so students who don't look clearly male or female can avoid harassment.

Translation: I'm different so the government must take care of me!

[RightWingAtheist]

Because they'll only accept scientific evidence when it furthers their agenda. Otherwise, it all boils down to social construction.

[RightWingAtheist]

[summer]

What? Slicing off your breasts and calling yourself a man isn't weird?.

My reaction, exactly. It IS weird.

I have to say, I consider myself pretty open-minded, but I was floored reading this article. Who knew that:

1) The Wesleyan campus health services clinic no longer requires students to check off "M" or "F" when coming in for a "wellness and sexual health visit." Instead, they are asked on a form to "describe your gender identity history."

2)... Paige Kruza, is biologically female but looks androgynous. Paige's roommate is male and is extremely respectful, Paige said. When referring to Paige, he uses pronouns that have evolved in the transgender community: "ze" instead of "he" or "she"; "hir" instead of "him" or "her."

3) At Smith, the women's college in Northampton, Mass., students voted last year to eliminate female pronouns from the student constitution at the request of transgender students. "She" and "her" were replaced with the phrase "the student."

"The transgender community is becoming more vocal and more visible," Dr. Mallon said. "Some are asking for accommodations; others don't need accommodations, but just want to be respected for the gender that they are. I think it may be where the gay movement was 10 or 15 years ago."

Now, what happens when two transgender people want to get married, and neither one wants to be called: he or she, or him or her, or husband or wife, or mom or dad? I am now beginning to think this constitutional amendment on male/female marriage really is necessary.