ergh i want to email the professor but i don't think i should.....
"The readings you are assigning in this class propagate false and damaging stereotypes of trans* people. They tokenize intersex and trans* people in order to make (equally false and damaging) points about gender as an absolute social construct. To assign these readings to a group of students that is largely composed of freshmen-with-no-background-in-gender-studies is dangerous and irresponsible, especially since it appears as though class time will be devoted to summarizing rather than critically analyzing the readings. Holmes and Lorber in particular exploit the 'experiences' of trans* and intersex people at the expense of actual trans* and intersex people themselves, and they teach unwitting students that this is an acceptable or even good thing to do.
The materials being used for this class make me extremely uncomfortable because of these and other reasons (e.g., the texts also contain views towards non-Western gender identities and experiences that reek of thinly-veiled cultural imperialism). I can't speak for others in the class, but I feel that my identity and lived experiences as a trans* person are being dismissed and exploited, and it seems silly to assume that I am alone in that regard.
I strongly urge you to devote class time to rectifying this situation and discussing these issues, and to reconsider assigning such readings in the future.
Re: an important clarification
"The readings you are assigning in this class propagate false and damaging stereotypes of trans* people. They tokenize intersex and trans* people in order to make (equally false and damaging) points about gender as an absolute social construct. To assign these readings to a group of students that is largely composed of freshmen-with-no-background-in-gender-studies is dangerous and irresponsible, especially since it appears as though class time will be devoted to summarizing rather than critically analyzing the readings. Holmes and Lorber in particular exploit the 'experiences' of trans* and intersex people at the expense of actual trans* and intersex people themselves, and they teach unwitting students that this is an acceptable or even good thing to do.
The materials being used for this class make me extremely uncomfortable because of these and other reasons (e.g., the texts also contain views towards non-Western gender identities and experiences that reek of thinly-veiled cultural imperialism). I can't speak for others in the class, but I feel that my identity and lived experiences as a trans* person are being dismissed and exploited, and it seems silly to assume that I am alone in that regard.
I strongly urge you to devote class time to rectifying this situation and discussing these issues, and to reconsider assigning such readings in the future.
Thanks, and see you tomorrow!
Simon
Uhhhhhhm maybe not.