Department
Leadership
Date
2022
Degree Name
Doctor of Education in Leadership (Ed.D.)
Type of Paper/Work
Dissertation
Advisor
Jayne K. Sommers
Second Advisor
Leah Reinert
Third Advisor
Aura Wharton-Beck
Abstract
This qualitative, multiple case study examined the factors that affect classroom experiences of trans* college students in the United States pursuing associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degrees. Participants included 19 students with a variety of trans identities attending various institutions across the United States. I conducted initial interviews with each participant at the beginning of the spring 2021 semester, collected monthly written reflections throughout the semester, and conducted a final interview with each participant at the end of the term. This study was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, and thus, interviews were conducted virtually. I used open coding to analyze the interview transcripts and reflections, then identified categories and themes. Analysis revealed five themes: Navigating gender identity, the power of language, the trans* tax, the (mis)education of sex and gender, and community. I interpreted the findings using Bronfenbrenner’s (1976) ecological systems theory and queer theory. This study provides many recommendations to stakeholders, including instructors, institutions of higher education, students, families, and more.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Stieg, Carley R., "Trans*forming College Classrooms into Gender-Inclusive Spaces: A Case Study Amplifying Transgender Students’ Voices" (2022). Education Doctoral Dissertations in Leadership. 170.
https://ir.stthomas.edu/caps_ed_lead_docdiss/170