Daphne,


I think classrooms can be a "safe" place for transgender learners if the instructor creates a safe place. As a teacher, I believe because we teach students to note the differences (in all matters) differences will be noted.

The next step: maybe to teach differences as a positive and not a negative; and to teach that every individual, every group, every society, has differences - and those difference can be leveraged for the benefit of everyone.

I am surprised (and not surprised) that the police continue to be part of the problem and not part of the solution.

Transgender learners, teachers, administrators will continue to have problems - as we continue to use differences to compete, make ourselves feel better, and hold on to socially "programmed" ideas.

my thoughts - as we roll into a new year

Sam - peace to everyone



-----Original Message-----
From: womenliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:womenliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov]On Behalf Of Daphne Greenberg
Sent: Friday, December 30, 2005 9:36 AM
To: womenliteracy at nifl.gov
Subject: [WomenLiteracy]


Some of us may have transgender learners in our classrooms. In the fall, Amnesty International produced a report on police abuse and misconduct against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the US. According to the fall 2005 INTERACT Newsletter (published by the Women's Humans Rights Action Network of Amnesty International) one of the most signficant findings of the report is the degree to which transgender women are targeted for abuse and misconduct by the police. The newsletter also states that "violence against women is characteristically underreported because women are ashamed or fear skepticism and disbelief. Lesbians, transgender men and women who are perceived as too masculine fear reporting abuse as all too often they are seen as responsible for the violence committed agains them and the violence is seen as a 'punishment' for their lack of conformity." (p. 5)
Do any of you have any thoughts about whether adult literacy classrooms are in "safe" places for transgender learners, teachers, administrators? 
Daphne


Daphne Greenberg
Assistant Professor
Educational Psych. & Special Ed.
Georgia State University
P.O. Box 3979
Atlanta, Georgia 30302-3979
phone: 404-651-0127
fax:404-651-4901
dgreenberg at gsu.edu

Daphne Greenberg
Associate Director
Center for the Study of Adult Literacy
Georgia State University
P.O. Box 3977
Atlanta, Georgia 30302-3977
phone: 404-651-0127
fax:404-651-4901
dgreenberg at gsu.edu
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