This lack of understanding is at the root of many of the uncomfortable moments trans students experience, Morgan says.
Experts, however, say that ignorance about these issues is a nationwide problem.
“Transphobia exists in the broader society and as a result Harvard is not exempt from this,” Sara Kimmel, a psychologist at University Health Services and director of the College’s residential BGLTS tutors, writes in an email. “There is still a need for education to reduce ignorance and the lack of understanding about the transgender community.”
When Morgan came out in informal settings, he would face a barrage of questions. He was asked everything from the most basic, “What does that mean?” to the more personal, “Have you told your family?” and, “Why?”
“I felt like I had to immediately launch into a Trans 101,” Morgan says. “It is basically up to you to teach people, and that’s an unfair burden to put on someone who’s dealing with the process of coming out themselves.”
Meanwhile, the University’s recognition of the Naval Reserve Officers’ Training Corps has pushed the campus’ relatively low-key trans activist community into the limelight.
Following the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” last fall, University President Drew G. Faust recognized NROTC at an official signing ceremony in Loeb House in March—much to the dismay of campus trans activists. The advocates—30 or so of whom protested outside Loeb House during the ceremony—say that military medical policy, which excludes trans-identified individuals, violates Harvard’s non-discrimination policy.
Capitalizing on this attention, the Trans Task Force has held several Trans 101 workshops over the course of the semester. Recently, the TTF ran a workshop for the Harvard University Police Department and hopes to establish a Trans 101 program for teaching fellows at the Bok Learning Center.
Lee and other members of the TTF will be restructuring the organization over the summer to establish a more formal education and outreach branch that will organize events that expose students to trans issues and broader conversations about gender identity.
Looking toward the future, TTF and trans activists hope to better integrate awareness about trans issues into Harvard’s culture.
“This isn’t reinventing the wheel,” Morgan says. “We’re Harvard, I think once we sit down we can figure out how to make our environment more trans friendly. It’s really a matter of people thinking that trans issues are not a priority because they haven’t heard about them.”
—Staff writer Tara W. Merrigan can be reached at tmerrigan@college.harvard.edu.