"A transgender Pennsylvania woman has filed a bias complaint alleging mistreatment by instructors at a community college where she was studying to become an X-ray technician.
Jamie Nicole Anderson was born male and had a sex-change operation. She says she was suspended by Harrisburg Area Community College for three days in October for using the women's restroom at a hospital where one of her classes was held.
Anderson says she was told not to use that restroom because some operating room employees felt uncomfortable about it.
Anderson says she was dismissed from the program on Oct. 30 for violating a dress code by wearing too many ear piercings.
A college spokesman says officials haven't seen the complaint to the state Human Relations Commission and don't have any comment" (Philly).
Contact Harrisburg Area Community College, demand an apology, and urge them to institute protections for transgender students and faculty members, at on and off campus facilities.
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10 comments:
Jeez, why don't they just rename the school "Fascist University"?
Congratulations to this transwoman for being so brave. As a transboy, I avoid using my secondary school's restrooms; or I use the ladies' room because my classmates have a hard time seeing me as male.
amazing how they say we are the ones confused about sexual identity...
This is so common in Central Pa. I was a grad student at Penn State of Harrisburg and faced a lot of abuse at the Univ. by professors. While sexual orientation is slowly being accepted Transgender & Gender Queer people face abuse within the LGB community and Heterosexual / Heteronormative comm in Central Pa. If you would like to read more on some of my experiences you can visit my blog. There's so much more I can and need to post, but recently received a threat by the a Provost on Educational Equality at Penn State so I've backed off, not to mention the lack of support by the Gay and Lesbian community at PSH/PSU. My only suggestion is to leave Central Pa. I did, and my mental and physical health is much better because of it. Even Ohio is more progressive on these issues than Pa....
My email to HACC:
"I was recently informed about an incident regrading a transgender student at your community college. How embarrassing that Transgender students face such a bigoted and unsafe institution to attend college. As someone who identifies with the LGBTQ community I am embarrassed for your college and will encourage individuals that your school empowers hate and cultural biases towards sexual minorities and to apply their hard earned money elsewhere!"
I wonder if the dismissal from the university was under the false premise that she had too many earrings and it is really because she is trans. Why would ones earrings make a difference?
Well i go to HACC and i'm gay, I have had no problems with HACC's decision on this matter , i have had no problems there, what so ever! of course, i haven't went out of my way to make a spectical of myself either.
I believe this person is just excercising her right to equality. We all know of the extreme "taboo" status that being transgendered is. I'm assuming her legal documents have been corrected to reflect female and if so, this college is fighting a losing battle. Kudos to her for standing up for herself!! We all know how conservative that Central Pennsylvania is and it'd downright disgusting what they did to her!
She's a woman! What did they want her to
do...Use the mens room! I'm totally on her
side....
HUGS!!!!!!!!!!!
As a genderqueer living in Pennsylvania, I'm definitely disappointed by the way "educators" in this state can be, especially after reading this.
Of course...I was sort of planning on leaving the state anyway. :/
But kudos to Jamie for sticking up for herself. I certainly wouldn't have the guts to do it.
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