Dot Brauer to Speak about Queering Education
by Solvegi Shmulsky
PUTNEY, Vt.--Dorothea Brauer, director of the LGBTQA Center at the University of Vermont (UVM), will speak on “Queering Education” on Monday, March 2, 2015, at Landmark College. Brauer’s talk is part of the spring Academic Speaker Series, which has the mission to “promote the College's intellectual environment and facilitate discussion of important issues for the community.” The talk will be held at 7 p.m. in the Brooks M. O’Brien Auditorium in the East Academic Building of Landmark College. Admission is free, and the event is open to the public.
Vermont is at the forefront in recognizing the next step in identity politics: the validation of a third gender.—Julie Scelfo, New York Times
Brauer has lived in Vermont since 1986 and has worked at UVM since 1992. She was featured in the New York Times on February 3, 2015, for her work in advocating for the University of Vermont (UVM) to recognize a third gender option. UVM has taken steps to acknowledge individuals who identify outside the male/female dichotomy. Those steps include allowing students to select their own first names and preferred pronouns from the options he, she, ze, and they. Julie Scelfo, New York Times reporter, wrote, “Vermont is at the forefront in recognizing the next step in identity politics: the validation of a third gender.”
Brauer holds a master's degree in psychology and is working on a doctorate in educational leadership and policy studies. Brauer will share her definition of “queering education,” and argue for its role in keeping education relevant in the midst of cynicism and collapsing social structures. She will talk about the value of listening to voices that we may not have heard before. This interactive presentation will challenge the audience with provocative questions on education.
“Talks like these are important because they promote equality,” said Dr. Michelle Bower, who chairs the department of math and computer science at Landmark College and serves on the Sexual Respect Committee. Bower explained the need for greater equality by noting that women and sexual minorities are underrepresented in certain fields. She said, “STEM fields like mine, athletics, and even video games are known for being men’s worlds. By welcoming more voices, we can benefit from a greater wealth of ideas.”
Brauer’s talk is part of LGBTQIA Awareness Week, which is coordinated by Landmark College Resident Deans Tiffany Dyer and Maeve Spiegler. LGBTQIA stands for “lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, intersex, and asexual or ally.” This acronym has grown from the former LGBT, and is known as a self-chosen term for those who identify as sexually diverse.
LGBTQIA Awareness Week March 2-6
All events are at 7 p.m.
Monday--Queering Education
Dot Brauer
Brooks M. O’Brien Auditorium, East Academic Building
Tuesday--Gender Allies
Anita Long, Landmark College faculty
Stone Hall Coffee House
Wednesday--Safe Sex Education & Prevention
Sue Conley, AIDS Project
Administration Building Auditorium (Admin. Aud.)
Thursday--Trans 101
Jay Hayes
Admin. Aud.
Friday--Movie Night
Admin. Aud.
For more information about these events, contact Maeve Spiegler.