Instructor Information

I'm Kori Pacyniak (pronouns they/them), an adjunct instructor in the LGBTQ+ Studies Program at SDSU. I'm also finishing up my dissertation in queer and trans studies in religion at UC Riverside. I've taught courses in both gender studies and religious studies and am looking forward to working with all of you this semester. I can be reached at kpacyniak@sdsu.edu I aim to reply to emails within 24-48 hours during weekdays.

Office Location: Arts & Letters 342
Zoom office hours:  https://ucr.zoom.us/my/kpacyniak
Office Hours: TBD / You can always email to set up a time 

Course Information

Class Day/Time: Mondays and Wednesdays 9-9:50 am; the third hour of class will be completed asynchronously

Modality: Face to face seminar; one hour of virtual asynchronous instruction

Class Location: Adams Humanities (AH)  3110

What Is This Class About?

This course focuses on the diversity of queer/trans identities in history and now. We will focus on trans lives and cultures, paying particular attention to intersections of ability, age, class, color, and sexuality with trans identities. Through a combination of first person narratives, theory, and popular culture, we'll look at stories and experiences of trans folks, including questions of oppression, joy, resistance, and navigating a cis normative world. 

Trans people have used their experiences to create theories about the world, using trans as a verb, as in “trans”-ing. This class will explore some of the conversations within the field that has come to be known as Trans Studies, including conversations about the relationship between race, gender and sexuality and the distinct contributions of trans culture.  

Catalog Description: Terms, concepts, and ideas in Trans/gender studies.  Diversity of queer/trans identities in history and now.  Trans lives and cultures.  Trans oppression and resistance; cis privilege and alliances.  Intersections of sexuality, color, class, age, ability, and sexuality with Trans identities.

What will you learn?

By the end of this this course you will be able to:

Define Trans Studies as a form of theorizing, activism, and cultural production. Identify key terms, concepts, and ideas in the field of Trans Studies.

Describe the construction of the sex and gender binary in the Americas during European imperialism and beyond.

Describe the history of gender non-normative, gender transgressive, non-binary and transgender people in the United States, US colonies, and beyond, including the criminalization, medicalization, and administration of gender variance.

Evaluate the possibilities and limitations of trans as a social identity.

Identify the contributions of trans culture to dominant culture and other marginalized cultures, including queer culture. Analyze trans cultural productions.

This course satisfies the General Education graduation requirements for Explorations in the Humanities and Fine Arts. Goals for GE Courses in the Humanities and Fine Arts:

• Analyze written, visual, or performed texts in the humanities and fine arts with sensitivity to their diverse cultural contexts and historical moments.
• Develop a familiarity with various aesthetic and other value systems and the ways they are communicated across time and cultures.
• Argue from multiple perspectives about issues in the humanities that have personal and global relevance.
• Demonstrate the ability to approach complex problems and ask complex questions drawing upon knowledge of the humanities.

What will you read?

Required Books: These are books that we’ll be reading all or most of. It’s useful for you to have access to them for that reason. We won’t be reading them right away, so there will be time for you to acquire them.

• Kobabe, Maia. Gender Queer: a Memoir. Oni Press, 2022. ISBN: 9781637150726 (any edition will work)
• Mock, Janet. Redefining Realness: My Path to Womanhood, Identity, Love and So Much More. Atria Books: 2014. ISBN: 9781476709130
• Rajunov, Micah & Duane, A. Scott (eds). Nonbinary: Memoirs of Gender and Identity. ISBN: 9780231185332 - available through SDSU https://csu-sdsu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01CALS_SDL/10r4g1c/cdi_askewsholts_vlebooks_9780231546102 

 

Optional Books: These are either books that I think are a useful resource or that we’ll be reading selections from. Any readings from these books will be posted on canvas, but maybe you’re the type of person who wants to have all the books.

• Haefele-Thomas, Ardel. Introduction to Transgender Studies. Harrington Park Press, 2019.  ISBN: 9781939594273
• Stryker Susan and Dylan McCarthy Blackston (eds). The Transgender Studies Reader Remix, 2022 ISBN: 9781032062471
• Teich, Nicholas M. Transgender 101 : A Simple Guide to a Complex Issue. Columbia University Press, 2012.  ISBN: 9780231157131
• Vaid-Menon, Alok. Beyond the Gender Binary. Penguin Young Readers Group, 2020.  ISBN: 9780593094655

 

Other required readings will be made available digitally on Canvas. 

n.b. - If there’s something you think would be interesting for us to read/watch together as a class, don’t hesitate to let me know! 

 

IMPORTANT: What is the Equitable Access program? “Equitable Access is a digital-first flat rate course materials program for all undergraduate students. This program provides each student access to all of their required course materials by the first day of class for one low rate of $22 per unit/credit. Yes, you can opt out of the program on or before the add/drop deadline. You will be opting out of Equitable Access for all of your classes, not on a class-by-class basis. For those opting out, you will need to secure your own course materials at regular pricing. Digital and print materials will be available at the Bookstore and through EZ Books (https://ezbooks.sdsu.edu).” Student FAQs: https://www.shopaztecs.com/t-studentfaqea.aspx 

How will you know you are learning? / How will you be graded? 

Intro & Final Reflections: Two for 10 points each (total of 20 points)

• Intro Reflection due Aug 27
• Final Reflection due Dec 10

At the beginning and end of the semester you will be asked to write a response paper of ~ 200-300 words. The initial one is an introduction, in part asking about your background and desires for this class. The final reflection asks what you are taking away from this class. 

 

Critical Response Paper: Two for 15 points each (total of 30 points)

• Critical Response Paper #1  due October 1
• Critical Response Paper #2  due October 29

Over the course of the semester, you will write two short critical responses to the readings/films. Rather than summarizing the readings, I encourage you to use these responses to explore ideas or concerns raised by a given reading or set of readings, or work through a problem, question, or argument raised by the reading(s) that interests, excites, or troubles you. You may raise questions without answering them. You might take this as an opportunity to compare two or more of the readings. You can write about anything we've read or watched. Critical responses should be no more than 2-3 double-spaced pages in length

 

Participation: 10 points 

Participation is an integral part of this class. I expect you to come to class having done the readings / watched the films and prepared to talk about them. We will have different opportunities for participation throughout. (Attendance is not graded, but if you miss a significant portion of classes, your participation may reflect that.) 

 

Creative Final Project: (40 points total) 

• Topic Proposal: 5 points  due October 15
• Draft / Outline: 10 points  due November 20
• Final Project: 25 points  due Dec 18 ( the last day of finals - no exceptions)

The final project for this class is a chance for you to engage with any of the topics we’ve covered in class or something else related to trans studies / trans experiences. Topics must be approved in advance. You can use this project as an opportunity to dive deeper into a historical event, a person, a piece of media/pop culture, or it can take a more speculative form - what might the future of trans folks look like? 

This project can take just about any format: academic paper, short film, song, poems, visual art, fiction, comics/graphic novels, etc. (If you can dream it, we can probably do it.) It should engage topics from the class in some way. If you choose to write an academic paper, it should be “long enough to do the job” which is probably 5-10 pages. All final projects should be accompanied by a “metacommentary” of 250-750 words for creative projects (for papers - this can be an extra paragraph or two at the end of the paper - about 150-250 words). You will be asked to share a bit about your project with your classmates in the final weeks of class.

A = (94-100); A- = (90-93)

B+ = (87-89); B = (83-86); B- = (80-82)

C+ = (77-79); C = (73-76); C- = (70-72)

D+ = (67-69); D = (60-66); F= (≤ 59)

Note: At any point in the course, you can estimate your grade by adding up the points you have earned and compare that to the remaining points available.

 

Other important things to know

Students are responsible for being familiar with the Student Academic Success Handbook https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rXNpNGs1K7nIxcS73o6R-fxZqPIWQwS9gHD7XpIqjhM/edit 

Course Schedule

A syllabus is a living document and the schedule is subject to change with fair warning. Any changes will be made through an announcement in class, and also posted and distributed through the messaging system on Canvas.

Week/Date	Readings/Films	Topics	Deadlines and Due Dates
Week 1 Mon Aug 21		Introduction
Week 1  Wed, Aug 23	Jen Manion, "The Performance of Transgender Inclusion: The Pronoun Go-Round and the New Gender Binary" Dean Spade, "We Still Need Pronoun Go-Rounds"	Overview & Why Pronouns Matter / Should we get rid of them?
Week 1 Online	Watch The Trans List (58 mins, online through SDSU library)		Intro Reflection Paper Due Aug 27
Week 2 Mon, Aug 28	Susan Stryker, "Chapter 1: Contexts, Concepts, and Terms" in Transgender History	Core Concepts & Terms
Week 2 Wed, Aug 30	Susan Stryker, "(De)Subjugated Knowledges: An Introduction to Transgender Studies," in the Transgender Studies Reader, 1-17. The Radical Copyeditor’s Guide to Writing about Transgender People, https://radicalcopyeditor.com/2017/08/31/transgender-style-guide/	Core Concepts & Terms
Week 2 Online	Watch “Pay It No Mind, Marsha P. Johnson” (55 mins, online through the library) Recommended: Happy Birthday, Marsha P. (15 mins)
Week 3 Mon, Sept 3	no readings	NO CLASS  Labor Day Holiday
Week 3  Wed, Sept 6	- C. Jacob Hale, “Suggested Rules for Non-Transsexuals Writing about Transsexuals, Transsexuality, Transsexualism, or Trans ____.” (2009) https://sandystone.com/hale.rules.html -  Perry Zurb, “The Path of Friction: On Hale's “Rules” for Accountability to and within Trans Communities,” TSQ, Feb 2023 (PDF - 15pages) - Anne Tagonist,  "Fuck You and Your Fucking Thesis", (2009) https://tagonist.livejournal.com/199563.html	Trans Subjects
Week 3 Online	Watch the first half of Kumu Hina (total 77 mins, online through SDSU library)	Global Gender Diversity
Week 4 Mon, Sept 11	Ardel  Haefele-Thomas, “Chapter 7:  Global Gender Diversity throughout the Ages We Have Always Been with You,” in  Introduction to Transgender Studies. (PDF / online access)	Global Gender Diversity
Week 4 Wed, Sept 13	Janet Mock, “Redefining Realness” Chapter 8	Global Gender Diversity
Week 4 Online	Watch the second half of Kumu Hina (total 77 mins, online through SDSU library)	Global Gender Diversity
Week 5 Mon, Sept 18	Deborah Miranda, “Extermination of the Joyas: Gendercide in Spanish California”	Gender & Colonialism
Week 5  Wed, Sept 20	Saylesh Wesley, “Two-Spirited Woman”	Gender & Colonialism
Week 5 Online	Watch “Transgender Warriors”  (52 minutes through SDSU library) http://libproxy.sdsu.edu/login?url=https://video.alexanderstreet.com/p/r2BN46n72
Week 6  Mon, Sept 25	María Lugones, “The Coloniality of Gender”	Gender & Colonialism
Week 6  Wed, Sept 27	“Decolonizing Transgender,” in Transgender Studies Quarterly (TSQ)	Gender & Colonialism
Week 6 Online	Watch the first half of Paris in Burning  (1 hr 17 minutes total)  Watch the first half of Paris in Burning  (1 hr 17 minutes total)  https://csu-sdsu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01CALS_SDL/r45sar/alma991023617829502917		Critical Reflection Paper #1 due Oct 1 at 11:59pm
Week 7  Mon, Oct 2	Susan Stryker, “Chapter 2: A Hundred Years of Transgender History,” in Transgender History	Trans History
Week 7 Wed, Oct 4	Watch Pose
Week 7 Online	Watch the second half of Paris in Burning  (1 hr 17 minutes total)  Watch the first half of Paris in Burning  (1 hr 17 minutes total)  https://csu-sdsu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01CALS_SDL/r45sar/alma991023617829502917
Week 8  Mon, Oct 9	Ardel  Haefele-Thomas, “Chapter 4:  Direct Action, Collective Histories, and Collective Activism: What a Riot!,” in  Introduction to Transgender Studies. (PDF / online access)	Trans History
Week 8 Wed, Oct 11	Susan Stryker, “Chapter 4: The Difficult Decades,” in Transgender History	Trans History
Week 8 Online	Watch “Screaming Queens”		Final Project Topic Proposal due by Oct 15 at 11:59pm
Week 9  Mon, Oct 16	Ardel  Haefele-Thomas, “Chapter 6:  Navigating Government Documents, Work, and Healthcare: I’ll need to see some ID with that,” in  Introduction to Transgender Studies. (PDF / online access)	Gender & the Government
Week 9 Wed, Oct 18	“Incarceration, Identity Politics, and the Trans-Cis Divide” by Paisley Currah	Gender & the Government
Week 9 Online	Jon Stewart episode on Trans Issues
Week 10 Mon, Oct 23	Selections from media on anti-trans legislation	Legislating trans in the US
Week 10 Wed, Oct 25	CJ Jones, "Unfair Advantage Discourse in USA Powerlifting: Towards a Transfeminist Sports Studies"	Legislating trans sports
Week 10 Online	What Happens If You're Transgender In The Church | State Of Grace | Refinery29.		Critical Reflection Paper #2 due by Oct 29 at 11:59pm
Week 11 Mon, Oct 30	- Melissa M. Wilcox, "Religion Is Already Transed; Religious Studies Is Not (Yet) Listening," in Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion, Vol. 34, No. 1, Transing and Queering Feminist Studies and Practices of Religion (Spring 2018),  -  Joy Ladin, "In the Image of God, God Created Them: Toward Trans Theology" in Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion, Vol. 34, No. 1, Transing and Queering Feminist Studies and Practices of Religion (Spring 2018),	Trans Issues & Religion
Week 11 Wed, Nov 1	Jaye Ware, “Questions of Faith” in Nonbinary: Memoirs of Identity	Trans Issues & Religion
Week 11 Online	Watch “Disclosure” part 1
Week 12 Mon, Nov 6	Selections from Nonbinary: Memoirs of Gender & Identity	Nonbinary & Genderqueer voices
Week 12 Wed, Nov 8	Ardel  Haefele-Thomas, “Chapter 11:  Trans Literature, Performing Arts, Music and Visual Arts: The Art of Resistance/The Art of Empowerment,,” in  Introduction to Transgender Studies. (PDF / online access)	Trans Culture: Resistance & Empowerment
Week 12 Online	Watch Disclosure Part 2
Week 13 Mon, Nov 13	Selections from Janet Mock, Redefining Realness
Week 13 Wed, Nov 15	Selections from Janet Mock, Redefining Realness
Week 13 Online	Watch an episode of Orange is the New Black or Heartstopper
Week 14 Mon, Nov 20	Catch up on reading // Start reading Maia Kobabe's GenderQueer		Final Project Outline / First Draft due Nov 20 by 11:59pm
Week 14 Wed, Nov 22	NO CLASS Thanksgiving Holiday
Week 14 Online	Watch N.D. Stevenson, Queerness in Cartoons
Week 15 Mon, Nov 27	Maia Kobabe, GenderQueer  part 1
Week 15 Wed, Nov 29	Maia Kobabe, GenderQueer part 2
Week 15 Online	Watch Nimona (netflix) Q&A with Nimona Creator (optional)
Week 16 Mon, Dec 4	Maia Kobabe, GenderQueer part 3
Week 16 Wed, Dec 6	Alok Vaid-Menon Is ‘Fighting for Trans Ordinariness’ by  David Marchese, New York Times
Week 16 Online	Watch BY WED DEC 6 “Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness : Can we Say Bye Bye to the Binary”  (netflix)		Final Reflection due by Dec 10 at 11:59pm
Week 17 Mon, Dec 11	No reading - presentations
Dec 12-18 Finals	No Final Exam		Final Project due Dec 18 at 11:59pm