Trans-forming the university: a study on access and permanence of trans people in higher education

Abstract

This paper analyzes the access and permanence of the trans population in higher education. In addition to the bibliographic research, it is based on a field work that included six open interviews with travestis and transgender women and one with a transgender man of different races / ethnicities, social classes and types of university that they attend. The results show that access to university was facilitated by specific achievements of the trans movement - such as the legal implementation and the right to use the social name in institutions that adhered to legislation and national assessments such as ENEM - but was also facilitated by the government policies focused on low-income ethnic and racial minorities by offering vacancies in federal and state public universities through the SISU system and by offering scholarships in private and confessionals universities by PROUNI. The appeal of many to "preparatory course", aimed at travestis and transsexuals, was also fundamental. On the other hand, the public policies for transgender people regarding the permanence on the universities are very few. Difficulties related to the payment of university fees, the use of bathrooms according to gender identification, access to student housing and food aid, as well as the lack of training programs for teachers and other employees to deal with trans people, have been reported. Participation in trans militancy within the university context has become important for the transformation of the environment they inhabit, contributing to the change of paradigms, acceptance of their subjectivities, recognition of rights and respect for human diversity.