Earlier this month, Erica Chu visited Blackburn College to deliver workshops to faculty, staff and the campus community on gender identity. A gender and women’s studies professor at the University of Illinois in Chicago, Chu teaches courses in queer and gender studies. Chu identifies their gender as non-binary using the pronouns they, them and their. Chu was invited by senior psychology major Jenin Kimber, who is doing a senior seminar project on related topics.
In Chu’s presentation “Power, Creativity, and Identity: Gender Identity in and beyond the Binary,” they opened by stating, “Let’s talk about blue jeans. Have you ever had a pair of jeans that just didn’t fit but you had to wear them sometimes? It gives that uncomfortable feeling. How good it felt to come home and take them off and put on something that you actually felt human in. This is very similar to gender.” Chu urged the audience to think about gender as more than the simple distinction of a man and woman based off of one’s genitalia.
Before the presentation in Olin Lecture Hall, Chu also gave a Trans-Inclusive Pedagogy Workshop for faculty. Chu noted, “It went really well. We had a large turnout. I was expecting 10 and I don’t know how many teachers were there. They seemed pretty enthusiastic. It was really awesome to see.”
Freshman communications major Ally Fowler was in attendance at the workshop that was open to the campus community because she wanted to learn more about the transgender and non-binary community. Fowler said, “The presenter themself did a very good job of explaining things. You know, just making it clear what they wanted to say.”
Director of Diversity and Inclusion and Title IX Administrator Jarrod Gray also attended the public workshop as well as the faculty and staff workshop. Gray stated, “Yes, I attended both sessions and found the information shared to be very relevant and delivered in a very engaging method that was appropriate for the audience.”
Gray also asked for feedback from Chu after Chu’s presentations. Gray shared Chu’s response, “I was super impressed with the faculty’s engagement for sure. The students are lucky to have such devoted teachers. And the students I was able to talk to also seemed sharp. I’m really happy I had the chance to visit campus and see what it’s all about. Again, I really appreciate the opportunity to have gotten to come to campus and meet folks.”