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College Men’s Concerns About Sharing Dormitory Space with a Male-to-Female Transsexual

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Abstract

We examined male college students’ attitudes toward sharing dormitory space with a male-to-female (MTF) transsexual. Participants read three scenarios, in a sequence of either increasing or decreasing contact with the transsexual, in which they imagined sharing dormitory space with a MTF transsexual as a roommate, in the bathroom, and at a residence hall meeting, after each of which they answered open-ended questions about how they would feel or act, or what they would do if they were a resident advisor, in the imagined scenarios. Participants then rated statements measuring their attitudes toward transsexuals and toward masculine norms. Whether they imagined increased or decreased contact, participants expressed comparable transphobia, and made numerous negative and neutral statements and fewer positive statements about how they would feel or act. However, many students made positive statements about how they would act toward the transsexual, particularly in the roommate situation. Adherence to masculine norms and transphobia were so highly positively correlated that they apparently measured a common attitude, but regression analyses indicated that transphobia mediated the association between adherence to masculine norms and frequencies of positive, negative and neutral responses to the open-ended questions. Men who were Christian, from middle to high SES families, and heterosexual were more transphobic and adhered more to masculine norms than those who were nonChristian, from lower SES families, and gay, respectively. Black and white men were equally transphobic and adhered equally to masculine norms. The men’s recommendations when imagining themselves as a resident advisor typically concerned making connections between the men and the transsexual and controlling the situation.

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Acknowledgments

We greatly appreciate the critical, insightful, and in-depth commentaries from three anonymous reviewers, a helpful statistical consultation from Jonathan Gore, and the thoughtful responses from our participants.

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  1. Department of Psychology, Eastern Kentucky University, 127 Cammack Building, Richmond, KY, 40475, USA

    Jennifer Watjen & Robert W. Mitchell

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  1. Jennifer Watjen
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Correspondence to Robert W. Mitchell.

Appendix

Appendix

A male-to-female (MTF) transsexual is a man who believes he is really a woman and wishes to live out his life as a woman, which can be achieved through sexual reassignment surgery. However, before a MTF transsexual can achieve his goal of becoming a woman through surgery, he must live full time as a woman by maintaining a feminine appearance (e.g., wearing feminine clothing, attempting to speak in a higher pitch, etc.) for an extended amount of time. Until surgical sexual reassignment has been achieved, the MTF transsexual must continue to use public spaces (e.g., restrooms, locker rooms, residence halls, etc.) designated for his biological sex, male.

You will be presented with three scenarios (one at a time) about a MTF transsexual, and some questions evaluating your responses to each scenario. Carefully read each scenario and envision yourself coming in contact with a MTF transsexual in the following spaces. Once you have read over a scenario, answer the questions to the best of your ability. Please answer as fully as possible. After reading and responding to all three scenarios, you will be asked to answer a questionnaire about yourself and your attitudes.

Scenario 1

Imagine this is your first day moving into the residence halls, keeping in mind that the other male students will be living in close quarters with you for the rest of the year. You will frequently pass these individuals in the hallway, at the water fountain, or even in the restroom. Later that evening when your floor has its introductory meeting, you scan around the circle and notice that a student who appears to be female will be living on the male only floor. When it comes time for the student to introduce himself, in a high-pitched voice, he says his name is Ashley and that he enjoys hanging out with friends and shopping. The student is wearing lightly colored pink lipstick and eye shadow with his hair pulled back in a ponytail. Also, he is wearing shorts with a feminine pink t-shirt and black flip-flops. You realize this individual is male since he was assigned to a male floor; however, he outwardly presents himself as female.

  1. 1.

    While imagining this situation, how and what do you feel?

  2. 2.

    How do you think you would act in this situation?

  3. 3.

    How do you think you would act in relation to Ashley?

  4. 4.

    Imagine that, instead of the person in the story, you were a Resident Advisor in the dorm in the scenario. What would you recommend be done to help males in the dorms in dealing with situations like this?

Scenario 2

Imagine your first evening in the residence hall and you and your friends have plans to go out for the night. Since it is your first night at college, you want to make sure to look your best. Immediately you rush to the bathroom, which is a community bathroom and is the only one available for all male residents on that floor to use, and take a shower and shave. As you are standing at the mirror in your towel shaving, you are aware that someone walked in and went to the back bathroom stall. You hear the usual sounds of urination. You don’t think much about it until the individual walks out of the stall, and you notice he is dressed as a woman. He is wearing subtle makeup (lipstick, eye shadow, blush, etc.) and a long patterned skirt with a soft, pink blouse and high heels. Unsure if the individual is in the right bathroom, you take a hard stare and notice the stubble on the individual’s face and the hard masculine jaw line. You finally realize this individual is really a man, but presents himself in a feminine appearance.

  1. 1.

    While imagining this situation, how and what do you feel?

  2. 2.

    How do you think you would act in this situation?

  3. 3.

    How do you think you would act in relation to this person?

  4. 4.

    Imagine that, instead of the person in the story, you were a Resident Advisor in the dorm in the scenario. What would you recommend be done to help males in the dorms in dealing with situations like this?

Scenario 3

Imagine your first day moving into the residence hall, the excitement of finally meeting your roommate for the first time and worrying that you won’t have anything in common. When you arrive, you open your room to realize that you are the first one there. Excitedly, you hurry and unpack your things and walk around to meet some of the other guys you will be living with for the rest of the year. A few hours later when you return, you notice your new roommate had been there and dropped off his belongings. However, as you look around the room you notice some unusual things. His bed is made with a colorful red quilt and throw pillows, there are inspirational posters hanging up and pictures of family and friends, and his clothes that are lying on the bed appear to be feminine. As you curiously take a closer look, you notice he has dresses hanging in the back of his closet, high heels, and a bag of makeup and jewelry sitting on his dresser. Confused about what you are seeing, you wait for your new roommate to return. When your roommate enters the room, he introduces himself in a high-pitched voice as Karen. Karen appears friendly but perhaps somewhat shy, and informs you he is pleased to meet you and looks forward to sharing the room with you for the rest of the year. As you stare at your new roommate, you realize he is dressed in a white summer skirt with a black tank top. You realize that Karen will be living in close quarters with you, and is male, but dresses and acts like a female.

  1. 1.

    While imagining this situation, how and what do you feel?

  2. 2.

    How do you think you would act in this situation?

  3. 3.

    How do you think you would act in relation to Karen?

  4. 4.

    Imagine that, instead of the person in the story, you were a Resident Advisor in the dorm in the scenario. What would you recommend be done to help males in the dorms in dealing with situations like this?

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Watjen, J., Mitchell, R.W. College Men’s Concerns About Sharing Dormitory Space with a Male-to-Female Transsexual. Sexuality & Culture 17, 132–166 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-012-9143-4

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