for my students, readers, and community
there is no doubt that queers, given our history and significance, have continuously drawn the attention and interest of scholars. for those of us who have attended or are currently enrolled in higher or further education, the struggle of “finding and filling the research gap” is likely a familiar one.
when I was a ph.d candidate, colleagues often told me I was “lucky” to study queers from a particular population—namely, trans people. “it’s a niche topic,” some would say. but as a queer scholar with a background in diaspora studies, I have never sought to “find the niche” by using this community as an object of study.
instead, I conduct participant observation research within the community I identify with because I want to contribute to documenting queers’ voices, cultures, and histories. my goal is to ensure that the study of this community is no longer treated as a question of validity or objectivity. scholars in dominant groups—cisgender and heterosexual people who study themselves—are never required to frame their work as research on “heteronormative people.” nor are they expected to compare their experiences to those of “the mainstream community.” their subject of study is simply assumed to be legitimate.
because of this normativity, their research is seldom questioned. in contrast, as a queer scholar, I do not study queers to “fill the gap” but rather to challenge the heteronormative assumptions embedded in academic knowledge. both my teaching and research are ways of contributing to queer activism and community histories. though I may not hold institutional power as an untenured, female, and queer scholar, I am committed to confronting heteronormativity and effecting change in every way I can—together with my students, readers, and community.
to my students
my personal background and research experiences have sensitised me to issues of diversity, disability, and accommodation. I understand that marginalisation is not inherent to the individual but rather emerges from social and cultural discrimination and exclusionary practices. in my classroom, I am committed to incorporating diverse pedagogical strategies and media to support different types of learners.
please feel free to share your learning needs or circumstances with me—whether it’s your preferred name and pronouns, whether you are a visual learner, experience anxiety or a learning disability, care for a disabled family member, work part-time or full-time, have children, or face other challenges. I especially welcome conversations about needs that may not be immediately visible. my goal is to support you to the best of my ability.