Screen Shot 2016-03-31 at 9.52.02 AMThe Winona State University Retiree Center will offer the non-credit course “Adventures Through the Gender Spectrum” as part of Senior University 2016 from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Mondays from April 4 to May 9.

Participants will examine questions about gender such as: When did you first become aware of your gender identity? Do you make conscious and deliberate decisions each day based on your gender expression, roles, and identity? The course will discuss how people have experienced gender and will examine the social construction of gender by focusing on two broad groups – those who are cisgender (birth-assigned sex and gender identity and the same) and those who are transgender (birth-assigned sex and gender identity are different).

JamieAnn Meyers, (preferred gender pronouns she/her/her’s) a trans-woman and Professor Emerita at Winona State University, will be instructing the course. She has extensive experience in presenting and facilitating educational programs dealing with gender identity and sexual orientation. Meyers also advocates for the LGBTQIA community in secular and faith communities as a lead trainer with the Minnesota GLBTA Campus Alliance and the convener of Trans-Lutherans.

Mary Jo Klinker (preferred gender pronouns she/her/her’s), an assistant professor of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Winona State University, will also be instructing the course. Her teaching and research interests include LGBT/Queer politics and history, transnational feminism, contemporary masculinities and post-feminist media studies.

Meyers and Klinker have worked together on organizing community workshops on micro-aggressions and bisexual organizing in rural contexts.

The course is $40. Registration is available online.

Senior University is open to all people of retirement age in the Winona community. The program is a series of non-credit short courses that are peer-led by WSU faculty, retirees and community members. The goal is to provide intellectual and cultural stimulation and growth for lifelong learners. Courses cover events, history, philosophy, science, art, poetry and literature.

For more information, contact Jessica Kauphusman at 507-457-5565.