University of Arizona expanding transgender studies

PHOENIX — Educational leaders say that as a whole, there’s been great progress in understanding people who identify with the LGBTQ community.

However there’s one area that needs work.

“Transgender folks still face significant discrimination and violence,” said University of Arizona Director of Gender and Women’s Studies, Monica Casper. “This will create space to have these conversation and do important work in the community to educate.”

The University of Arizona has announced plans to expand research in transgender studies. They plan to hire additional faculty members over the next two years.

“We’ll be looking at the variability in contingency of gender and sexuality and embodiment,” said Casper. “Looking at not only the experiences and lives of transgender people, but also becomes a lens to look at gender and sexuality is constructed.”