Historically Black College Hires White, Transgender Professor

A bit of good news for marginalized groups of the world: Chicago State University has hired its first transgender professor. As reported by Renee Martin of Womanist Musings, Das Janssen will become a Philosophy professor at the predominantly black school — a hire that will hopefully help dispel myths about the black community's lack of tolerance of the LGBT community.

However, while Janssen — who's white — was prepared to do battle about his gender, he wasn't prepared to have to answer for his ethnicity. The Windy City Media Group reported that while Janssen simply corrects students who can't seem to refer to him with masculine pronouns, he rejects the idea that his students should challenge his fitness to teach because he's white. Though he never thought about it while growing up on predominantly white military bases, he says that he's learned "what it means to be white." As an adult, Janssen says he was even shocked to learn that there are stereotypes about white people — but has come to enjoy "white jokes."

"But above all," the story says. "Janssen's concern is not with race or gender identity, but with knowing that his students are able to learn philosophy from him."

Janssen's a textbook example of how privilege and marginalization can work hand-in-hand. The part of his identity that he is most aware of (being transgender) requires him to bring extra armor for every situation to defend who he is. But being a white male allows him the privilege to not have to think about ethnicity, culture or race, which his students — who are likely marginalized in various ways beyond being black — are constantly being made aware of. All more food for thought for why being part of the LGBT community doesn't mean you are automatically non-racist. (For more on the topic, read Lorenzo Herrera y Lozano's post here on Change.org, "Yup, Gays Can Be Racist, Too.")

I also question whether anyone who has never thought about race — like Janssen as a youth — can be non-racist. The act of abandoning racism has to be an active and ongoing process, for both white and non-white people alike. To me, the idea that someone who only examined his role as a white person as an adult is teaching a bunch of black teenagers philosophy is laughable. Then again, though, as Martin writes, "For generations, the only thoughts society thought worth remembering or even studying, were that of white males, thus making philosophy the musings of dead white men."

Janssen's appointment could prove to be an insightful learning experience for the Chicago community — both those on campus and those off. But if Janssen's appointment challenges the community's ideas of privilege, likewise, Janssen should also challenge the privileges that come along with his position as a white male professor.

Photo Credit: USACE Europe District