07. Initiation Into Sisterhood: An Examination of Transgender Women Doing and Undoing Gender in an American Sorority

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Taking from the experiences of transgender women, this research proposal analyzes West and Zimmerman’s sociological theory of “doing gender” within Panhellenic sororities on American college campuses. The transgender community is becoming more prominent thus breaking the socially constructed idea of there being only the binary, man and woman. As the transgender population is increasing within American society, it is important to address how their day-to-day interactions with the world socialize their gender performance. The results of this study will be determined through recorded in-depth interviews with questions that emphasize the decision to join a sorority, the formal recruitment process, and the experiences once having gained membership. After performing and transcribing the interviews, I will code each of them to draw specific commonalities and themes that arise from these detailed discussions. The overall goal is to discover how a transgender woman displays her gender to her fellow cisgender sisters, whether that be through clothing, conversation, or other factors. Though this research question has yet to become answered, it will hopefully bring awareness of inclusion and diversity to college campuses and how they can benefit members of the transgender community in not only their post secondary education but also their experiences at their institution.