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Jayce Tyler

Important Intersections: Dr. Jess Waggoner Teaches First Transgender Studies Course at University of Houston

A photo of Dr. Jess Waggoner.

Growing up in rural Alabama was difficult for University of Houston professor Dr. Jess Waggoner. Yet, despite being surrounded by gendered expectations, they persevered and found ways to express themselves as a young, queer, non-binary person. In particular, singing in church and reading were ways they could be momentarily free. “As a fat, femme, disabled, non-binary scholar with a deep love for glitter, crop-tops, bolo ties, and camp, finding my place in the academy has not always been easy,” says…

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Coming Up to and Above The Surface: Finding Strength in My Non-Binary Identity

A photo of non-binary Houstonian Jayce Tyler.

The first time I “came out,” it was more of being pulled out. My parents had just discovered I was gay and the world turned upside down. My father was angry with me, but I couldn’t understand why because he has a lesbian sister and a gay brother. My mother simply ignored me. I spent the next few years silencing the things about myself that I knew my parents would never understand. …

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