A new experimental gender studies class will be available to ISU students next semester.

Women’s Studies 205X: Introduction to Queer Studies will cover gender and sexuality issues in the United States. Organizers said the class, which is modeled on similar programs in place at other universities, could eventually develop into a certificate program or a minor.

Kathleen Hickok, co-instructor for the course and professor of English, said the name for the course was chosen because queer is a broad gender identity umbrella term that encompasses a number of categories, including lesbian, gay and bisexual.

“Queer studies is more of a post-modern approach deconstructing the various categories,” said Warren Blumenfeld, co-instructor for the course and assistant professor of curriculum and instruction. He said as an introductory course it would cover topics including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history, politics, philosophy, literature and relationships.

Hickok said the subjects taught in the course need “concentrated attention” to understand and would be difficult to teach as part of another course.

John Faughn, director of LGBT Student Services, said when he came to Iowa State this year, he was surprised a course on the subject did not exist because many other universities have not only courses, but also certificate programs and minors in similar programs.

“This is a very common course at many universities,” Faughn said.

The University of Minnesota has a similar program, Blumenfeld said.

The U of M Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Studies minor was created last spring, said Rebecca Aylesworth, undergraduate adviser for the U of M women’s studies department. Aylesworth said, however some classes that make up the minor, which comprises an introductory class and five upper-division classes, were available before the past year. She said the program has been successful.

“When you start a new program, you’re always concerned about what the student interest is going to be,” Aylesworth said.

She said there are 10 students enrolled in the minor, although many more take the classes, which she said have had “really good enrollment.”

Blumenfeld said the class at Iowa State could similarly develop into a program.

He said he hopes a certificate program could be in place within a few years, with a minor soon after that.

“The biggest step is the first one,” Faughn said.

Aylesworth said the idea for the class at Minnesota was developed by the GLBT Programs Office. LGBT Student Services helped get the idea off of the ground at Iowa State, Faughn said. Both professors teaching the ISU class helped create the idea, he said.

Blumenfeld and Hickok said they are not being paid to teach the class, although they did apply for a grant from the university. It would have cost the university approximately $10,000 to “buy out” the professors and pay them to teach an additional class, Blumenfeld said. Hickok cited the tight university budget and said the university was not able to fund many other applicants.

“The funding ran out before they got to us,” Hickok said.

She said a teaching assistant, however, would be paid about $4,000 from the women’s studies budget.

Faughn said many courses on queer studies, or the equivalent, are taught through women’s studies departments, as both focus on gender issues.

“The gay liberation movement really stemmed out of the women’s movement,” he said.

Hickok said they also applied for the course to count as a U.S. Diversity general education requirement.

The Faculty Senate Curriculum Committee has not yet considered the class for diversity credit and will not for at least two weeks, said Ken Kruempel, chairman of the committee.

As an experimental course, the class will be offered during the spring of 2006 and the spring of 2007, Hickok said. Only one section with 30 seats is being offered next semester.

“We want to construct the course, teach it and do some pre- and post-research surveys to see what we did right, what we need to improve,” Blumenfeld said.

After two semesters as an experimental course, Introduction to Queer Studies could become part of the regular curriculum.