Henry Rubin
Encyclopedia
Henry S. Rubin is an American
sociologist known for work on transsexualism
.
degree in 1988 from University of California, Santa Cruz
and a master's degree
and Ph.D.
in sociology from Brandeis University
in 1996. After lecturing at Harvard University
from 1996 to 2000, Rubin held one-year assistant professorships at Clark University
in 2000 and Hamilton College in 2001. He was appointed at Tufts University
in the Media & Communications department from 2002-2005, working as a research analyst at Harvard University
during that time. Following a one-year position as programs coordinator at Colleges of the Fenway
in 2005, Rubin took a position as an instructor at Quincy College
in 2007.
Rubin's work explores the political tensions that emerge from differing worldviews and identities within the LGBT community. Rubin is known for arguing that the most meaningful division is not between the queer
and transsexual communities, but between the transgender
and transsexual communities. He has also explored how the "logic of treatment" is different for transmen and transwomen, outlining the now-outdated use of organo-therapy on female-to-male people. Rubin is a thought leader in the movement to distance transsexual political interests from those of the transgender movement as that movement becomes more aligned with the queer movement.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sociologist known for work on transsexualism
Transsexualism
Transsexualism is an individual's identification with a gender inconsistent or not culturally associated with their biological sex. Simply put, it defines a person whose biological birth sex conflicts with their psychological gender...
.
Life and career
Rubin earned a bachelor of artsBachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in 1988 from University of California, Santa Cruz
University of California, Santa Cruz
The University of California, Santa Cruz, also known as UC Santa Cruz or UCSC, is a public, collegiate university; one of ten campuses in the University of California...
and a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
and Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in sociology from Brandeis University
Brandeis University
Brandeis University is an American private research university with a liberal arts focus. It is located in the southwestern corner of Waltham, Massachusetts, nine miles west of Boston. The University has an enrollment of approximately 3,200 undergraduate and 2,100 graduate students. In 2011, it...
in 1996. After lecturing at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
from 1996 to 2000, Rubin held one-year assistant professorships at Clark University
Clark University
Clark University is a private research university and liberal arts college in Worcester, Massachusetts.Founded in 1887, it is the oldest educational institution founded as an all-graduate university. Clark now also educates undergraduates...
in 2000 and Hamilton College in 2001. He was appointed at Tufts University
Tufts University
Tufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
in the Media & Communications department from 2002-2005, working as a research analyst at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
during that time. Following a one-year position as programs coordinator at Colleges of the Fenway
Colleges of the Fenway
]The Colleges of the Fenway is a collegiate consortium in the Longwood Medical and Academic Area of Boston, Massachusetts. The association promotes collaboration between local schools to enhance the variety of educational programs; to gain economics benefits through shared research, medical, and...
in 2005, Rubin took a position as an instructor at Quincy College
Quincy College
Quincy College is a public junior college located in Quincy, Massachusetts. It is an open admission commuter school that offers associate's degrees in professional fields of study.-History:...
in 2007.
Rubin's work explores the political tensions that emerge from differing worldviews and identities within the LGBT community. Rubin is known for arguing that the most meaningful division is not between the queer
Queer
Queer is an umbrella term for sexual minorities that are not heterosexual, heteronormative, or gender-binary. In the context of Western identity politics the term also acts as a label setting queer-identifying people apart from discourse, ideologies, and lifestyles that typify mainstream LGBT ...
and transsexual communities, but between the transgender
Transgender
Transgender is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to vary from culturally conventional gender roles....
and transsexual communities. He has also explored how the "logic of treatment" is different for transmen and transwomen, outlining the now-outdated use of organo-therapy on female-to-male people. Rubin is a thought leader in the movement to distance transsexual political interests from those of the transgender movement as that movement becomes more aligned with the queer movement.