Interesting People

“I identify as having a vagina”

MLC Did you ask me because my hair is pink?

CT Of course not.

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MARIANNA LEE CAMPANO

English and Women’s Studies

with Religious Studies Minor

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MLC I’m a second year senior. I could have graduated faster, but I didn’t really want to. I’m afraid I’m going to miss out on learning something. I like school, which is kind of weird, ’cause some of my friends don’t. I just like learning. Some people change their majors to stay in school, but I just add more.

CT Why do you think your friends are less enthused about education?

MLC I don’t know. They just wanna like, get a job, have money. I want that too, but – I kind of wanna be a teacher, but at the same time I feel like there’s more important things I could be doing.

CT More important things?

MLC Like, I just came from a talk about health issues in elderly trans people, and how there’s not a single nursing home in the country that caters specifically to people like that. And I had never thought about, you know, what someone like that couldn’t do when they’re old.  That’s why I like school, I keep learning things, that feel like it should be common sense but like – I never thought of that. And I feel like once I leave school, I feel like I’m going to miss out on those opportunities.

CT What advice would you give our readership as a seasoned VCU student?

MLC I think everyone should take the Queer Theories and Lesbian Texts class because it’s just so enlightening. I think it should be a requirement for people to learn – not just tolerance, but also acceptance and understanding. And people should defy gender roles.

CT Have you defied any gender roles today?

MLC  Well the lady, from the trans thing, asked me – out of everyone, asked me – “What’s your sex?”  But it’s like, I was so put on the spot and I was just – I said “female,” even though if someone else asked me that I’d be like, “I identify as having a vagina.” I mean I like dressing and acting and being like a girl, but you know. Anyways she asked me, “How would you prove to us that you’re a female?” And I said “I’d take my pants off.”  … Everyone laughed at me, but it was the first thing I could think of, and it’s ridiculous to look at someone and be like “boy or girl.”