You could cut ties with all the lies

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Secret - CUNY Grad CenterBack in March, I applied to the CUNY Grad Center for the Fall 2012 semester. Earlier this week, I learned that I was accepted! I will be pursuing my second Master’s degree, this time in Liberal Studies. I’ve chosen to concentrate in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies because I hope to combine my interests in librarianship with my passion for sexuality education and equal rights. While in library school, I learned that there is little research on the information needs of LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning) teenagers. Through my research, I found that there was no qualitative research on this topic that used sound investigative methodologies and I made a promise to myself that I would change that one day. My studies at the Grad Center will help me fulfill that promise by giving me the proper foundation and education as well as propelling me toward a tenure-track position in an academic library where I will have the time and resources* to devote myself to achieving this goal.

*I’m being optimistic–borderline naive–here. Faculty get some time off for research but it’s not nearly enough. Furthermore, the college will not pay for any expenses incurred as part of my research… so I will need to apply for grants and find funding elsewhere. But it’s still better than what a temporary or part-time position allows me! (Namely: nothing.)

UnisexSo it was with interest that I read a story reported today in Inside Higher Ed wherein a transgender college student was awarded the right to use the women’s bathroom after having been relegated to “gender-neutral” bathrooms after another student complained about having to share the women’s bathroom with her. (We’ve been through this before, folks: separate does not mean equal!) Toward the middle of the article, though, I paused when I read the line: “The ‘T’ of LGBT is largely forgotten or invisible on most campuses today.” I realized I’m guilty of this.

Whenever I think about LGBTQ college students, I’m actually just thinking of gay and lesbian students. Meanwhile, I know people who have had gender-reassignment surgery and hormone replacement therapy so it’s not like I’ve forgotten about them or think transgender people are invisible, nonexistent, or insignificant. I guess I just think that transgender people come to terms with their identities later in life so I do not think of them when I think of “college students.” Of course, this is an unfair assumption–and a silly one, given that I work in a university system that is so large and diverse*.

*I can link to many reports for race/ethnicity and age of the students… but, of course, there is no data on sexuality or sexual identity. However, given that there are over 540,000 students at CUNY and that, on average, 3.5% of American adults identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual and 0.3% of American adults are transgender (numbers that I think are conservative), that means that about 18,935 CUNY students identify as being lesbian, gay, or bisexual and another 1,623 are transgender.

I hope a formal education in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies will help correct this kind of thinking and inspire me to learn more about the information needs about LGBTQ college students and help me better assist them–and everyone else–in college libraries.

Recipe: Vegan cast iron pizza

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I made a delicious pizza for dinner tonight. I cheated and used frozen pizza dough, though… so all I really did was assemble ingredients and add heat. It turned out really well but I’m sure it would’ve been even better with a handmade crust! My version is vegan so it fulfills my diet requirements while satisfying my pizza cravings. If you make it, feel free to use whatever toppings you want and top with the shredded cheese of your choosing (Mozzarella, most likely).

Equipment
Well-seasoned cast iron skillet, 10 or 12 inches in diameter

Ingredients
(measurements are estimated because I just winged it — adjust to your own tastes!)

    Vegan cast iron pizza
  • 1 ball pizza dough (thawed overnight, if frozen)
  • 1/4 cup crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp dried marjoram
  • 1/4 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/4 tsp dried rosemary
  • 1/4 tsp parsley flakes
  • 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
  • 4 pieces quartered marinated artichoke hearts
  • 3 baby Bella mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 bell pepper (green), sliced thinly
  • 1 Roma tomato, sliced thinly
  • 1 handful of leaves of fresh basil, sliced or ripped into bite-size pieces
  • Olive oil for brushing

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
  2. In a small bowl, combine tomato sauce and spices (including the nutritional yeast, if using it).
  3. Roll the dough into a large circle. Line cold cast iron skillet with the dough. (No need to coat the pan with oil if skillet is seasoned!) If there’s more dough than skillet, cut off excess dough (leaving an inch or two along the sides) and fold/press down the edges to create the crust. Brush dough with olive oil.
  4. Add a light coating of seasoned tomato sauce.
  5. Layer with your toppings in the order given (first artichokes, then mushrooms, etc.) except the basil.
  6. Heat skillet on a high flame for 3 minutes to get the pan piping hot.
  7. Place skillet in preheated oven for 18 minutes, until the crust is a golden brown.
  8. Remove the pizza with a spatula (it should slide right out!), top with the basil, and cool on a rack for 3 minutes. (The lack of cheese means no gooey hotness to burn the roof of your mouth! Score! If you’re using cheese, though, let cool for a few more minutes.)
  9. Cut into slices and enjoy!

I couldn’t roll out the dough very much (no rolling pin and no upper-body strength) so it made a very small pizza. I sliced it into four relatively large pieces and ate two for dinner. The remaining two slices will be reheated tomorrow for dinner… or perhaps for lunch. Mmm! So tasty, I’m tempted to eat the rest right now. Om nom nom nom nom…

Many thanks to Nick at Macheesmo for the inspiration with his cast iron skillet pizza recipe! His pizza looks amazing and I’m sure it has something to do with his handmade crust. Next time I decide to make pizza, I’m going to try his pizza dough recipe, too.

On a totally unrelated note, I love Better Off Ted. I’m sad it wasn’t popular while it was in production–it was canceled too early! Two seasons was not enough. If you’ve never seen it, check it out on Netflix–it’s available to watch instantly.

On to greener pastures

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Tonight’s dinner:

  • Roasted Asparagus (Veganomicon, pp. 30-31)
  • Mashed Potatoes (Veganomicon, p. 110)
  • Chickpea Cutlets (Veganomicon, p. 133)
  • Mustard Sauce (Veganomicon, p. 204)

I didn’t really need the recipes for the asparagus or the mashed potatoes… but they’re included in the book for good measure. This has been one of my favorite meals from the book so far! So hearty, so delicious… It’s one of those rare vegan meals you can eat with a knife!

I’m going to get very fat if I continue to cook from this book, aren’t I?