Almost inevitably, now we find a Push for Transgender Studies.

As we read in IHE’s story, first out of the gate is the University of Arizona. “As a subfield of LGBT studies,” we learn, “transgender studies examines sex and gender as they relate to cultural representations, political movements, and lived experiences of gender-nonconforming individuals.” It seems to me that Arizona taxpayers are being milked so that a few academics can write and talk about a hobby of theirs. Perhaps a few students will get lured into the planned master’s program in Transgender Studies, for which they’ll borrow heavily and eventually taxpayers across the nation will foot the bill after they default or qualify for forgiveness by working in some “public service” job.

Nothing against transgendered people, but creating a master’s program around their circumstances is a waste of resources.

Now, continuing with the theme of “studies,” my good friend and frequent Pope Center contributor Tom Bertonneau alerts us to another development, namely “Studies Studies.”

The person who will chair Studies Studies, Spelvina Malarkey-Delgado, says “Studies Studies is the type of vibrant, transgressive program that modern university humanities divisions have long been clamoring for.”

Okay — it’s a spoof, but a darned good one.